The Sandman Spin-Off Fans Already Want To See
Comic book fans live in a golden age of adaptations, where heroes and villains from numerous different publishers and universes are getting their time in the live action spotlight. The rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe, and Image Comics adaptations like "The Walking Dead" has meant that a countless number of characters have been given the big screen treatment in ways that were unimaginable even 20 years ago.
Still, there's one seminal comic book that has yet to be adapted, and that's Neil Gaiman's classic Vertigo title, "The Sandman."
That's about to change, thanks to an upcoming Netflix series shepherded by Gaiman himself. Until now, though, Morpheus and his Endless siblings have had a difficult journey to the screen, with a number of failed attempts to translate the otherworldly story into live action. One of the most talked about failed cinematic projects would've starred "500 Days of Summer" and "Inception" star Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Morpheus, although he left the movie back in 2016, citing differences with New Line Cinema (via Comic Book Resources). Thankfully, Gaiman and Warner Bros. later signed a deal with Netflix to work on a faithful TV series adaptation of "The Sandman," and now, fans are understandably excited after seeing the first trailer, which faithfully portrays the cosmic visuals and dark atmosphere of the comic. "The Sandman" stars British actor Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, as well as Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer, and Boyd Holbrook as the terrifying Corinthian.
Even before the series has released, though, fans have already been vocal about a potential "The Sandman" spin-off they also want to see ... and it's a bit reminiscent of a show that already came out.
Fans want to see a Lucifer series with Gwendoline Christie
Even before the first images of "The Sandman" cast arrived online, fans have — from the start — been desperate to see more of Gwendoline Christie's character, Lucifer Morningstar.
Yes, a version of Gaiman's version of Lucifer already has his own TV series, in a sense — that version starred Tom Ellis, who isn't reprising the role in "The Sandman." However, inspiration aside, the procedural approach of Ellis' "Lucifer" series, and Ellis' characterization, took a very different track from the comic book version, as Gaiman himself noted on Twitter. Instead, Tom Sturridge's Morpheus will cross paths with Christie's Lucifer when he travels to hell to retrieve his iconic helmet after being locked up for decades.
Back in 2021, fans on "The Sandman" Reddit praised Christie's casting, noting that she deserves more time in the role. U/someCrookedVulture kicked off the spin-off conversation, saying, "I'd die happy if there's an actual Lucifer spinoff with her at the helm." Meanwhile, u/hamwise17 added, "I thought this exact thing when I heard. I think seeing the final conversation between Lucifer and God with her at the helm would be epic."
Because Netflix picked up the "Lucifer" series after Fox canceled it in 2018, it's entirely possible that the streaming service could work out a new deal with Warner Bros. to work on a new series set in the same universe as "The Sandman." As for whether casual fans might be confused by a new series sharing the same title as the cult-favorite one from the recent past, well, Redditor u/godisanelectricolive thinks that could be avoided by just using a different title, such as "Morningstar."
For now, any potential spin-offs depend on the success of "The Sandman" when it arrives on August 5, 2022.