Neil Gaiman provides a Sandman Netflix series update and teases story changes at DC FanDome

(Image credit: DC/Vertigo)

Enter Sandman. Creator Neil Gaiman has given an update on the Sandman Netflix series, including how faithful the adaptation will be compared to the original graphic novel series.

Describing it as a "slightly looser, but still faithful adaptation," at Sandman's DC FanDome panel, Gaiman outlined how things were getting on with the production of the Sandman Netflix series.

"Due to COVID, everything, as with every other piece of television being made around the world has hit the pause button... we've taken advantage of our pause button to get the scripts as close to perfect as we possibly could which has been really fun."

But it's not just script tweaks that Gaiman is overseeing. "Right now, as the universal pause button is starting to come off, we are starting to cast again," Gaiman revealed. "I'm getting this inspiring and wonderful emails with production designs and places I had only ever seen in the comics before."

While things are still very much under wraps, Gaiman offered up a big change in the setting of Sandman compared to the more faithful audiobook version.

"Something that I will say: part of the joy of doing the audio adaptation was going 'This is going to be the nearest thing we can do to an audiobook of the first three graphic novels'... What we're doing with Netflix is saying 'Okay, it's still going to start in 1916 but the thing that happens in Sandman #1 the point where it starts is not 1888, it's now."

"How does that change the story?" Gaiman pondered. "What is that going to do to the gender of characters? What is that going to do to the nature of characters? What is it going to do to the story? That is going to be a delight... it gives us tremendous freedom. If we were doing it now, what would Sandman be? That is very liberating"

No release date yet for Netflix but Sandman gave us a stream – and delivered.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.