Netflix is making a Sandman show—Let’s dream cast the Endless

To my great delight, Netflix is making a series based on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, an excellent comic book series about the adventures of Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, and his immortal siblings. It’s a risk; Sandman is dense, abstract and visually imaginative. Adapting it as a show — particularly a live-action show — will be a huge challenge, but if Netflix pulls it off, they could have something truly special.

Part of the trick will be the casting. Like any good epic, Sandman has a ton of characters, from Rose Walker, an ordinary woman who gets caught up in elemental mysteries; to the Corinthian, a nightmarish serial killer with mouths for eyes. Netflix will have a tall mountain to climb casting for these very diverse roles, but for now, let’s focus on the Endless, the seven being who are kind of gods, kind of embodiments of eternal concepts, and all fun.

Not all of the Endless have huge parts in the story, but all are crucial in their own way, and Netflix will need to get them right if it wants to do Gaiman’s work justice. If you’re reading, Netflix, here are some suggestions:

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 10: Adam Driver attends “The Dead Don’t Die” New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on June 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Dream — Adam Driver

Okay, I will freely admit that I’m stealing this pic from SyfyWire, but it’s just too perfect. Dream — aka Morpheus, is the lead character of Sandman, a dour, severe member of the Endless who takes his responsibilities seriously but who longs for more connection. He’s a tortured romantic, a Byronic hero with a long face and distinctive black hair.

It’s like Adam Driver was born to play this role.

Seriously, Dream is basically Kylo Ren if he were immortal and took the temper tantrums down a few dozen notches.

It also helps that Driver is a name, and a very big one in Hollywood at the moment. If Netflix wants to cast all unknowns for this project, I’d be fine with it, but if it feels like it needs a big-name star at the front, Driver is the perfect choice.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 11: Maisie Williams attends the Coach Spring 2019 runway show at Pier 94 on September 11, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Coach)

Death — Maisie Williams

Is this one a bit on the nose? Maybe, but who cares. For eight seasons, Maisie Williams played the death-obsessed Arya Stark on Game of Thrones, bringing an immediacy to the character that made her an instant fan favorite. With her talent for playing characters wise beyond their years, she’d be a great fit for Death, a fan-favorite member of the Endless who is as all-powerful as she is disarmingly approachable. Dye Williams’ hair black, tease it a bit and give her a ’90s goth girl wardrobe and she’s good to go.

Dream may be the main character of Sandman, but Death was the breakout star. Williams has some experience with that. Make it happen, Netflix!

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 26: Chris Hemsworth poses during the TAG Heuer Autavia Collection launch on June 26, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Destruction — Chris Hemsworth

Destruction is one of the less seen members of the Endless, and one who changes a lot over time. Earlier in the timeline (the story itself skips around mercilessly), he’s a boisterous, high-spirited, hard-living entity that immediately reminds me of Chris Hemsworth’s performance as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Later on, he despairs of his duty to oversee humankind’s destructive (and creative) activities and abandons his post, opting instead to focus on painting and hanging out with his dog.

Basically, think Thor from Thor combined with Thor from Avengers: Endgame, all with a bit more self-awareness and you’ve got Destruction. Hemsworth would be perfect.

Hemsworth has the required physical stature, too: Destruction already kind of seems like a Norse god, albeit one with red hair. Also acceptable would be Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane) from Game of Thrones.

HOLLYWOOD, CA – JULY 11: Rooney Mara attends Amazon Studios premiere of “Don’t Worry, He Wont Get Far On Foot” at ArcLight Hollywood on July 11, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Desire — Rooney Mara

Desire is a juicy part. They’re not a villain, exactly, but they do like to stir the pot, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Sly and conniving, Desire has a hand in several of the misfortunes that befall Dream, with whom they have a long-standing rivalry. They also get to wear a lot of cool outfits and act deliciously wicked. Of all the Endless, Desire might be the most fun to play.

The trick with Desire is getting the look right. They are androgynous, neither man nor woman, everything to everyone. I think Rooney Mara, with her angular face and long list of impressive acting credits, could pull off the job.

If Sandman were being made in the ’70s, Desire would be played by David Bowie, but here we are.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 24: Olivia Colman, winner for Best Actress in a Leading Role, attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Despair — Olivia Colman

Desire’s twin sister, Despair is an astute, melancholy member of the Endless who takes her work seriously but rarely seems very happy about it. There’s something of the tragic about her. Olivia Coleman, meanwhile, is a splendid actor fresh off an Oscar win as the melancholy, excitable monarch Queen Anne in The Favorite. She also has a long and impressive history in television and film and would be more than up to the task of drawing out Despair’s intelligence and undertow of sadness, while maybe brightening up the edges a bit.

Visually, Desire is a very distinctive character: heavy-bodied, fanged, waxy of skin and always nude. Unless Netflix wants to use extensive special effects to make Coleman look grotesque, it could probably just sand off the more extreme edges of Despair’s look.

SANTA MONICA, CA – JUNE 16: Actor Sadie Sink attends the 2018 MTV Movie And TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 16, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for MTV)

Delirium — Sadie Sink

Delirium will probably be the hardest of the Endless to get right. She’s the youngest of the siblings, which shouldn’t mean much when all of them have been around since right after the beginning of time, but in Delirium’s case it does. She’s the youngest and she feels like the youngest, with her dreamy-eyed stare, multi-colored hair, and scattered way of speaking. She comes off as more vulnerable than the rest, more in need of looking after. But then there are moments when she draws on an unexpected well of power, even putting Destiny in his place on one memorable occasion. She’s unpredictable, and it will take a talented actor to do her justice.

Sadie Sink has been killing it over on Stranger Things for a couple of seasons now, and I think that, with a little digging, she could find the right contradictions — lucid and loopy, happy and sad, foolish and wise — to pull off Delirium. The look shouldn’t be a problem for her. Finding the character could be tricky but I have faith she’d do a fine job.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 03: Charles Dance attends the “Game Of Thrones” Season 8 Premiere on April 03, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Destiny — Charles Dance

Destiny is the older, most cryptic, and littlest-seen member of the Endless. He doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does, people listen. And when I think of characters like that, my mind immediately goes to Charles Dance’s performance as the implacable Tywin Lannister on Game of Thrones. If you want someone who commands authority, accept no substitutes.

Yes, I realize I’m going to the Game of Thrones well a lot. This is a Game of Thrones site, what do you want? And that doesn’t change the fact that Dance would be perfect.

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As I said at the top, there are a lot of characters in Sandman, but the seven Endless may be the most enduringly fascinating. Casting Neil Gaiman’s foremost family will be a challenge, but one worth undertaking.

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