Sandman movie

[sabotabby]

Is it already that time? By which I mean time for another Sandman movie rumour? This one actually sounds kind of official-ish.

I know that anyone but Terry Gilliam or possibly Guillermo del Toro is likely to screw this up, but somehow I can't bring myself to be bothered at the moment. Because Sandman movie!

Incidentally, I agree with the first comment—if they're going to do it as a movie and not as a miniseries, they should start with Seasons of Mist and not Preludes & Nocturnes.

It's been done elsewhere, but let's cast this thing. My choices:

Dream: Build a time machine and procure a young Robert Smith. I'm having a hard time picturing Joseph Gordon Levitt in the role, anyway. Cillian Murphy, maybe?

Death: Ksenia Solo, unless we can use the time machine to also retrieve a young Siouxsie Sioux.

Desire: Obviously Tilda Swinton. Or David Bowie. Or ideally and most accurately, alternating between Tilda Swinton dressed as David Bowie and David Bowie dressed as Tilda Swinton.

Destiny: I had a bunch of people in mind and then someone on one of the comment threads said Idris Elba, and yes. Definitely Idris Elba.

Delirium: I just finished watching Utopia, so Fiona O'Shaughnessy. Even more than the obvious choice of Tori Amos.

Despair: Someone mentioned Kathy Bates; she could work.

Destruction: I got nothing. Ideas?

Comments

[smhwpf.livejournal.com]

Cillian Murphy is a good option for Dream. Other possibilities... maybe David Tennant? He has quite a range.

Definitely Idris Elba for Destiny, and Tildvid Bownton for Desire as you say. Your Death choice looks the part certainly... don't know her work. Ooh, ooh, Noomi Rapace? (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Swedish version - she can certainly do black at any rate).

Beth Riesgraf as another Delirium possibility?

For Destruction, how about Chris Hemsworth, purely on the basis that if he can play Thor he's probably OK as a big booming vaguely Norse looking guy who destroys things? But I haven't seen it, so I don't know if he was any good.

Wouldn't one need to start with Doll's House, as it sets up rather a lot of plot critical stuff?

Then there's Hob Gadling, Rose, Thessaly, Lucifer, Lucien, Merv Pumpkinhead, Cain, Abel, Gilbert, Lyta Hall, Nada... Oh my goodness, so many to cast!

For Gilbert, obviously we need a time machine to get G.K. Chesterton. Alternatively, Tom Baker.

[sabotabby]

Tennant could definitely be Dream. I mean. The hair. The angst.

Here is Ksenia Solo in action:


Noomi Rapace would work as well.

Beth Riesgraf and Chris Hemsworth, yes. The latter is decent. Destruction doesn't need much emotional range.

Someone on one of the threads said Martin Freeman for Hob. Khandi Alexander for Nada.

Tom Baker for sure for Gilbert!

[the_axel]

Destruction is Brian Blessed.

I'm optimistic about the film mainly because Gaiman ran away from Good Omens so hard when he decided it wasn't being done right.

[radiumhead.livejournal.com]

Destruction: that guy from "300", the main guy, the king

[ironed_orchid]

Ksenia Solo! YES!

I saw a link on FB, and my immediate thought was that hopefully the visual style is so well established, that at least no studio would fuck with it too much.

[sabotabby]

You wouldn't think anyone would dare to mess with it.

But.

Constantine. Keanu Reeves.

[sabotabby]

Gerard Butler? I could see it.

[sabotabby]

Don't you mean BRIAN BLESSED?

(I think he's too old, though.)

[ironed_orchid]

I see your point.

I have a theory about Keanu Reeves, for awhile he was like Schwarzenegger, the blank slate onto which directors projected twisty plots, fearing that someone with acting talent would take attention away from the storytelling.

[smhwpf.livejournal.com]

Here is Ksenia Solo in action:

Yep, that's our Death!

Ooh, Martin Freeman would be excellent as Hob! (I had vaguely wondered about Benedict Cumerbatch as Dream, which would make an interesting pairing, but I thought he might be too annoying).

The other 'repeat pairing' casting I am kind of hesitant to suggest is Billie Piper as Rose...

[smhwpf.livejournal.com]

That was my first thought... but I kind of think destruction was Brian Blessed when he was active, but the new, hopped off, chilled out, artist-manqué Destruction... not quite so sure.

Also, who should play Barnabas? This is an important question.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

It seems like the idea of JGL actually playing the lead is only a vague rumour, but man, I would actually be on board with that? Like, I have no idea how he'd pull it off and it's reasonably likely he would totally fuck it up, but if he somehow manages not to fuck it up, I desperately want to know how.

As over-fancast as he no doubt is, I would totally back Tom Hiddleston as Dream, in a more "actually think he would almost certainly rock it" way.

I agree completely with your Tildavid Swintowie Desire casting, although somebody on tumblr suggested that if JGL is going to play one of the Endless he's probably most on-type for Desire, and I have to say I am intrigued by this notion.

I feel like I should know who to cast as Delirium, but I totally don't know who to cast as Delirium.

I am on board for Chris Hemsworth as Destruction.

[princealberic.livejournal.com]

Ugh JG-L as Dream would be terrible, I just can't see it. I agree with your choices (Idk who Ksenia Solo is), especially the Desire one! Tilda/Bowie has always been my personal fancast for Desire, so it would be perfect.

In all seriousness, this sounds like it has the potential to be terrible and I kind of hate Neil Gaiman nowadays, but I'd pay a fortune to see TILDA AS DESIRE.

[princealberic.livejournal.com]

The news article has an update, saying he's now tweeted again to clarify he's signed on as producer.

[princealberic.livejournal.com]

"Tildvid Bownton" needs to be the new universal name for the twin thing Tilda and Bowie have going on.

[sabotabby]

OMG see above for the video of Ksenia Solo as Kenzi, a.k.a. one of three reasons to watch Lost Girl.

(The other two being a) reasonably sex-positive show with a bisexual main character, and b) it's shot in Toronto.)

[sabotabby]

I wonder if he'd be not-awful. JGL would be better as Desire, but Tildavid Swintowie would be better than JGL or anyone else in the universe. But I can see him pulling a Heath Ledger Joker—everyone thought he would be awful until he was amazing.

Tom Hiddleston would be great as Dream except that I'm sick of his face. :)

[sabotabby]

I think you're right.

[sabotabby]

I'm thinking Gary Oldman for Barnabas but I'm open to other suggestions.

[sabotabby]

How about Benedict Cumberbatch as Lucifer? He's got the right voice, looks not entirely human, and is certainly pretty enough. Also, he looks hilarious as a blond.

I could totally see Billie Piper as Rose. That would work, despite the confusion it would cause.

[sabotabby]

Yes.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

I am totally unable to get sick of Hiddleston's face now that my tumblr tag for him is the horse fuck guy. XD

And we all know how I feel about Heath Ledger's Joker. :DDDDDD

[sabotabby]

Loki is the walking definition of But You Fuck One Goat. (Also, love that person's parents.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

:D

[smhwpf.livejournal.com]

Ooh, yes, Lucifer. Totally works.

Thessaly is the one I'm struggling with at the moment. If I was doing a fantasy casting amongst my friends, I'd say the_alchemist without hesitation, but if we're restricted to famous people, I'm not rightly sure.

[sabotabby]

Maybe Amy Ackler, if we're on a Whedonverse kick?

[treehavn.livejournal.com]

Oooh, Cillian Murphy as Dream - it would never have occurred to me, but I like it. I've just mainlined Peaky Blinders, and his stillness in that, teamed with his almost-too-pretty-tipping-into-unsettling looks are fascinating. Co-signed.

Ksenia/Kenzi as Death, obvs. I love her. I love Lost Girl.

And yes to all the other suggestions too - I'm not a proper Sandman fan (only just got around to mainlining them this year), but apparently I have Feelings on the subject.

[sabotabby]

I've never heard of Peaky Blinders, but if it involves Cillian Murphy and his uncanny valley prettiness, I may need to check it out.

[the_axel]

True.
I didn't so much mean that he could play Destruction, I meant that Destruction was modelled on him.
So, either clever use of old material (a la Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid) or find a BRIAN BLESSED impersonator.