Warner Bros has a lot on its hands right now. With a full-blown DC universe being developed for the silver screen, The Wrap is reporting that the entertainment giant is also working to make movies based on Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics, where adult-concentrating titles thrive.
The biggest known project from this is "Sandman," a comic book series created in the 1990s by Neil Gaiman, whose fantasy novel, "American Gods," as Books & Review earlier reported, is also being made for television. According to Deadline, Joseph Gordon-Levitt hopped on board the project two years ago in December as a director and actor. Jack Thorne and David S. Goyer are also part of the team.
Talking to MTV, Gordon-Levitt revealed that "Sandman" is "going to be like a grand spectacular action film, but that relies on none of those same old ordinary cliches," referring on the crime-fighting or blowing stuff up. "So, that's why it's taking a lot time to write, but it's going to be really good," he continues.
On a Reddit AMA set up to promote the second season of "HitRECord On TV", the actor gushed over the comic books series even more and revealed why, with such material that one would often deem fit for a TV series, would actually make better as a movie.
"If you did the episodic version, I think it could very well end up as a not-as-good-version of what is already brilliant in the comics. But by reworking the material into a big movie, Gaiman's brilliant characters and ideas get to take shape in a way they never have before."
As Comingsoon.net detailed, "Sandman" follows Dream itself, who is brothers and sisters with the Endless-Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destruction and Destiny. Gaiman whipped up 75 issues and incredible worlds within worlds.
But as luck would have it, Warner Bros is handing down the project to New Line, which Den of Geek clarifies can be considered as the company's subsidiary. The site further said that this is mere "paper shuffling," at least from the outside.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros is changing around a lot and "Sandman" is not even the whole picture. In fact, the site also reports that from now on, Vertigo titles, which are more inclined towards the creator and tend to be big on the content, will likely be under New Line.
The same site reminded that the big DC Comics adaptations, such as those centered on Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and The Flash, will remain in Warner Bros. The Hollywood Reporter also notes that "Shazam," which stars Dwayne Johnson, will remain in New Line despite it being lined up with these four.
Also, as part of the reshuffling, rumored film adaptations on "Constantine," "Preacher" and "Lucifer," which are originally on Warner Bros, could eventually move to New Line. "Justice League Dark" remains at Warner Bros' fold, Den of Geek reports.
"Sandman," on the other hand, has no release date yet.