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The Sandman stands as one of the most anticipated fantasy series adaptations. This fantasy with dark themes is based on Neil Gaiman's beloved comic series.
The premise of the series follows Dream, addressed as Morpheus, one of the most powerful beings of a realm. His arrival stirs the world.
Many viewers have developed a liking for The Sandman without knowing the fascinating narratives behind its creation. The series's production serves as an engaging spectacle. Every sequence and element was meticulously crafted to pay tribute to the source material while entertaining the audience.
However, some unique facts about The Sandman will add more credibility to the series and make the audience appreciate the series even more.
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7 stunning facts about Netflix's The Sandman
1) The casting was not easy
Finding the perfect actor to play Morpheus took eight months. The creators of the series were aware that they could not go wrong with this one. They went on to take auditions of over 200 actors across the world.
Tom Sturridge bagged the role at the end, but not before going through a gruelling process. His last audition lasted for more than an hour.
There were more than 10 people who interrogated him. They go on to ask about deep philosophical questions about The Sandman Universe and the character.
Moreover, the pandemic made everything even harder. COVID restrictions became an obstacle in the entire process. However, the creators made the important decision to take their time with the role.
2) Matthew the Raven is embodied by real Ravens
Matthew the Raven serves as Dream's dedicated companion throughout The Sandman. However, bringing this character to life required some creative steps. There were moments when Mathew appeared as a CGI creation.
Other scenes employed a simple prop bird. But the most engaging sequences feature three actual ravens. Each raven had an opposite personality. Some legit trainers worked hard to bring out the individual quirks.
Moreover, Tom Sturridge had performed opposite these real birds. It was more difficult than it looked to have Raven sit on the actor's shoulder while he delivered serious dialogue. And the birds did not always get along with the scripts.
But this made The Sandman's fantasy sequences feel more impactful.
3) The sets were developed from scratch
Nowadays, modern television series often rely on green screens and advanced graphics. But the series took an old-school approach. The creators built giant, employable sets. Desire's threshold realm was built like a real place. And Lucifer's throne room in Hell was also built from scratch.
Moreover, the Undercroft, where Morpheus was held captive, became a masterpiece of a set design. Even during COVID, the physical sets gave The Sandman a weight that no CGI could match.
And the real sets aided the actors to interact with their environment organically. The grounded performance fashion makes The Sandman feel more real.
4) An actual disease inspired the sleep sickness
The pilot episodes of The Sandman feature an unprecedented sleeping sickness. People from everywhere started falling into unexpected comas. This was not just a made-up story; it was based on actual history.
Around 1917 and 1927, an actual disease named encephalitis lethargica affected a lot of people. The suspicious illness took several victims, and the remaining were left in a state of waking coma.
The doctors could never find out what caused the epidemic, with some patients remaining frozen in their bodies for several years. The parallels to the series's plot are chilling.
Neil Gaiman studied the historical well and added this element to The Sandman. The actual theme of sleeping sickness adds more nuances to the themes of the series.
5) The Corinthian's glasses nearly blinded the actor
Boyd Holbrook played the terrifying role of Corinthian in The Sandman. This fearsome character possesses teeth in the place of his eyes. The prop glasses cover this scary detail.
However, instead of being a cover, those glasses created actual problems during the shooting. They were absolutely black, where no light could get through. Boyd could not see anything while wearing them.
The mishaps started on the first day of shooting. He kept on bumping into things after wearing those glasses and required the crew to guide him through different takes.
Eventually, Boyd learned to figure out his movement with the glasses. They, on the contrary, helped him adapt the character. The blindness in the series made him move in a unique way, creating a scary, unsettling presence.
This dedication made The Sandman more authentic. The performer's struggle with the glasses translates to screen tension.
6) The fans of Comins appeared on the show
The series got some of the most incredible talents, partly because many performers were big fans of the comic. Mark Hamill confessed to voicing Merv Pumpkinhead because of his genuine admiration for the original comics.
Mark's agreeing to play the role even left Neil Gaiman surprised. Moreover, even Stephen Fry and Patton Oswalt joined because they were comic fans. And their passion was reflected well in their acting. They were able to embody the characters deeply.
The admiration for the source material attracted many quality actors. The Sandman benefited greatly from this dedication.
7) The concealed elements connect to the Larger DC Universe
The series flourishes in the same universe as the other DC Comics characters. The series includes subtle elements that comics fans will resonate with.
Jed's room also shows Justice League action figures. His dreams also feature DC superhero imagery. And for fans thinking of these random decorations, they are carefully put together easter eggs.
Moreover, Johanna Constantine's nightmare in the series connects to the popular Hellblazer comics. Even Shakespeare makes an appearance in the last episode. This creates the future storylines from the comics, showing that The Sandman has enormous plans for the second season.
The Sandman has garnered a lot of popularity because of such attention to detail. Every element was carefully crafted and considered. The series respects both its original material and its audience.
