Neil Gaiman, author of the classic horror comic series The Sandman and co-executive producer and writer on its TV adaptation, has confirmed that an episode based on the infamous "24 Hours" issue is filming this week.
A fan submitted a question to Gaiman on his Tumblr blog, asking, "Will there ever be a Sandman TV series, animated or otherwise?" Gaiman replied, "We are shooting the Diner episode this week."
Although the question was somewhat behind the latest news about the Netflix series, Gaiman's answer provided an insight to its production, which is live action and has been shooting in London. Very little has been revealed about the show, with even casting news for major characters such as Death left to speculation.
Widely considered the most terrifying issue of The Sandman, "24 Hours" takes place entirely inside a small-town diner, where the villain Dr. Destiny has retreated with a magical item he obtained, Dream's ruby or Dreamstone. It gives him absolute control over others. He spends the day and night manipulating everyone in the restaurant to harm themselves and each other, laying bare their greatest fears and basest parts of their natures. Dream is only able to confront and defeat Dr. Destiny after all of them have been killed.
Gaiman had previously confirmed that "24 Hours" would make it into the TV series, but his latest remarks indicate that the issue will have an episode of its own and that it will be included in the first season. Though he didn't invoke the issue by its title, given the story's lasting impact and its diner setting, the reference is clear.
First published beginning in 1989 by DC's imprint Vertigo, The Sandman became a genre-bending comics classic. It follows the character of the Sandman, known as Morpheus or Dream, one of seven immortal siblings known as the Endless. Each personifies different aspects of human experience, with Morpheus's domain of dreaming taking the center stage and often allowing the narrative to drift into various subplots involving the themes of inspiration, hope and the uncertainty of reality.
Executive produced and co-written by Gaiman and David S. Goyer, Sandman will be the first-ever live-action adaptation of the Vertigo Comics series created by Gaiman. Allan Heinberg will serve as the series' showrunner along with executive producer and co-writer. The television series has yet to receive a release date.
Source: Tumblr