Netflix unveils fans' first look at the Dreaming's librarian Lucienne in Netflix's ambitious adaptation of Neil Gaiman's classic comic book series The Sandman.
As revealed by Empire, the image features Lucienne, as played by Vivienne Acheampong, standing on what appears to be a grim, grey beach alongside Tom Sturridge's Dream. The wise keeper of dreams is pictured wearing a traditional suit and tie, a slight deviation from the comic book character's bow-tie and glasses. It's currently unknown where the two are located, but the composition suggests that Lucienne is in the process of showing Dream something important.
When Gaiman first revealed and endorsed the cast of The Sandman, many fans expressed confusion regarding the casting of Acheampong and the changes made to Lucien's character. In the comic books, the librarian is depicted as a white male whereas Netflix's take on the character is played by a black woman. While some complained that the alteration was unnecessary, Gaiman himself noted that it was one of his "favourite changes from the Sandman comic."
Lucienne isn't the only character that caused ire among a small collective of vocal fans. Netflix's Sandman will also feature Kirby Howell-Baptiste, a Black woman, as Death while Desire is played by Mason Alexander Park, a non-binary actor. Gaiman addressed many of these complaints, noting that he didn't care for people's racists and sexist sentiments. "I give all the fucks about the work. I spent 30 years successfully battling bad movies of Sandman," wrote Gaiman. "I give zero fucks about people who don't understand/ haven't read Sandman whining about a non-binary Desire or that Death isn't white enough. Watch the show, make up your minds."
Gaiman has been an essential part in bringing The Sandman to life. Writer/producer David S. Goyer spoke to the creator's participation in the project, noting that it couldn't have been done without him. "It seems obvious, but Neil was never a producer on any of the other Sandman [efforts]. It was critical because it’s so personal," said Goyer. "We wanted to keep it strange and, God bless Netflix, it’s strange and funky and weird. If you like the comics, I think it’s a fairly accurate depiction."
The Sandman premieres on Netflix in 2022.
Source: Empire