Ever since Gwendoline Christie's casting as Lucifer in Netflix's The Sandman was announced, some individuals have been persistent in expressing their anger over the casting. Neil Gaiman, the writer of the original comics, has responded to these reactions in the past, and with the unveiling of new footage of the ruler of Hell, Gaiman has responded once again with exasperated wit.
When a Twitter user posted "not my lucifer," tagging the writer in their tweet, Gaiman shot back, "Not my problem." Another person called out Gaiman directly, claiming the writer was hypocritical in his defense of the casting because he had previously stated he disliked when characters are altered in adaptations. Gaiman responded by asking, "How exactly has the character changed? Is it the penis? It’s okay. Lucifer in the comics didn’t have a penis, and I don’t believe Gwendoline Christie has one either."
Fans got their best look to date at Christie's Lucifer in a video montage released to promote Netflix's Geek Week event, which will take place June 6-10. The fallen angel features at the very end of the video in a short but tense interaction with Tom Sturridge's Dream/Morpheus. A still image of the character was previously revealed by The Sandman's official Twitter account, providing a more detailed look at Lucifer, with the Lord of Hell dressed in all black regalia and standing against a background of neo-classical art and marble pillars.
This isn't the first time Gaiman has responded to complaints how Netflix is going about adapting his acclaimed series. Most notably, when several individuals took to social media to decry the show for its "woke" sensibilities, the writer explained "Sandman went woke in 1988, and it hasn't gone broke yet," making it clear that the opposite has happened, and "time has caught up" with his story's progressive themes.
Similarly, when online commentators first began taking issue withThe Sandman's diverse casting choices, Gaiman declared the rhetoric sexist and racist. "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," he stated.
DC's original run of The Sandman was published January 1989 to March 1996. They tell the story of Morpheus, the personification of dreams, who attempts to reclaim his realm after being trapped on Earth. The comics, their spinoffs and various continuations have won a number of prominent awards, including multiple Eisner and Hugo Awards.
The Sandman does not yet have a premiere date, but is expected to debut on the streaming service sometime this year.
Source: Twitter