Neil Gaiman Adaptations We’d Like To See After ‘The Sandman’

One of Neil Gaiman’s most popular works, dark fantasy series The Sandman, will finally be adapted for TV, thanks to Netflix.

A film had been in talks for years, and in 2014, Joseph Gordon-Levitt signed on to direct and star in an adaption by David S. Goyer with Gaiman as an executive producer. Unfortunately, the film never got made due to creative differences between Gordon-Levitt and Warner Bros.

Gaiman is no stranger to the big and small screen, as his distinctive style of writing has already led to film adaptations of his novels Coraline and Stardust, while American Gods, Good Omens and Neverwhere have been adapted for television.

With Gaiman’s credentials, it’s only natural to wonder which of his works will be translated to the screen next, and after the recent success of Good Omens and the announcement of Netflix’s The Sandman, here’s hoping that one of these works could be the one.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a dark fantasy novel that begins with a protagonist on his way back from a funeral. He stops off at the childhood house of his old neighbour, Lettie Hempstock, who he had forgotten about, and encounters a relative of hers. This encounter jogs the man’s memory and transports the reader back to the unbelievable events that occurred when the protagonist was seven. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a magical-realism piece, which means it could translate well to either stop-motion animation like Coraline or as a live-action film with CGI elements. Currently, Focus Features has acquired the rights to The Ocean at the End of the Lane but there has been no recent talk over whether the film is in production or not.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane’s loss of innocence and fairytale genres make it both terrifying and harrowing, and its use of unreliable narration has proven to be at the core of many successful novel-to-film adaptations of the same genre, including Big Fish, Life of Pi, and Sucker Punch. As well as this, after the success of dark fantasy films like Maleficent and Pan’s Labyrinth, it is quite easy to see how The Ocean at the End of the Lane could translate to the big screen.

Troll Bridge

Troll Bridge tracks protagonist Jack after he makes a deal with a troll to give him his life when he grows up. The graphic novel uses the troll as a manifestation of Jack’s inner loneliness and draws attention to Jack’s greedy nature. Troll Bridge is multilayered, which has let readers debate a definite reading of the book, and this element is also perfect for a film adaptation to either address or keep the audience guessing.

While several of Gaiman’s works with Dark Horse could easily be converted for the screen, his lesser-known Troll Bridge would work well in film format, due to its emphasis on fate and inner demons. The graphic novel is a collaboration between Gaiman and illustrator Colleen Doran, and while Gaiman may need to write more subplot to strengthen its chance as a full feature film, its emphasis on pictures to convey story shows how perfectly the novel could work on the big screen. After his previous work with the Jim Henson Company on Mirrormask, Gaiman could even have the troll designed as a puppet for a film version.

The Graveyard Book

Many rumours have floated around since Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book was acquired by Disney in 2012. However, there isn’t any current news on an up-and-coming film adaptation.

The novel follows the story of Nobody “Bod” Owens who, after his parents are murdered, wanders into the local graveyard where ghosts decide to take him under their guidance and teach him the ways of the dead. This novel would work in the form of a film as each chapter follows Nobody as he grows up and becomes curious about the world beyond the graveyard gates.

In 2012, Disney toyed with the idea of creating The Graveyard Book in the style of their stop-motion animation projects such as The Nightmare Before Christmas. The genius of this concept was further proven when a graphic novel adaptation of the book was released in 2014, demonstrating that this type of visual storytelling is the perfect accompaniment to Gaiman’s world.

A homage to The Jungle Book, The Graveyard Book features a powerful message that family is what you make it, and therefore, Disney will no doubt consider getting The Graveyard Book on the big screen in the future.