Netflix has released the first footage of the Star Wars sequel trilogy actress Gwendoline Christie as the Sandman streaming series’ less masculine Lucifer Morningstar.
RELATED: Neil Gaiman Says Sandman Has Always Been Woke
The footage, which comes at the end of a promo for Netflix’s summer showcase known as Geeked Week, shows Christie as the winged ruler of Hell surrounded by flames in a type of throned area overlooking denizens of the Underworld.
At the end, she approaches Dream of The Endless played by Tom Sturridge, who’s in her presence for some reason, and asks him, “Are you well?”
Geeked Week 2022 is about to be out of this world with Stranger Things, The Sandman, The Gray Man and more coming your way June 6-10. 🌎🌍🌏 #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/D8l07DB6yc
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) May 16, 2022
The brief nugget of a scene doesn’t give much away but it can be concluded Dream is visiting Hell for the first time in ages to catch up with Satan – most likely right after his lengthy absence comes to an end.
Before that denouement, the clip shows glimpses of Sturridge bathed in, we assume, interdimensional light and, in a cliche moment, pouring sand onto his palm as it slips through his fingers.
From those few seconds of footage, we can guess reliably that Sandman will be dark, brooding, and highly gothic. Reportedly, it will be faithful to the Vertigo comic aside from the deviating casting decisions that led to the race and gender substitutions with Lucifer, Constantine, and Death; but such reports are specious.
Neil Gaiman made no secret that the show will be woke and that he doesn’t really care. Recently, he doubled down and claimed the comic has been so since day one due to its progressive content.
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Gaiman insinuates then that “woke” and “progressive” aren’t just two related ideas and terms that are cozy bedfellows; they are, in fact, referring to the same thing, even retroactively.
Sandman’s premiere date, though bound to be at some point this year, is unannounced. If the trailer above illumines anything, the show is a centerpiece of Geeked Week and the date should be unveiled during the event, starting on June 6th.
Other series and films that will be showcased include Sweet Tooth, The Gray Man, Resident Evil, the next season of Umbrella Academy, and the anticipated fourth season of Stranger Things.
Does the sizzle reel add any hype to Sandman? Give your thoughts down in the comments.