The unfortunate constant running through the efforts of filmmakers to adapt Neil Gaiman's Sandman graphic novels has been a revolving door of writers, directors, producers and studios. The project is undergoing another switch, as Joseph Gordon-Levitt has left the version he was developing with New Line.
Despite this representing a clear passion project for the actor/producer, who set his version up in 2013 and had hoped to direct and star in the eventual movie, he's hit Facebook to announce that he decided to move on a while ago. "A few months ago, I came to realize that the folks at New Line and I just don't see eye to eye on what makes Sandman special, and what a film adaptation could/should be," the pertinent portion of his post reads. "So unfortunately, I decided to remove myself from the project. I wish nothing but the best for the team moving forward."
The move followed Warners moving all the developing films adapted from DC's Vertigo imprint from its main studio to New Line.
But there is some good news for Morpheus, AKA Lord of Dreams, as the project has a new writer. _The Thing'_s Eric Heisserer, who has worked on the upcoming likes of Lights Out and sci-fi project The Story Of Your Life. He'll work with remaining producers Gaiman, David Goyer, Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter to try to figure out what remains a very tricky concept to adapt.