WB Flips Off China, Greenlights Sandman Spin-Off Film

Warner Bros. is done kowtowing to China.

In a dramatic and surprising move, the studio has tapped Drew Goddard (“Bad Times at the El Royale”) to write and direct “Death and Delirium Take a Holiday”, a mystical buddy pic featuring two side characters from Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” universe. In the yet-to-be-dated film, the title duo journeys to Tibet in order to calm Delirium’s jumbled mind. However, they soon run afoul of a Triad drug operation—with the Suicide Squad hot on the criminals’ trail.

“I think that the story is very strong, but it’s mostly an afterthought,” Goddard tells the BloJo Movie Network. “I really just want to piss off China by flaunting a few major taboos—death, Tibet, and homosexuality. Death is right there in the title, but we’ve also brought in a skull-faced El Diablo. Plus, there’s a zombie fight scene at the end. This flick takes a solid pro-Tibet stance, revering the people’s traditions and declaring that China should essentially piss off. As for the third point, Delirium and Harley Quinn have a steamy sex scene in the third act. That oughta ruffle some feathers. And obviously, we’re pushing for a hard-R.”

While the Suicide Squad franchise is hot, following a financially-successful 2016 outing and James Gunn’s upcoming reboot, Sandman is largely untested. Lucifer Morningstar has appeared in a hit Fox series (now on Netflix), but HBO’s Sandman series has yet to air. Moreover, beyond the marketability of the characters, industry wisdom has warned against offending China’s cultural sensibilities.

Still, WarnerMedia is intent upon a worldwide distribution, and even the original creator appears to be on board. When reached for comment, Gaiman replied, “Listen, I usually try not to stir the pot. I think of myself as a respectful bloke. But China has gone too far in suppressing creative freedom. F—k ‘em if they can’t take a joke. After all, Hollywood makes films for international audiences, not just one country.”

BMN also reached out to a representative from the China Arts and Entertainment Group, but the organization has yet to respond.

So, what do you guys think? Are you excited to see more Sandman on screen? Do you think Warner Bros.’ gamble is brave, or are they leaving too much money on the table? Let us know in the comments!

Satire by Matt Foley