George R.R. Martin never let Neil Gaiman forget he owes “The Sandman” to his rejection

The television adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman garnered significant attention due to its ensemble cast of highly talented actors, including alumni from Game of Thrones. Gwendoline Christie, who portrayed Brienne of Tarth in the fantasy series, played a gender-swapped version of Lucifer in The Sandman. Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) took on the role of Roderick Burgess, a charlatan, blackmailer, and magician. The comic book series boasts a fascinating backstory that involves Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin.

Quick details:

• Neil Gaiman created Sandman after getting rejected by George R.R. Martin.
• Martin regretted turning down Sandman.
• Gaiman is currently facing sexual abuse allegations.

George R.R. Martin rejected The Sandman

In 1987, Neil Gaiman, a budding talent with limited writing credits, approached Martin with a pitch for his Wild Cards anthology series. In a 2012 interview, Martin revealed that Gaiman proposed a series focused on “a guy who lives in dreams,” and it is easy to surmise what Gaiman was truly working on. Martin rejected the idea due to Gaiman’s lack of experience in the writing field at the time, a decision he likely reflects upon frequently today.

About 2 years ago, Gaiman met up with Martin for a fun chat on Still Watching Netflix. He confessed hilariously, “George has never let me forget that I owe “Sandman” to him.”

Martin quipped, “Yes, it’s not the greatest decision that I made in my editing career, but when you pitched Sandman to me for my Wild Card series, and uh, I passed on it. Then you too it to DC, and here you are with a, what I think, will be a hit television series, and all of those comics and graphic novels, and awards. In maybe some alternate universe, or some realm of dream, I accepted it.”

Neil Gaiman is embroiled in a series of sexual assault allegations

Neil Gaiman, the genius behind The Sandman and Coraline, is facing serious sexual harassment allegations from multiple women. The accusations range from inappropriate behavior to outright assault, with some incidents involving his former nanny, Scarlett Pavlovich. Pavlovich alleges (via Vulture) that Gaiman engaged in non-consensual acts, including an incident where he joined her in a bath and made unwanted advances.

Other women have also come forward with similar stories, describing coercive and manipulative behavior. Gaiman has denied all allegations, insisting that any interactions were consensual. The fallout has impacted his career, with several projects being put on hold or canceled. Despite his denials, the allegations have significantly tarnished his reputation.

Read Next: The Sandman showrunner calls Game of Thrones’ Gwendoline Christie “a rockstar”

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04/09/2025 08:17 am GMT

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