THE SANDMAN Meets Constantine In New Clip; Neil Gaiman Explains Why Johanna Is "Not A Gender-Swapped John"

THE SANDMAN Meets Constantine In New Clip; Neil Gaiman Explains Why Johanna Is "Not A Gender-Swapped John"

A new clip from The Sandman has been released ahead of the show's premiere this Friday, as Neil Gaiman explains why Jenna Coleman's Johanna Constantine is not simply a gender-swapped version of John.

By MarkCassidy - Aug 03, 2022 09:08 AM EST
Filed Under: The Sandman

We've know for a while now that Netflix's adaptation of The Sandman would introduce a new Constantine in place of the more familiar DC Comics occultist, but creator Neil Gaiman doesn't actually consider Jenna Coleman's take on the character to be a "gender-switched" interpretation of John.

Responding to a fan on Twitter, Gaiman explained that Johanna is simply the "current embodiment of the Constantine life-force."

Lady Johanna Constantine does appear in the comics - more frequently than John, incidentally - and since this series is predominantly set over 30 years after Gaiman's original tale, who's to say another "aspect" of Constantine wouldn't be operating in this timeline?

In any event, Coleman does a terrific job in the role, and you can get a glimpse of her performance in the new clip below.

"There is another world that waits for all of us when we close our eyes and sleep — a place called the Dreaming, where The Sandman, Master of Dreams (Tom Sturridge), gives shape to all of our deepest fears and fantasies. But when Dream is unexpectedly captured and held prisoner for a century, his absence sets off a series of events that will change both the dreaming and waking worlds forever. To restore order, Dream must journey across different worlds and timelines to mend the mistakes he’s made during his vast existence, revisiting old friends and foes, and meeting new entities — both cosmic and human — along the way."

The Sandman also stars Kirby Howell Baptiste as Death, Boyd Holbrook as The Corinthian, Donna Preston as Despair, Stephen Fry as Gilbert, Mason Alexander Park as Desire, Charles Dance as black magician Roderick Burgess, and Sanjeeve Bhaskar as Cain. Joely Richardson will play Ethel Cripps, while David Thewlis will take on the role of her son John Dee, aka the deranged Dr. Destiny.

The 10-episode first season of The Sandman will adapt the first two arcs of the Vertigo comics series, "Preludes and Nocturnes" and "The Doll's House."

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Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 8/3/2022, 9:32 AM
Insecure dudes will still have a problem with it. Same deal with them complaining about Deaths casting. Since I’m a big Doctor Who guy the more Jenna Coleman the better in my eyes
braunermegda
braunermegda - 8/3/2022, 9:46 AM
@Twenty23Three - I see myself completely in your comment
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/3/2022, 11:57 AM
@Twenty23Three - It's not insecurity, it's just dumb to say that it's not a gender-swapped John, especially considering Gaiman ALREADY said there was a rights issue with using the male John because of the Constantine series Abrams is working on and Legends of Tomorrow, so these backpedaling explanations from Gaiman are silly. It doesn't ruin the show for me though since John was such a small part of the overall Sandman comic.
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 8/3/2022, 12:12 PM
@soberchimera - its definitely insecurity in some cases and it’s not back peddling. It’s not a gender swapped John it’s a Constantine already established in the books. If the character was created just for the show maybe you’d have a point but they’re not
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/3/2022, 12:24 PM
@Twenty23Three - Gaiman already gave an explanation for why they're using Johanna instead of John, ergo giving these different reasons now is backpedaling. Yes, Johanna is in the comics, although I think this version is a descendant of the original Johanna in which case she WAS created for the show.
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 8/3/2022, 1:00 PM
@soberchimera - nothing he says now is contradicting anything he said before so what’s being back peddled ?
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/3/2022, 1:25 PM
@Twenty23Three - Because he already gave an acceptable reason for why the character was gender swapped, then he puts his foot in his mouth and says she's the current "current embodiment of the Constantine lifeforce" and therefore is not gender swapped. It's just silly, unnecessary, and untrue. There's absolutely nothing wrong with admitting that a character's gender was changed especially when there was a legitimate reason to do so in this case.
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 8/4/2022, 9:17 AM
@Twenty23Three - how is one an “insecure dude” for wanting to see an adaptation of a very iconic character represented being this may be the only time in a VERY long time that the Sandman will be translated to the screen. Sorry but Gaiman explanation is frankly just fanboy gobbledegook ( and please don’t give me the retort of ‘well he approved it’) and it probably just boils down to legal reasons or possibly just nonsense reasons such as producers above Gaiman having more control. Just because he had input doesn’t mean that he has final say. And yes Constantine has been swapped with a woman because in the original book Constantine is the one who helps dream get his pouch of sand back from a lover that has basically become a dream sand junkie. And from all the promotional stills and no casting of John constrained in site please explain to me how exactly he WAS not swapped? If anything you’re a SIMP for Jenna Coleman if we want to trade barbs. Not every man is some woman hating incel.
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 8/4/2022, 9:43 AM
@LucasTurkeyNeck - jumped to a couple of conclusions in that ramble didn’t we? However thank you for explaining Johns role in the book to me, very relevant.
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 8/4/2022, 10:04 AM
@Twenty23Three - only replying to your myopic observation. And your welcome.
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 8/4/2022, 4:45 PM
@LucasTurkeyNeck - if you think I’m gonna reply to all that nonsense you’ve got too much time on your hands my friend
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 8/4/2022, 5:54 PM
@Twenty23Three - you’ve still replied all the same. Check and mate.
SpideyPuffsMJ
SpideyPuffsMJ - 8/3/2022, 9:36 AM
Can’t say I’m a reader of the comics or a fan of the character, but coming from that perspective, the show looks like most Netflix shows lately. Kind of cheap.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 8/3/2022, 9:40 AM
I loved that last trailer but this clip has that CHEAP NETFLIX-Y look
MadThanos
MadThanos - 8/3/2022, 9:44 AM
@GhostDog - Netflix has its sort of certified cameras to shoot their stuff.

In my opinion this is one of the aspects that brings that cheap look.

I didn't take a look on the technical details of Stranger Things but Season 1 has a grainy, delicious look, almost like it was shoot on film. Season 2 and beyond brought in their cheap look.
LSHF
LSHF - 8/3/2022, 9:40 AM
Regardless if she is "gender-swapped" or not, Johanna looks hundreds of times prettier to look at than John. ; - )
DarkeyeZ
DarkeyeZ - 8/3/2022, 9:41 AM
@LSHF - yea, she's hot.
MadThanos
MadThanos - 8/3/2022, 9:41 AM
Constantine lifeforce? Wtf?

Interestingly I thought I knew the character just to learn I'm clueless.
TyrantBossMedia
TyrantBossMedia - 8/3/2022, 9:41 AM
Gaiman: "Johanna is simply the "current embodiment of the Constantine life-force."

Also Gaiman: "She's not a gender-swapped John."


Just "another Constantine" who happens to just be a woman. Nah....not gender swapped at all.

SerKurtWagner
SerKurtWagner - 8/3/2022, 9:47 AM
@TyrantBossMedia - Because that is LITERALLY who she is. They didn't invent her for the show, she appears more often in the Sandman comics than John does.
braunermegda
braunermegda - 8/3/2022, 9:49 AM
@TyrantBossMedia - you should really learn interpretation
marvel72
marvel72 - 8/3/2022, 10:43 AM
@TyrantBossMedia - Exactly,I'm so glad I'm giving this show a miss. As a fan of the series, I don't think all these changes this show isn't for me.
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 8/4/2022, 9:21 AM
@SerKurtWagner - she appeared in one issue set in the French Revolution , John appeared in one issue as well so explain how she appeared more than John?
SerKurtWagner
SerKurtWagner - 8/4/2022, 12:39 PM
@LucasTurkeyNeck - I haven't read the whole run. I'm going off what Gaiman himself said on Twitter. Pretty sure he knows who appeared the most in his own series.
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 8/4/2022, 1:02 PM
@SerKurtWagner - you’re good mate, no problem.
DarkeyeZ
DarkeyeZ - 8/3/2022, 9:44 AM
They did it for the sex appeal, and it's working. I mean, Constantine has always been bi-sexual, and is now played by a hot female...the rest writes itself lol...just kidding...mostly
DarkeyeZ
DarkeyeZ - 8/3/2022, 10:07 AM
@Waddles - oh...she she isn't Bisexual? disappointing, but I'm still gonna watch this series
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 8/4/2022, 9:24 AM
@Waddles - ok if you don’t know then why give your take. In any case Johanna Constantine is a descendant of John Constantine and was in one issue of sandman that took place during the French Revolution and that’s it. Literally a one off character never seen again. John Constantine also appeared in one issue.
LucasTurkeyNeck
LucasTurkeyNeck - 8/4/2022, 9:33 AM
@Waddles - you get points my friend, you owned up your mistake. Touché sir
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 8/3/2022, 9:54 AM
Was looking for Constantine.....Then I remembered that he is a female now...lol
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 8/3/2022, 10:09 AM
@Waddles - Ohhhh....Why she aint got Blonde hair in the clip tho :P
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