In what would have been the most highly anticipated comic book adaptations of all time, The Sandman has seen Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Don Jon, The Night Before) part ways with the project. The actor confirmed the news via Facebook, posting a lengthy explanation of the situation, while thanking those attached to the project.  

According to Gordon-Levitt, things were running smoothly, but production hit a snag when Warner Bros. moved the entire catalogue of Vertigo comics, which published The Sandman in 1989, to its subsidiary company New Line Cinema. It is from this point onwards that Gordon-Levitt and the new producers could not see eye to eye. This has resulted in his departure from project, with the movie’s fate now up in the air. Even the graphic novel's creator, Neil Gaiman's hands are tied, as he does not own the rights to The Sandman.

Reminder for the curious: I don't own SANDMAN. @DCComics does. I don't choose who writes scripts, the director, producer or cast.

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) 6 March 2016

Gordon-Levitt, who listed a screen adaptation of The Sandman as one of his 'passion projects', has been trying to get the film into development for the past three years. We only hope that if the film does get made, they get someone equally as passionate to help. The recent success of Deadpool (review) has shown us that having a driven team behind a comic book film will ultimately determine how well it's received by fans.