The Sandman type Movie

This weekend, Joseph Gordon-Levitt announced his departure from Sandman, tossing yet another obstacle in the path of this long-gestating movie adaptation. Neil Gaiman, who wrote the original comics, responded to the latest update on Twitter.

“For the record, my respect for [Joseph Gordon-Levitt], is undiminished,” he wrote. “Getting to know him was the best bit of the last round. He’s special.” In response, Gordon-Levitt thanked Gaiman, writing, “I sincerely hope we find another way to collaborate sooner than later.”

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The actor wrote in a statement posted to his Facebook page Saturday that he left the project over creative differences with New Line, the Warner Bros. division where the film is set up. “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,” Gordon-Levitt said. “So unfortunately, I decided to remove myself from the project. I wish nothing but the best for the team moving forward.”

“Reminder for the curious: I don’t own SANDMAN. [DC Comics] does. I don’t choose who writes scripts, the director, producer or cast,” Gaiman continued on Twitter. “For me, what’s important is the 2,500 pages of SANDMAN, not a movie that may or may not ever happen.”

Sandman, the tale of Morpheus, the lord of dreams, is still in development at New Line with screenwriter Eric Heisserer penning a new draft.