'The Sandman': Netflix explains reason behind show's skewed aspect ratio
What's the story
The Sandman, based on the DC comic book series by The New York Times Best Seller author Neil Gaiman, made its way to Netflix on Friday (August 5). It was highly anticipated by fans of the fantasy horror comic series—a global phenomenon. Although, some viewers were quick to notice the show's aspect ratio, which seemed slightly off. But Netflix explained its deliberate creative choice.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Gaiman's The Sandman has been a tough adaptation to breathe life into on television screens. There were several attempts made before, but they didn't work out. With Netflix's decision to bring the graphic novels to life with a huge budget and a stellar cast, the project was green signaled and overlooked by Gaiman himself. The Sandman is reportedly DC Entertainment's most expensive show.
Observation
Fans, viewers first noticed distinctive visuals in trailer
Viewers first noticed the skewed images when the trailer for The Sandman arrived. And this seemed like a cause for concern for fans of the original book series. Some noted that the screen felt stretched upward, and some wondered if it was a technical issue that caused the distinctive visuals. Besides the trailer, these unusual images were seen throughout the series as well.
Clarification
Netflix explained visual distortion was used to give surreal effect
A spokesperson for Netflix confirmed that the image distortion was a deliberate choice made for the series. "As you'll note, many of the environments are surreal in the series, and we often say it's quite what a dream would feel like," they stated. This confirmed that the elongated faces and overstretched visuals were meant to lend a surreal feeling, which actually works!
Premise
What is the show all about?
The Sandman is a show that goes beyond space and time and ropes us into its world of mythical lands and mysterious, dark realms. It shows the journey of the titular character Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) aka Morpheus, Kai'ckul, Sandman, and many other names. It unfolds to show how the Ruler of Dreams is haunted by the mistakes of his past.
Twitter Post
Watch the trailer here
Dream dangerously. Enter the world of THE SANDMAN on August 5, only on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/DQOrcsZUM0
— The Sandman (@Netflix_Sandman) July 23, 2022