What if The Dreaming realm from The Sandman had a soundtrack? Would not Michael Jackson’s Thriller be the perfect song? Perhaps one should not reveal this to Neil Gaiman but picture this. As the world sleeps, all the nightmares conceptualized by Morpheus come alive and do the hook steps of the hauntingly wonderful song by the King of Pop himself. This dream of ours could’ve come true if things had gone a little differently in the 90s.

Today, Neil Gaiman’s mammoth of a comic book collection finally has a successful adaptation. However, The Sandman went through the wringer with multiple filmmakers trying their best to adapt the so-called unfilmable graphic novel. While some came close, it was a series of failed attempts. Recently, Neil Gaiman narrated a beautiful, heart-warming story that connects the late Michael Jackson to Dream of The Endless.

Neil Gaiman reminisces about Michael Jackson aspiring to be The Sandman

In a recent interview with MTV’s Josh Horowitz regarding The Sandman, Gaiman spoke about the legendary music icon. Back in 1996, Jackson contacted the President of Warner Bros. asking if he could play the titular character in the live-action rendition of The Sandman. What a world that would’ve been if it actually materialized!

Back then, Jackson’s career had taken a hit owing to several allegations against him. Hence, there was no shortage of public humiliation and legal scrutiny. His song They Don’t Care About Us was also under the microscope for its controversial lyrics. The only saving grace that year was his Grammy for Scream, a duet he performed with his sister Janet Jackson.

Michael Jackson’s filmography at the time also was not as abundant. Barring a semi-autobiographical Moonwalker, Captain EO, and a Broadway Musical, The Wiz, the king of pop, had little in his arsenal. On the other hand, The Sandman had made a significant mark as one of the first Graphic Novels to be featured on The New York Times bestseller list. So it made perfect sense why MJ pitched himself for The Sandman.

Would Michael Jackson have made a good Morpheus?

As die-hard fans of both Neil Gaiman and Michael Jackson, we can not help but wonder about the magical collaboration. As far as Dream’s look goes, MJ would have nailed it. And think about what his discography could do to elevate the already brilliant narrative. There is an ideal Jackson song for every pivotal moment of the fantasy tale.

If Smooth Criminal does not match The Corinthian, we do not know if anything ever will. After all, he was the first ever serial killer. Also, would it not be surreal if Heal The World plays in the background as people succumb to the sleepy sickness? Moreover, Black or White might be the perfect response to the show’s unnecessary backlash for forcing diversity.

What do you think about the transition from King of Pop to King of Dreams? Do you think Michael Jackson would’ve done justice to Neil Gaiman’s protagonist? Let us know in the comments.

For those who have not seen it yet, the first season of The Sandman is now streaming on Netflix.