That's the Endless covered, but what about the more earth-bound elements of a potential Sandman cast? Presuming that the film will draw heavily on The Doll's House, the second arc collected in a trade paperback volume and the first longer story with beginning, middle and end, then Dream might not even be the protagonist in his own movie. That honour would fall on The Doll's House's lead Rose Walker. Rose's story ties in with the imprisonment and release of Dream that kicks off the whole Sandman saga, but her arc, a normal seeming girl discovers she has links to a magical world of mythical beings, is more conventional and would provide a good way in to the Endless' world. Dream himself is a hard character to get to know, a film using Rose as an audience surrogate would perhaps be an easier way of giving exposition about him. Her story would also be easy to tell in one standalone film, leaving a satisfying whole if there are no sequels, while if there were further installments Dream could become the sole protagonist. Ellen Page has been put forward before as a possible Death, but her screen persona, likeable but a little cool and detached, lacks the warmth that someone like Kendrick could bring to that part, but is perfect for Rose. Rose is a character who has the kind of perpetually youthful looks and vaguely teenage attitudes even in a woman in her 20s that is perfect for the Page of Juno and Whip It, while her increasingly significant role in X-Men shows she is able to take the lead in a comic book fantasy. Other options: Aubrey Plaza impressed with her first movie leading role in Safety Not Guaranteed after a part in Scott Pilgrim. She shares Page's indie style and a sense of a 20 something woman trying to establish herself as an adult not a perpetual teen.
