On Sept. 22, Audible released The Sandman: Act II, where Scottish actor James McAvoy voiced the titular hero, Dream himself. While it was officially revealed only in May, the X-Men: First Class and His Dark Materials alum was attached to the project last February, a few days before the world stopped. The subsequent COVID-19 outbreak complicated the recording sessions for the actor. McAvoy had to build a rudimentary recording studio at home and record his lines without the rest of the cast since his fellow cast members already voiced to their characters in the meantime. However, he had the advantage of hearing the entire adaptation — minus his parts — first.
“They sent me a do-it-yourself recording studio for inside your house, which I had to build and erect,” he said while talking with Collider. And I’m not in the best at DIY, home improvement, or anything like that. So it was a bit of an ask, but we got there in the end, which is good. And yes, I was at home on my own recording all this stuff. It’s actually pretty cool. But the good thing is for me is that every other actor had obviously laid their stuff down. So the director was able to pretty much play the entire season except my lines. So I got to hear the entire show. It was absolutely fascinating. I’ve never had that experience before on any film, television, audio, live-action, play, whatever it is, it was a first for me.”
RELATED: Listen To a Preview Scene From Audible’s The Sandman: Act II
In spite of the adversity, the outcome was pretty cool, ultimately. Not only did the fans love the first installment released at Audible, but the producers ordered a second and third act. The sophomore installment adapted “A Game of You,” “Distant Mirrors,” and “Convergence.” It has yet to be revealed when the saga will wrap things up, but it could happen as soon as next year.
What do you think about McAvoy’s job as Dream in Audible’s The Sandman? Let us know in the comments section below.
Recommended Reading: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes 30th Anniversary Edition
And also a Recommended Listening: The Sandman: Act 1 on Audible
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