Lucifer creator responds to backlash after recasting Tom Ellis' character for The Sandman

Lucifer Morningstar will be played by someone entirely different

    Author Neil Gaiman has responded to the backlash surrounding the casting of Lucifer Morningstar in Netflix's adaptation of his graphic novel series, The Sandman, and revealed why it was never on the cards to bring back Tom Ellis.

    MORE: Lucifer star Tom Ellis to make Netflix comeback - get the details

    After a fan on Twitter quizzed him as to why the actor hadn't been brought back to reprise his role, writing: "And you couldn't have asked Tom Ellis why?" Neil explained all.

    WATCH: ran for six seasons - have you seen it?

    In response, he wrote: "Because his Lucifer, while inspired by the Lucifer in , is so far away in terms of continuity by the end of , that it's easier on everyone to go back to the version in the comic.

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    MORE: Lucifer star Tom Ellis looks almost unrecognisable in first-ever television role

    "And this way you don't know what our Lucifer is going to do," he added before concluding his post by stressing that there was no love lost between him and the Brit actor. "Tom's is lovable."

    Tom ended his five-year run on last year

    Neil's reply should hopefully put to bed the debate over Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie's casting as Lucifer in the upcoming adaptation, which has been raging on ever since the actress was first announced back in October 2021. 

    She will make her debut on the series alongside stars Tom Sturridge, Jenna Coleman and David Thewlis when the show makes its debut on the streaming site later this year.

    Gwendoline Christie's casting as Lucifer in received some backlash

    As fans will recall, Tom ended his five-year run on Lucifer last year when the show came to a conclusion with its sixth season. At the time, Tom teased that he was hoping to work on something "completely different" after portraying the same character for so many years - so it seems unlikely that he would have even taken the role had it been offered to him.

    MORE: Tom Ellis' real daughter appeared in Lucifer episodes - did you spot her?

    He told: "I am going to find myself in that similar territory in that people are going to expect one thing from me now. And I would like to surprise them and do something completely different. That's always been my thought process."

    It's been announced that he has been cast in the upcoming romantic comedy Players, alongside star Gina Rodriguez and  Damon Wayans Jr, as well as a new Hulu series titled , which will also starThis Is Us actor Sterling K, Brown.

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