London, May 14 (IANS): Actor James McAvoy is part of star-studded cast of the first-ever audio adaptation of the graphic novel series, "The Sandman", written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC.

The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, Justin Vivian Bond, Arthur Darvill, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, William Hope, Samantha Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis, and Michael Sheen.

It's been adapted and directed by Dirk Maggs and narrated by Gaiman, who serves as creative director and executive producer.

The first installment of the multi-part original audio drama series is set for release on July 15, 2020 and adapts volumes 1-3 of the graphic novel series (Preludes & Noctures, The Doll's House, and Dream Country).

The story begins with an occultist who attempts to capture the physical embodiment of Death in a bargain for eternal life.

Instead, he mistakenly traps Death's younger brother Dream, one of the seven god-like siblings known as The Endless who oversee aspects of human existence, including Desire and Despair, Destiny, Destruction and Delirium.

"A truly exceptional cast of artistes will be bringing this cultural phenomenon to life. We are honoured to be working alongside Neil Gaiman and DC to create a truly immersive adaptation that we know fans and listeners will love," said David Blum, Editor-in-Chief of Audible Originals.

Gaiman's long-time audio collaborator, multi-award winner Dirk Maggs, shares executive producer credit and also serves as the project's scriptwriter and director.

"The Sandman" will premiere on Audible.com/TheSandman on July 15, 2020 in English, and will subsequently be released in French, German, Italian, and Castilian Spanish and Latin American Spanish editions.