It’s difficult to consider Netflix’s The Sandman without also acknowledging the saga’s long path to being a Netflix series. For 30 years, the comic book series has had both a profound and a highly individualized effect upon millions of readers who watched a stream of other Neil Gaiman adaptations come and go. The author has also been forthright about fending off many attempts to bring his most enduring creation to life off the page. Then the pandemic hit, and an Audible version carved out a window to complete the saga’s graphic novel volumes, and in 2022, a long-gestating Netflix series was so well-received that a bonus episode (which might hit differently now) was offered after the fact.
That renewal likely almost didn’t happen, since the show is so expensive to make with endless (as opposed to The Endless siblings) post-production phases. Yet positive news did arrive, and the wait began for filming completion amid strike-related interruptions, followed by ongoing VFX phases.
Fast forward to now, and Netflix has suggested that more news about The Sandman will come during this month’s Geeked Week, but there are complicating factors at work. Last week, the Dead Boy Detectives spin off was cancelled after that show’s rabid audience apparently wasn’t large enough to sustain more. So, The Sandman characters who did crossover cameos will now make their sole home on the flagship series for however long it lasts.
Is there more trouble on the horizon, though? Variety recently reported that “Disney is hitting pause” on a planned Graveyard book movie from director Marc Forster. While reporting this development, the trade news publication referred to sexual assault allegations (against Gaiman), reported by Tortoise Media, that are the subject of an ongoing investigation in New Zealand. Variety also specifies that Graveyard Book‘s movie has not been cancelled entirely, but Disney declined to comment on the subject when contacted.
For that and other wide-ranging reasons, those who watched Netflix’s The Sandman await updates, so let’s talk about what we know.
Cast
A crop of new Endless siblings will join the second season. They include Delirium (Esmé Creed-Miles of Prime Video/Amazon’s Hanna), Destiny (Adrian Lester of BBC One’s Hustle), and the estranged “The Prodigal”/Destruction (Barry Sloane of Longmire).
They join returning siblings Dream/Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), and Desire (Mason Alexander Park).
The series also stars Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer and Patton Oswalt as Matthew the Raven. There’s no word on whether the TV show will bump up The Corinthian’s return plan vs. the graphic novels, so that we can see Boyd Holbrook again. Never say never in a realm of non-linear storytelling.
Plot
Various hints indicted that The Sandman‘s second season would largely adapt the fourth graphic novel, Season of Mists, while introducing a revolving door of characters. Additionally, Redanian Intelligence reported episode titles that promised more of Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer, hopefully to get more face-time against Tom Sturridge’s Dream/Morpheus:
– “The Song of Orpheus”
– “More Devils Than Vast Hell Can Hold”
– “Brief Lives”
– “Family Blood”
– “The Ruler of Hell”
– “Season of Mists”
Gaiman previously confirmed that Lucifer’s revenge would be a major component to the season, and “we’re going to be having the rematch and Morpheus is going to be going back to hell.” We should also expect to see plenty of Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s Death, especially after the warm fan reception to her also-warm version of the character.
In light of the cancellation of Dead Boy Detectives, we should not expect the hypothesized spin off with Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman) to happen. A spin off for the terminally popular Death might not be entirely off the table if the second series receives as much viewership as the debut, but we simply do not know the outcome of other involved factors, or what will figure into Netflix’s thought process on whether a third season will happen.
Release Date
No precise release date has been articulated yet, but Netflix previewed a Geeked Week trailer that suggests we will be hearing more between Sept. 16-19.
Trailer
Ditto the above date range on possible footage and/or a teaser.
Since we don’t have a trailer yet, let’s look back at Dream’s enduring friendship with Hob, which really should have been discussed more when The Sandman first debuted on Netflix.
For a bonus, here is Dream being cute (don’t tell anybody — he has an a-hole reputation to uphold) with Dream.