Sandman season 2 news has been coming in steadily since the show’s explosive debut on Netflix, and now the popular comic adaptation is set to end after it sophomore outing. Executive produced and created by Neil Gaiman, The Sandman is the long-anticipated adaptation of his dark fantasy graphic novel series. The Sandman stars Tom Sturridge as Dream of the Endless/Morpheus, after he awakens from a century-long slumber. The Sandman season 1 adapts the first two volumes of Gaiman’s graphic novels, Preludes and Nocturnes and The Doll’s House.
The first five episodes encompass Preludes and Nocturnes, chronicling how Morpheus was imprisoned for over a century and went on a quest to retrieve his magical symbols of office and repair his realm, the Dreaming. The final four episodes of The Sandman season 1 adapt The Doll’s House story, introducing Rose Walker (Vanesu Samunyai), a Dream Vortex, and featuring Morpheus’ final showdown with the renegade nightmare serial killer, the Corinthian. The Sandman season 2 is on the way and will adapt more of Neil Gaiman’s groundbreaking graphic novels.
The Latest Sandman Season 2 News
Season 2 Will End The Show
With many Neil Gaiman projects continuing to fall, the latest news confirms that Sandman will end after season 2. This update comes in the wake of Gaiman’s ongoing sexual assault allegations, which have seen several of the author’s movie and TV adaptations canceled, shortened, or put on hold. Though Netflix hasn’t outright mentioned the allegations against Gaiman as their reason for canning the show, it likely gave them an out to offload the somewhat unwieldy adaptation.
it’s clear that the series wasn’t going to be a long-running show for Netflix, and the lengthy gap between seasons was already putting a strain on its success.
The official Netflix Sandman account on X (formerly Twitter) shared a post regarding the show’s cancelation, and showrunner Allan Heinberg weighed in on season 2. Heinberg revealed that a two-season plan was always on the cards, and chalked it up to the fact that Dream only appears in a few of the original Sandman comic storylines. Regardless of the reason, it’s clear that the series wasn’t going to be a long-running show for Netflix, and the lengthy gap between seasons was already putting a strain on its success.
Read Heinberg’s full comments here:
The Sandman series has always been focused exclusively on Dream’s story, and back in 2022, when we looked at the remaining Dream material from the comics, we knew we only had enough story for one more season. We are extremely grateful to Netflix for bringing the team all back together and giving us the time and resources to make a faithful adaptation in a way that we hope will surprise and delight the comics’ loyal readers as well as fans of our show.
Sandman Season 2 Is Confirmed To Be The Last
The Final Season Of Sandman Is Coming Soon
It only took three months for Netflix to announce that The Sandman would get a second season. Neil Gaiman then followed up by letting fans know that this was true, and he was hard at work helping lead the show into the next Sandman season. Production was delayed by the Hollywood strikes, but has since gotten back underway. Netflix has planned for a 2025 release, but no specific release window has been announced yet.
The Sandman season 1 debuted on August 5, 2022.
Since those updates, serious sexual assault allegations have been leveled against Gaiman, which has seen many of his various TV and movie projects canceled. In February 2025, Netflix announced that The Sandman would end with season 2, though creator Allan Heinberg mentioned that a two-season plan was always on the cards. Heinberg has chalked the show’s ending up to the fact that Dream only appears in a few of the comic’s original storylines, making adaptation difficult. Other clear factors include the show’s massive budget, as well as Gaimain’s legal troubles.
Sandman Season 2 Cast
The Endless Is Finally Assembled
Some major new additions have joined the cast of The Sandman season 2, and the long-awaited arrival of other members of The Endless have been cast. Adrian Lester has been tapped to play Destiny alongside Esmé Creed-Miles as Delirium, and Barry Sloane as The Prodigal (Destruction). Tom Sturridge returns as Morpheus, the main character of the series. Also introduced in the first season were his sister Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and Mason Alexander Park as Desire. Donna Preston will return as Despair, with a few tweaks to her character after fan backlash.
Season 2’s cast has grown significantly with the addition of Steve Coogan as the voice of Barnabas, Destruction’s talking dog companion. Indya Moore will appear as Wanda, and she’s joined by Ann Skelly as Nuala. Various other important mythical figures have also been cast, including Clive Russell as Odin, Laurence O’Fuarain as Thor, and Freddie Fox as Loki. Ruairi O’Connor has been tapped to play Dream’s son, Orpheus.
The confirmed cast of The Sandman season 2 includes:
| Actor | The Sandman Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Sturridge | Dream/Morpheus |
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| Kirby Howell-Baptiste | Death |
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| Mason Alexander Park | Desire |
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| Donna Preston | Despair |
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| Adrian Lester | Destiny |
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| Esmé Creed-Miles | Delirium |
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| Barry Sloane | The Prodigal (Destruction) |
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| Jenna Coleman | Johanna Constantine |
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| Gwendoline Christie | Lucifer |
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| Ferdinand Kingsley | Hob Gadling |
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| Razane Jammal | Lyta Hall |
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| Patton Oswalt | Matthew the Raven |
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| Vivienne Acheampong | Lucienne |
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| Stephen Fry | Gilbert |
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| Vanesu Samunyai | Rose Walker |
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| Steve Coogan | Barnabas |
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| Indya Moore | Wanda |
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| Ann Skelly | Nuala |
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| Douglas Booth | Cluracan |
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| Ruairi O’Connor | Orpheus |
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| Freddie Fox | Loki |
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| Laurence O’Fuarain | Thor |
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| Clive Russell | Odin |
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| Jack Gleeson | Puck |
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There Will Be Big Character Changes In The Sandman Season 2
A More Inclusive Second Season Is Expected
Besides adding new members to the cast, some of the biggest changes in season 2 will involved the tweaking of characters.
Besides adding new members to the cast, some of the biggest changes in season 2 will involved the tweaking of characters. This is in light of audiences criticizing how Despair (Donna Preston) — the only plus-sized character in season 1 was depicted. In response, Neil Gaiman plans to make character changes, admitting that the show “missed what we were aiming for,” and said that “the next time you see Despair…you won’t think of her as frumpy, depressed and unloved.” In the first teaser for season 2, Despair was revealed with a brand-new costume and hairstyle.
Sandman Season 2 Story Details
Which Sandman Comics Will Be Adapted?
Neil Gaiman has specifically mentioned five locations in The Sandman universe that directly connect to moments in the comics. Gaiman mentioned Destiny’s garden, which is a reference to “Seasons of the Mist” in which Lucifer abdicates the throne of Hell and bestows it upon Dream. This would continue with the order in which the comics have been tackled by the series thus far. With characters like Thor, Odin, Loki, and various other gods arriving in The Dreaming to vie for the key to Hell.
Locations like Ancient Greece and revolutionary France also specifically tie back to the storylines “The Song of Orpheus” and “Thermidor”, both of which would verify speculation that Orpheus was seen in the BTS photos. If The Sandman adapted “Seasons of the Mist” and the other aforementioned storylines, it would track with the introduction of Destiny and Delirium, Dream’s remaining siblings who are slated to appear in season 2. The inclusion of Wanda and the return of Rose Walker pretty much confirms that “A Game of You” will also factor in somehow.
The Sandman Season 2 Trailer
Watch The First Teaser Below
Though a full trailer is still a ways off, an exciting new teaser has been dropped by Netflix to hype the upcoming second season of The Sandman. The purpose of the teaser is to introduce several key characters who were absent in season 1, and along with Dream’s returning siblings, fans can expect to see Adrian Lester as Destiny, Esmé Creed-Miles as Delirium, and Barry Sloane as The Prodigal. It’s expected that more trailers will arrive in the coming months.
