Netflix's The Sandman, an exquisite and largely faithful adaptation of Neil Gaiman's beloved graphic novel series, proved to be a hit for the streaming giant, racking up nearly 400 million viewing hours between its release on August 5 and September 18, 2022. Yet there was initially some question about whether even those numbers were strong enough to justify a second season of the critically acclaimed series, which cost a bundle to make. Fortunately, Netflix made the right call and renewed The Sandman for a second and final season. And judging by the official trailer, it should be every bit as lavish and riveting as its predecessor.
(Spoilers for S1 below.)
The first half of S1 covered Morpheus/Dream's (Tom Sturridge) capture and long imprisonment by British aristocrat Roderick Burgess (Charles Dance) and later his son Alex (Laurie Kynaston). Once he escaped, Dream found that his realm, the Dreaming, had fallen into decay, and he had to retrieve his scattered totems (his helm, a pouch of sand, and a ruby) in order to rebuild it. In the second half, Dream tracked an escaped nightmare called The Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook), now a prolific serial killer. Everything converged on a young woman named Rose Walker (Kyo Ra), an unwitting Vortex—someone who can attract and manipulate dreams, with dire consequences.
Dream uncreated the Corinthian and destroyed the Vortex, but Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie) in Hell was plotting revenge after Dream bested her in a battle to win back his helm. We also had two bonus episodes: the animated "Dream of a Thousand Cats" and "Calliope," in which Dream rescued his ex-wife, the titular muse (Melissanthi Mahut), from the author who had imprisoned her to inspire his many books.
The second season "begins a few weeks later," showrunner Allan Heinberg said in a statement. "After more than a century away from the Dreaming, Dream has been restoring and rebuilding his kingdom. As he transforms the palace, he vows to leave the past behind and look to the future. The past, of course, has other ideas." The 11 episodes will adapt the storylines from “Tales in the Sand,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The Song of Orpheus,” “Thermidor,” and “The Tempest,” among other installments in the Sandman series. We're also getting a bonus episode adapting the standalone "Death: the High Cost of Living," featuring everyone's favorite member of the Endless.
There are some design changes from S1. "Design-wise, Dream has a new palace which symbolizes his intense desire to move on from the events of S1," said Heinberg. "Which means his throne room has had a remodel. As has the outer lobby. We also explore a number of entirely new time periods, worlds, and realms. And all the designs—the sets, the costumes, the props, the VFX—have their roots in the comics."
Naturally, Sturridge is returning as Morpheus/Dream, as are Kirby as Death; Mason Alexander Park as Desire; Donna Preston as Despair; and Christie as Lucifer. Judging by the trailer, we'll also see Stephen Fry returning as Fiddler's Green, Holbrook's The Corinthian, Mervyn Pumpkinhead (voiced by Mark Hamill), and The Fates (Dinita Gohil, Nina Wadia, and Souad Faress played Maiden, Mother, and Crone, respectively, in S1).
New cast members include Adrian Lester as Destiny, Esmé Creed-Miles as Delirium, and Barry Sloane as Destruction, aka The Prodigal, as well as Ruairi O'Connor as Orpheus, Freddie Fox as Loki, Clive Russell as Odin, Laurence O'Fuarain as Thor, Ann Skelly as Nuala, Douglas Booth as Cluracan, Jack Gleeson as Puck, Indya Moore as Wanda, and Steve Coogan as the voice of Barnabas, canine companion to Destruction.
The second season of The Sandman will premiere on Netflix in two parts. Volume 1 drops on July 13, 2025; Volume II starts streaming on July 25, 2025. The bonus episode, "Death: The High Cost of Living," will air on July 31, 2025.
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