Everything We Know About The Sandman Season 2 And The Return Of Netflix's Fantasy Series

What dreams may come... 

Season 1 of Netflix's "The Sandman" wasn't quite the great Neil Gaiman adaptation some of the storyteller's fans have been waiting for, but it nevertheless set the series (which is far from strictly a fantasy drama) on the path to becoming the next best thing to reading Gaiman's original comics. That it was able to stay faithful to the spirit of its source material while including some welcome modifications — some of which, admittedly, were more superficial than others in the way they modernize the "Sandman" universe — is all the more reason to remain hopeful about the show's future.

Of course, it also helps that Gaiman's earlier "Sandman" comic books (which formed the basis of season 1) are generally agreed to be the weakest of the lot, compared to what comes after. With the best of the saga of Morpheus still on the horizon, fans have been eagerly awaiting updates of any variety on the show's future. Fortunately, Netflix has confirmed its intention to continue adapting Gaiman's revered graphic novels, with the multi-hyphenate himself teasing in an official statement, "There are some astonishing stories waiting for Morpheus and the rest of them (not to mention more members of the Endless Family to meet)."

With all that out of the way, here's everything we know about "The Sandman" season 2 so far.

In April 2023, Neil Gaiman confirmed the scripts for "The Sandman" season 2 were written and the sets were in the process of being designed, with casting underway for the first episode. The show itself ranks among Netflix's costliest and most effects-heavy ongoing series, with season 1 carrying a reported price tag of $15 million per episode. Because of that, each new season requires a good deal of time to complete in terms of both production and especially post-production (which can span upwards of 20 weeks or more for a project of this magnitude). In May 2024, Neil Gaiman was asked about season 2's release date by a fan on Tumblr and replied. "You don't get a release date until you've handed in the finished show. So far we've only shot half of it. There's a long way to go."

With that in mind, "The Sandman" season 2 can most likely be expected to release some time in 2025. It's not impossible Netflix will unveil another "bonus" episode between now and then, similar to the two-parter that dropped two weeks after season 1 premiered. That episode adapted the short stories "Dream of a Thousand Cats" and "Calliope" from Gaiman's "Dream Country" collection, but there are still two other tales from that volume that have yet to reach the screen. That includes "A Midsummer Night's Dream," a storyline Gaiman has admitted he's been itching to adapt.

Allan Heinberg, Neil Gaiman, and David S. Goyer will again serve as executive producers on "The Sandman" season 2, with Heinberg in particular wearing multiple hats as a writer, producer, and showrunner. Numerous cast members from season 1 will also be returning, including Tom Sturridge as Morpheus/Dream, Gwendolyn Christie as Lucifer, and many more. Season 1 guest stars Deborah Oyelade (Nada) and Lily Travers (Barbie) will further enjoy a significant upgrade in screen time thanks to the key roles their characters are expected to play in this season's plot machinations. Here's the full list of returning cast members confirmed so far:

• Tom Sturridge as Morpheus
• Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer
• Patton Oswalt as Matthew the Raven
• Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne
• Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine
• Ferdinand Kingsley as Hob Gadling
• Stephen Fry as Gilbert
• Asim Chaudhry as Abel
• Sanjeev Bhaskar as Cain
• Vanesu Samunyai as Rose Walker
• Razane Jammal as Lyta Hall
• Deborah Oyelade as Nada
• Lily Travers as Barbie

"In the next chapter of The Sandman, the King of Dreams will come face-to-face — and go toe-to-toe — with the formidable rulers of Hell, Asgard, Faerie, and the realms beyond," Heinberg's told Tudum. So in other words, Dream will definitely go through the events of "Season of Mists," the fourth volume of the comics that followed Dream's journey into Hell and all the complications that came with it.

This is expected, but what about the surrounding volumes? The rest of the casting news confirms that season 2 will at least partially cover the events of "A Game of You," the fifth volume, as well as at least one story from volume 6 ("Fables & Reflections) and volume 3 ("Dream Country"). Most surprising (and confusing) of all is that we're getting multiple characters from the seventh volume, "Brief Lives," which most fans assumed would be saved for season 3. The exact mechanics of it all is a mystery so far, but this fits right alongside season 1's approach of letting the storylines from multiple volumes play out alongside each other. 

"The Sandman" season 2 cast will include several actors from the "Game of Thrones" universe. Jack Gleeson plays Puck, described by Tudum as: "A malevolent hobgoblin who serves as the royal jester to King Auberon of Faerie. Puck is fascinated by mortals and enjoys nothing more than making sport of them for his own amusement." Freddie Fox, meanwhile, plays Loki, and his version of the god isn't all that different from the MCU's: "Loki is a charming, seductive shape-shifter. The smartest and most dangerous person in any room, Loki is utterly irresistible and never to be trusted."

There's also Laurence O'Fuarain, who plays Thor. Although the "Sandman" version of Thor is sillier and less sympathetic than the MCU's depiction, the casting of O'Fuarain (from "The Witcher: Blood Origin" and "The Gentlemen") implies the show might be leaning a bit more into the modern mainstream ideal of the character. 

Also joining the show is Clive Russell (another "Game of Thrones" alum) as Odin, Thor and Loki's stressed-out father. Ann Skelly (from "The Nevers" and "Red Rock") plays the royal Faerie emissary Nuala, and Douglas Booth (from "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies") plays her roguish brother Cluracan. Steve Coogan will appear as the voice of Barnabas, a cynical talking dog who shows up in "Brief Lives." And there are some even bigger characters coming from "Brief Lives," however...

Indya Moore (from "Queen & Slim," "Pose,") plays Wanda, and writer Neil Gaiman offered a heartwarming description of the character to Tudum: 

"Wanda began for me in 1988, because I had trans friends and was not seeing them reflected in the comics I was reading, so I resolved to create a trans woman in a mainstream comic, the first time that had happened. For over three decades, people have been telling me that she was an inspiration to them. I'm thrilled that, 35 years later, she's on the screen in all her glory."

The only complication is that Netflix's description of the character doesn't actually describe Wanda. Instead it describes her as, "a professional driver and security agent for an exclusive travel firm. Wanda proves herself to be an indispensable guide on an Endless road trip to the waking world." In other words, this is Ruby, a character in "Brief Lives" who dies tragically in a surprise building fire. 

Already some fans are frustrated with this change: Wanda's story arc in "A Game of You" is huge, and any apparent change in it will need some pretty strong justifications. But it's possible that season 2 will find a way to make both story arcs work. Maybe Wanda helps Dream along like Ruby did, doesn't die, and then goes through her "A Game of You" arc? It would be a risky move, but it might make for a strong response to one of the more common critiques of Wanda's character, which is that she's a little too strongly defined by the bigotry she endures. Showing more of her a life outside of "A Game of You" might go a long way, assuming it's handled well.

The tragic character of Orpheus feels like a good fit for O'Connor, as his role in "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" has already proven he's great at characters trapped in unfortunate situations. Not only does this version of Orpheus have to go through the expected tale of his doomed rescue attempt of his lover Eurydices, but he also has to deal with having the worst father ever: Dream. Although Dream (AKA Morpheus) is a closed-off wet blanket in modern times, that's nothing compared to how cold he was in ancient times, and poor Orpheus has to deal with the brunt of this emotional neglect. 

"The Sandman" season 2 also includes some new members of the Endless to marvel at. There's Adrian Lester (from "Renegade Nell") as the stoic, all-knowing Destiny, Esmé Creed-Miles (from "Dark River") as the childlike, erratic Delirium, and Barry Sloane (from "Longmire," "Revenge") as The Prodigal, AKA Destruction, the long-disappeared seventh sibling who "Brief Lives" revolves around. It sounds like season 2's covering a lot of ground from the comics; here's hoping the show's got what it takes to pull it all off.