The Sandman season 2 release updates, cast, and everything we know so far

The Sandman season 2 is happening on Netflix, and we just learned some big news about the cast of season 2 and what’s going to happen in the new season.

We shared everything we know so far about The Sandman season 2 (that’s not really called season 2), including the release information, cast, filming, and so much more. We’ll update this story as we learn more information about the new season of The Sandman. The latest update was on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023.

So, about that season 2 thing. This is a little confusing, and no one outside of the big decision-makers at Netflix and those working with the show really understands why The Sandman season 2 isn’t actually being called “season 2.” But, that’s really beside the point. There is more Sandman coming to Netflix.

Netflix announced the news in November 2023 after making Sandman fans sweat it out for a few months. It was unclear what was next, but it’s pretty clear that Netflix has big plans for the future of this show and its characters. Instead of calling it the second season, the platform is saying “more episodes and stories.”

The Sandman actor Mason Alexander Park shared an update with fans about season 2 earlier this year. Here’s what Park said, via Digital Spy:

"“There is more Sandman coming in a really cool way, and it can take many forms, so we’re starting shooting in the summer, and we’re gonna tackle the next huge chunk of stories in however long that might take. And I’m really excited to share the format of what that might be with everybody eventually.”"

And just as the actor shared, filming on The Sandman season 2 did begin this summer… before it was shut down.

We’re going to keep calling it season 2 until Netflix makes it clear that season 2 isn’t actually season 2.

Season 2 started filming in June, but it shut down in July

According to What’s On Netflix, production on The Sandman season 2 began on Monday, June 26 at Shepperton Studios. This news was confirmed in a tweet from the husband of production designer Jon Gary Steele, writer/producer Barry Waldo, who responded to a fan’s question. “Started shooting yesterday so there a long ways to go!” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet.

Although Waldo has deleted his tweet, What’s On Netflix gathered more clues that suggest production on the second season did begin in June, including a two-day shutdown at Durdle Door in Dorset, England, as well as images and videos that look very much like The Sandman. Check out one video below:

In the weeks to follow, we got other glimpses from production, confirming they were very much filming the new episodes. Unfortunately, production shut down with the actors’ strike in July 2023.

In April 2023, ComicBook.com reported that Neil Gaiman gave an update on The Sandman season 2 via Tumblr, saying scripts had been written and sets were being designed. Fortunately, that means the writer’s room for the second season did not have to be placed on hold when the WGA strike began. That said, once the SAG-AFTRA strike started, the show could not continue filming.

As of July 14, 2023, when the actors’ strike began, filming on The Sandman season 2 is on hold. According to Games Radar, Gaiman confirmed the shutdown on the social network platform  BlueSky, saying:

"“SAG-AFTRA strike is on. Sandman has stopped shooting completely, along with everything else that was squeaking by without writers. I hope that the AMPTP sees reason and gets back to the table with the actors and the writers. I have no reason at this point to think they will see reason.”"

Has Netflix announced The Sandman season 2 release date yet?

Nope, we’re still waiting on any news regarding the release date for the new episodes of The Sandman. Based on a summer production start date and the ongoing actors’ strike, there’s obviously no way that we’ll see The Sandman season 2 on Netflix in 2023.

It looks like the actors’ strike could be ending soon. The AMPTP and the actors’ union, SAG-AFTRA, are in negotiations as of the end of October. Hopefully, a deal be worked out this year and production on season 2 can begin in early 2024.

What’s On Netflix reported that production was originally set to last into the fall of 2023, and then there was expected to be a break before they return to production in January 2024. Then, they were scheduled to continue filming until April 2024. This report came out prior to the actors’ strike shutdown, so we don’t see filming concluding this early any longer. It’s entirely possible they won’t be done filming season 2 until the end of 2024 at this point.

Netflix also still hasn’t shared exactly how much Sandman is on the way. The number of episodes, how extensive those shoots will be, and how much post-production work they need to do will determine how long we’re going to have to wait.

At the earliest, we could see The Sandman season 2 on Netflix in the first half of 2025, but it also depends on how Netflix is going to release this next batch of episodes. The fact that they aren’t calling it “season 2” makes me wonder if they are going to drop new episodes more sporadically throughout 2025 or over a certain length of time instead of the normal, full-season Netflix drop.

As of the time of this writing, we’re sticking with a release prediction of the first half of 2025. It’s possible that things could be delayed further depending on the actors’ strike and how Netflix wants to release the new episodes.

Release Prediction: First half of 2025

Cast

Netflix is keeping all the details about the new episodes a secret for now, but we have a pretty good idea who will be back in The Sandman season 2.

• Tom Sturridge as  Morpheus/Dream
• Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer Morningstar
• Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne
• Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death
• Boyd Holbrook as Corinthian
• Mason Alexander Park as Desire
• Sanjeev Bhaskar as Cain
• Asim Chaudhry as Abel
• Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine
• Eddie Karanja as Jed Walker
• Kyo Ra as Rose Walker
• Razana Jammal as Lyta Hall
• Melissanthi Mahut as Calliope
• Arthur Davill as Ric Madoc
• Joely Richardson as Ethel Dee
• Patton Oswalt as Matthew the Raven
• David Thewlis as John Dee
• Ferdinand Kingsley as Hob Gadling
• Sandra James-Young as Unity Kinkaid
• Nina Wada as Fate Mother
• Souad Faress as Fate Crone
• Dinita Gohil as Fate Maiden
• Donna Preston as Despair
• Mark Hamill as Merv Pumpkinhead
• John Cameron Mitchell as Hal Carter
• Andi Osho as Miranda Walker
• Cassie Clare as Mazikeen
• Gianni Calchetti as Death Stalker
• Barry Sloane as Destruction
• Daphne Alexander as Bromie
• Tafline Steen as Xantho
• Charlotte Bate

According to a report fromRedanian Intelligence, Barry Sloane joins the season 2 cast as Destruction, along with Daphne Alexander, who will play Bromie, and Tafline Steen, who will play Xantho. Sandman News confirmed that Charlotte Bate will also be in season 2.

There are other new characters likely joining The Sandman season 2 as well. Gaiman seemingly confirmed Delirium will be introduced in the new episodes in an interview. Because of a set leak, we also have reason to believe the character Orpheus, Dream’s son, will be featured.

What’s next in season 2?

There is such rich source material for the writers to use for The Sandman season 2. The series is based on Neil Gaiman’s graphic novels of the same name. Any of those stories could be adapted for this series.

At the end of the first season, Morpheus ventures to hell to reclaim his helm from Lucifer, which Morpheus eventually does, but Lucifer is not happy about it. The obvious storyline is for Lucifer, Desire, Despair, and others who want revenge (I guess we can call it that) on Morpheus. That would be interesting, and there is precedent to expect that storyline in the new episodes.

Gaiman confirmed as much in an interview with Variety:

"“If we do Season 2, we’re going to be having the rematch and Morpheus is going to be going back to hell. And Lucifer has some surprises in store that Morpheus is not expecting.” And they are all like, “Ahh!” And I’m like, “Yeah, and I know how that’s going to work, and you don’t. And everybody who’s ever read ‘Season of Mists’ knows how that’s going to work and you don’t. But that’s good because not everybody will have read ‘Season of Mists’ and this is going to be so much fun.”"

We also saw Morpheus finally work out Desire’s plan for Morpheus to kill — I guess we can call it that — Rose, because of her power as a Vortex and what it means to the Dreaming, after everything went down with Corinthian.

So, where does that leave us? Gaiman has confirmed that the upcoming “season” will focus on two parts of the stories from the graphic novels at least. One of those is The Season of Mists, which Gaiman mentioned in the Variety interview.

And, in an interview with LogoTV, Gaiman mentions Wanda, a character introduced in A Game of You, and shared that Wanda will be in season 2, as well.

"“Oh, yes, absolutely. Wanda is an absolutely integral part of The Sandman universe and ‘A Game of You,'” he explains. “And if we’re lucky enough to make Season 2, Wanda will be a huge, huge part… It’s going to be so much fun casting fabulous trans actors.”"

More recently, Jamie Childs, a director for the first season, shared some insight about season 2 with Screen Rant. Childs confirmed the second season will also delve into The Season of Mists and Dream Country. Childs also confirmed they’ll be back for season 2:

"“I am coming back for season 2. We were shooting it already, but we’ve we’ve gone down obviously, because of the strikes. So honestly, the whole show so far has been incredibly exciting. And like what you just said about Russell? It’s like we’ve done it before. We know what worked and didn’t. We know now coming at it, it was scary coming out at the first time because it’s like, we’re the first time putting that on screen and everyone who’s tried historically has not managed it yet. So we’re like, what’s different about us? Nothing. We could just mess this up or whatever. But we did Season 1 stuff really works. Some stuff we felt worked less.”"

Unfortunately, we’ll just have to wait and see where the story goes. Hopefully, as production gets underway, Gaiman and the creative team will share some more details.

We’ll share more about The Sandman season 2 when we find out!

FanSided Entertainment Staff contributed to this report.