The Sandman is the rare Netflix adaptation that truly honors its source material — unfortunately, it’s that very connection that’s put the series in jeopardy. Since The Sandman’s first season premiered to general acclaim, the creator of The Sandman comics, Neil Gaiman, has come under fire for allegations of sexual assault. It’s made it difficult to enjoy any adaptation of his work, from Prime Video’s Good Omens to Dead Boy Detectives, another Netflix original. The studios behind these shows seem to feel the same way: Amazon reportedly paused development on a third season of Good Omens in 2024, when accusations against Gaiman first surfaced. And in February 2025, after Vulture published a damning exposé detailing Gaiman’s in detail, Netflix announced that the second season of Sandman would be its last.
Though the timing was pretty telling, showrunner Allan Heinberg claimed that Sandman’s story had come to its natural end. “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,” he shared in a statement.
Heinberg isn’t wrong — but Gaiman’s comic series, which ran for 75 issues from 1989 to 1996, does leave the door open to explore beyond Dream’s adventures. The Sandman introduced a handful of characters who have since become fan favorites, like Dream’s sister, Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste). She only appeared in one episode of The Sandman Season 1, but fans have been hoping for more of her in Season 2. That The Sandman is coming to an end does curtail that hope somewhat, but Season 2 will offer a consolation prize before saying goodbye.
Ahead of The Sandman’s return, Netflix has revealed the episode titles for its two-part season. Six episodes are set to drop on July 3, with the final five airing a few weeks later on July 24. In addition to the 11 previously announced episodes, however, The Sandman Season 2 will include an additional episode, titled “The Sandman Presents: Death: The High Cost of Living.” It will be available to stream on July 31, bringing the show to an official end — but not before giving Howell-Baptiste’s fan favorite the spotlight fans have been craving.
According to the season’s official synopsis, Dream is in for a reckoning: “After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) must face one impossible decision after another as he attempts to save himself, his kingdom, and the waking world from the epic fallout of his past misdeeds.” Season 2 is set to adapt many of The Sandman’s most beloved arcs, like the “Season of Mists,” “Brief Lives,” and “The Kindly Ones.” Its bonus episode, meanwhile, will adapt a three-part comic series that follows Death on a separate adventure. It’ll be nice to see the character lead her own story before the show comes to a close. Though the circumstances surrounding Sandman make its ending bittersweet, at least it’s going out on its own terms.
