'The Sandman' is based on one of the best-loved comics of all time. So why did Netflix cancel it after 2 seasons?
The fantasy horror revolves around Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), a cosmic entity also known as the Sandman, who controls a mystical realm, the Dreaming. This is where every living person's dreams and nightmares take place. The story follows him as he tries to restore the Dreaming to its former glory after being imprisoned by occultists for over a century.
The first volume of "The Sandman" season two consists of six episodes and will be released on July 3. The second volume, which consists of five episodes, will be released on July 24, followed by a bonus episode on July 31. Season one came out in August 2022.
The DC comic that the show is based on originally ran for seven years from 1989 to 1996, and has since been expanded with numerous spin-off series and continuations.
So why is the Netflix adaptation ending?
'The Sandman' is expensive to make, and its creator, Neil Gaiman, was accused of sexual abuse
In January 2025, Netflix announced that "The Sandman" would end after its second season, nearly three years after the first arrived on the streamer. In a statement to Variety, the showrunner Allan Heinberg said ending the show was a creative decision.
"'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 said.
Variety also reported that Warner Bros. Television was considering ending "The Sandman" with season two while it was filming in 2023, citing sources close to the show.
There have also been reports that "The Sandman" is an extremely costly show to make. In August 2022, Deadline reported that each episode had a budget of $15 million.
Representatives for Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
This suggests "The Sandman" was set to end before allegations against Neil Gaiman, the creator and writer of the comics, were made in a Tortoise Media podcast series that started in July 2024. Five women accused Gaiman of sexual assault between 1986 and 2022.
In a statement to Tortoise Media, Gaiman said he "denies any unlawful behavior" and was "disturbed" by the allegations. Representatives for Gaiman did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI.
While the allegations may not have been the sole reason Netflix ended the serious, they were likely a consideration.
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