The Sandman executive producer Neil Gaiman recently promised fans that the series isn't in any danger despite Netflix's latest round of cancelations.
Gaiman addressed concerns that Netflix could reverse its decision to renew The Sandman for a second season on Tumblr. While Gaiman acknowledged that nothing is ever certain, he insisted that "[i]f there's a Netflix and nothing unforeseen and tragic happens to close the world or the show down, then there will be more Sandman." This will no doubt come as a relief to fans worried that The Sandman could befall a similar fate to animated series Inside Job, which Netflix axed in January 2023 despite previously giving Season 2 the green light.
This isn't the first time Gaiman has quelled fears regarding The Sandman Season 2, either. The executive producer, who co-created the original Sandman comic book series with Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg, previously dismissed speculation that alleged tensions between Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix could jeopardize the next batch of Sandman episodes. "Sandman Season 2 has been commissioned by Netflix and is real," Gaiman tweeted. "Whatever behind-the-scenes wrangling and negotiating needed to happen to make this a reality has already occurred."
Why Sandman S2 Took So Long to Green Light
Fans' ongoing anxiety about The Sandman's status is understandable, considering how long Netflix took to greenlight the comic book adaptation's second season. The Sandman Season 2 wasn't announced until November 2022, months after Season 1 debuted. Netflix executive Peter Friedlander later explained the reason for the delay, saying it allowed those involved to develop a "thoughtful and intentional" approach for The Sandman's sophomore outing. "We wanted to spend the time to get creatively aligned around what would be the next, best experience with The Sandman," he said.
Friedlander also revealed that Netflix is currently weighing up whether to drop its traditional binge model for The Sandman Season 2's release. The streaming giant's head of UCAN scripted TV said that all options were being considered for the show's second season, including the possibility of releasing episodes in batches. Netflix adopted this approach for Stranger Things Season 4, which dropped its first seven episodes in May 2022 and its final two episodes in July 2022. This staggered release presumably yielded worthwhile viewership figures, given Netflix is considering a similar model for The Sandman Season 2.
The Sandman Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix. Season 2 does not yet have a release date.
Source: Tumblr