Netflix Finally Confirms Release Dates For Popular Fantasy Series Amid Controversy
The beloved graphic novel The Sandman became a hit series for Netflix back in 2022. But, three years later, love for The Sandman is quite a bit more complicated. Recently, author Neil Gaiman, creator of The Sandman, has faced various accusations of sexual assault and impropriety. And so, the long-awaited second season of The Sandman will certainly be its last.
As revealed by Netflix and confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, Season 2 of The Sandman will be released in two parts in July. The first batch of episodes, called Volume 1, will have six episodes, which will all hit Netflix on July 3. Following that, the second batch of five episodes, Volume 2, will stream on Netflix on July 24. Netflix also released the long-awaited trailer for the new season.
THR notes that this release strategy is similar to what Netflix does with its bigger shows. Instead of just releasing all the episodes at once and being done with the series, Netflix is giving The Sandman Season 2 the Stranger Things treatment, in which sets of episodes are doled out over a (slightly) longer period of time.
Because of Gaiman's rapid fall from grace both among mainstream viewers and the niche fandoms of science fiction and fantasy, it remains to be seen if The Sandman can forge an identity for itself outside of its creator. For longtime fans, these episodes could feel like a dream come true, even if the real-world aspects of The Sandman have turned into a nightmare.