Dreamers awaken! The Sandman saga is back in production, preparing to bring new phantasmagorical episodes — conjured from Neil Gaiman’s iconic graphic novel, which debuted 35 years ago today — to the screen.
In Gaiman's letter to fans, he wrote:
This week we officially restart production on the next sequence of stories of The Sandman for Netflix. Genius showrunner Allan Heinberg and the countless people in front of and behind the camera are building something endlessly special, and bringing these stories to life in a way that would once have been unimaginable.
When we last wandered into the dream world, the magnificently coiffed realm-lord Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) and his cadre of companions faced down an impending onslaught of Lucifer’s (Gwendoline Christie) hell-spawned legions. Developed and executive produced by Gaiman (who created this take of the character in his original DC Comics run), Heinberg, and David S. Goyer, the original 11 episodes of the series debuted on Netflix in 2022.
Alongside Sturridge and Christie, The Sandman Season 1 stars Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, David Thewlis, Stephen Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park, Donna Preston, Vanesu Samunyai (formerly known as Kyo Ra), John Cameron Mitchell, Asim Chaudhry, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Joely Richardson, Niamh Walsh, Sandra James-Young, and Razane Jammal.
Below is Gaiman’s reflection on the stormy day in 1987 when The Sandman first crept from his imagination to the page:
We never know where our dreams will take us. Thirty-five years ago today, the first issue of The Sandman was released and set many people and characters on paths that seemed, even at the time, so unlikely as to be impossible. Back then most comics featured superheroes. Sandman wasn’t that. It wasn’t like anything else, but magically (the magic consisting of hard work, youthful overconfidence, and some key people who believed in the vision) we were given the opportunity to tell the story I had in my head and bring Morpheus and the rest of the Endless to life.
A little over 36 years ago, in October 1987, the worst storm in at least 500 years left my house without power and my family trapped in our little village by fallen trees, and I spent my time writing an outline for the first eight issues of Sandman.
Thirteen months later, in November 1988, the first issue of Sandman hit the comics shops.
Like those who walk a path in Destiny’s garden, I look back and see one clear path stretching behind me. At times on this journey the way forward seemed impossible, and I don’t think I could have conceived of the impact that these characters would have on individuals or on the world. When I look at the path ahead, though, I don’t see darkness. I see how the world of The Sandman continues to grow and evolve and take new forms.
This week we officially restart production on the next sequence of stories of The Sandman for Netflix. Genius showrunner Allan Heinberg and the countless people in front of and behind the camera are building something endlessly special, and bringing these stories to life in a way that would once have been unimaginable.
