Posted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: neil gaiman, The Sandman

The Sandman Showrunner on Decision to End Series, Neil Gaiman Factor

Showrunner Allan Heinberg on when the decision was made to end The Sandman and if the allegations against Neil Gaiman impacted production.

Back in April, the word came down that the second and final season of Allan Heinberg and David S. Goyer's Tom Sturridge (Dream) and Kirby (Death)-starring live-action adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman would be releasing a six-episode Volume 1 on July 3rd and a five-episode Volume 2 arriving on July 24th. Ahead of Netflix's live TUDUM event set for this weekend, Heinberg is offering a timeline and some clarity on when the decision was made to end the adaptation with two seasons. In addition, Heinberg addressed the extent to which the allegations against Gaiman impacted production on the series. Over the course of the past year, Tortoise Media, NY Magazine, and Vulture have reported allegations of abuse by a number of women against Gaiman. Gaiman has denied anything non-consensual.

"It was a decision we made three years ago," Heinberg shared about when the call was made to wrap the series with two seasons. Based on his conversation and reporting from EW, Warner Bros. Television had a writers' room in place to chart out where the adaptation could be heading before the first season premiered. Heinberg shared that "lots of different versions of what season 2 could be," were put into play before the decision was made to focus on Sturridge's Dream. "There are some volumes where he just appears in two scenes," Heiberg explained, noting how focusing on Dream's direct story reduced the amount of source material dramatically. "There's so many protagonists in Sandman, but you think of the whole thing as his story."

"It turned out to be about another season's worth of story, without leaving out anybody's favorite moments or scenes. We managed to add a great deal of material, as we did in season 1, and a lot of really fun surprises for fans of the comics who know the entire story. We pulled from a lot of different sources. We took a lot of the single-issue stories and wove them into the fabric of Dream's narrative," Heinberg continued.

Regarding the allegations and headlines surrounding Gaiman and their impact on the season, Heinberg noted that production was nearly finished and post-production was about to get underway. "I can't say that it affected our process, which is scheduled years in advance. These are your delivery dates, and you just keep going. So it's been in the periphery of my experience and the background of my experience, but it hasn't been part of the world of the making of the show, if that makes sense," Heinberg explained. "Every production is its own little island. Even though we were in London, my experience was very limited to the making of the show, even in my personal life, which I did not have for the last six years."

After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless 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. To make amends, Dream must confront longtime friends and foes, gods, monsters, and mortals. But the path to forgiveness is full of unexpected twists and turns, and true absolution may cost Dream everything.

Also returning for the second season of The Sandman are Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Jenna Coleman, Ferdinand Kingsley, Stephen Fry, Asim Chaudhry, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Vanesu Samunyai, and Razane Jammal. Joining them this season are Freddie Fox as Loki, Clive Russell as Odin, Laurence O'Fuarain as Thor, Ann Skelly as Nuala, Douglas Booth as Cluracan, Jack Gleeson as Puck, Indya Moore as Wanda, Steve Coogan as the voice of Barnabas, Adrian Lester as Destiny, Esmé Creed-Miles as Delirium, and Barry Sloane as The Prodigal – joining The Endless cast that includes the returning Kirby as Death, Mason Alexander Park as Desire, and Donna Preston as Despair.

"'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," Heinberg shared when news of the series ending was first announced. "We are extremely grateful to Netflix for bringing the team all back together and giving us the time and resources to make a faithful adaptation in a way that we hope will surprise and delight the comics' loyal readers as well as fans of our show." In terms of what the "family reunion" will bring? "Each of these characters is as powerful as Dream — nearly as clever — and far more ruthless," shared Heinberg. "Together, they will ensnare Dream in a web of palace intrigue, glamour, demon battles, and spider sex. None of which Dream is prepared for; all of which transform him into a far more dangerous Dream of the Endless."

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