“Everyone loves a good story. But all stories come to an end.” That's a line from Netflix's new trailer for its hotly anticipated second and final season of "The Sandman," the hit adaptation of Neil Gaiman's award-winning dark fantasy series.
Netflix unveiled the trailer today (June 17), which shows Tom Sturridge back as Dream of the Endless, gloomily trying to navigate his family of eternal elements. Oh, and the end of the world as we know it, since Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie) isn't too happy after Dream got the better of them in season 1.
A number of fan-favorite characters also reprise their roles, including Mason Alexander Park as Desire, Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne and Patton Oswalt as the voice of Matthew the Raven.
The trailer ratchets up the stakes and shows Dream journeying to the depths of hell to free his imprisoned lover. We also see elements of the supernatural begin to bleed into the real world as Lucifer ignites a cosmic war that could lead to the Dreamworld's collapse.
You can catch the first six episodes of "The Sandman" season 2 on Netflix on July 6, with five more episodes debuting on July 24. A bonus episode that follows Death is set to be released on July 31.
Critics and audiences alike adored the first season of "The Sandman," which we said felt like a breath of fresh air at a time when both the MCU and DC movies struggle to gain the foothold they once had in popular culture.
Unfortunately, even that level of success isn't enough to keep a show off the chopping block in today's streaming landscape. In January, Netflix announced that the upcoming season 2 will be "The Sandman's" last.
The announcement came in the wake of sexual assault and misconduct allegations against Neil Gaiman, the creator of the original "The Sandman" comics and a developer and executive producer of the Netflix series. Gaiman has denied the allegations.
Here's the official synopsis for "The Sandman" season 2:
"After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) 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. Based on the beloved award-winning DC comic series, the second season of THE SANDMAN will tell Dream’s story arc in full to its thrilling conclusion."
Netflix included several interesting tidbits in the trailer for "The Sandman" season 2 that hint at what's to come. After watching the trailer a couple of times, I picked up on three key details that really stood out.
1. Dream dons his helm to visit Lucifer's domain
In the trailer, Dream can be seen returning to Lucifer's domain wearing the helm he recovered in season 1, which he secured in an embarrassing defeat for Lucifer. We're likely to see the consequences of earning the king of hell's ire play out in season 2, and the trailer hints that the entire world could get caught in the crossfire.
2. Dream could meet a character from "1,001 Nights"
A desert city with several domed buildings that look like mosques is shown twice in the trailer, which could mean that "The Sandman" season 2 will see Dream journey to Baghdad in an adaptation of the Ramadan comic.
In the comic, Dream meets Harun al Raschid, the Caliph of Baghdad, who appears in the famous collection of Middle Eastern folktales "1,001 Nights." Harun reveals he has a glass orb in which Solomon imprisoned countless demons, which he threatens to release if Dream does not meet with him.
The two strike an unusual deal: Harun offers Dream the city, so long as it lives on in people's dreams, preserved in all its current glory. In the end, the story seeks to bridge the mythical narrative with the reality of Baghdad, effectively linking the city’s past to its present.
3. Lucifer leaves Dream a bureaucratic mess to clean up
It's been confirmed that season 2 will adapt storylines from several beloved Sandman comics, including "Brief Lives," "The Kindly Ones" and "The Sandman: Overture" prequel miniseries.
One of the most powerful chapters in all of "The Sandman" series, the "Season of Mists," dominates most of the trailer. In it, Lucifer lures Dream back to hell with the soul of his former lover, Nada, only to hand him the keys to the kingdom. He forces Dream to handle the bureaucratic mess while he lives life on Earth with his right-hand lady, Mazikeen. All manner of demons, immortals, and other supernatural beings descend on Dream, scrambling to make their case why they should control the realm.
The two-part season will also cover several single-issue stories such as "Tales in the Sand," "The Song of Orpheus," "Thermidor," "The Tempest" and "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," the only graphic novel to win a World Fantasy Award (the organization famously changed its rules to disqualify graphic novels after its win).
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