The Sandman release date and time — how to watch on Netflix

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The long-awaited adaptation of Neil Gaiman's comic books is finally here

Tom Sturridge as Dream, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death in The Sandman
(Image credit: Netflix)

Update: Will The Sandman be canceled or renewed by Netflix? Here’s what Neil Gaiman says.

Welcome to the World of Dreams. Netflix's The Sandman series release date is upon is, delivering the long-awaited adaptation of Neil Gaiman's beloved DC comic books.

The Sandman is described as "a rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven." It follows Dream aka Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), lord of the Dreaming realm. He’s one of seven Endless, who include his sister Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste). 

After Dream is captured by occultists in 1916, he’s imprisoned for over a century. When he emerges, he finds that his kingdom is in complete disorder and living nightmare The Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook) has escaped. Setting things to rights won’t be easy, as Morpheus also finds himself facing off against Lucifer Morningstar (Gwendoline Christie) and contending with occult detective Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman)

Gaiman is an executive producer on The Sandman and has given his full approval to the series. "This is Sandman being made for people who love Sandman by people who love Sandman," Gaiman said in a teaser video.

Here's what you need to watch The Sandman on Netflix.

When does The Sandman come out on Netflix?

The Sandman premieres Friday,  August 5 at 3 a.m. ET on Netflix.

Season 1 consists of 10 episodes, all of which will drop at the same time. 

The Sandman trailer

The full-length Sandman trailer introduces Dream after returning from captivity. He realizes he has a pretty big mess on his hands with the escape of Corinthian, a literal walking nightmare. He doesn't belong in the waking world and it's up to Dream to take back control — or imperil all of humanity.

The Sandman cast

The Sandman cast is led by Tom Sturridge as Dream, aka Morpheus, the king of dreams and the Lord of the Dreaming. He is one of seven Endless, who embody eternal concepts. His siblings include Desire and Death. 

Sturridge is joined by:

The Sandman first impressions

So far The Sandman is doing well among critics and audiences, with Rotten Tomatoes scores at 88% and 90% respectively for season 1. We also watched The Sandman episode 1 for you, and spoiler alert — it's awesome.

  • Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer, the ruler of Hell.
  • Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death, Dream's sister.
  • Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne, the librarian of the Dreaming.
  • Boyd Holbrook as The Corinthian, a nightmare who escaped the Dreaming.
  • Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine, an occult detective and ancestor of John Constantine.
  • Charles Dance as Roderick Burgess, a charlatan occultist.
  • Mason Alexander Park as Desire, Dream's androgynous sibling.
  • Donna Preston as Despair, Dream's sister who is Desire's twin.
  • Asim Chaudhry as Abel, a resident of the Dreaming, based on the Biblical figure.
  • Sanjeev Bhaskar as Cain, a resident of the Dreaming and Abel's brother.
  • Joely Richardson as Ethel Cripps, Burgess's lover and the mother of John Dee.
  • David Thewlis as John Dee, Cripps's insane son.
  • Kyo Ra as Rose Walker, a young woman targeted by the Corinthian.
  • Stephen Fry as Gilbert, Rose's bodyguard.
  • Razane Jammal as Lyta Hall, Rose's widowed friend.
  • Sandra James-Young as Unity Kinkaid, Rose's benefactor who recently awakened from a century-long sleep.
  • Patton Oswalt as the voice of Matthew the Raven, Morpheus' emissary.
  • Mark Hamill as the voice of Mervyn Pumpkinhead, janitor of the Dreaming.
Kelly Woo
Kelly Woo
Managing editor, streaming

Kelly is the managing editor of streaming for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.