Latest news with #NeilGaiman
Geek Tyrant
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
THE SANDMAN's Two-Season Run Was 'Always the Plan,' Says Showrunner, But Fans Still Have Questions — GeekTyrant
Netflix's The Sandman is preparing to bow out this summer with its second and final season, and according to showrunner Allan Heinberg, that was the plan all along. Even if the timing of the announcement made some fans raise an eyebrow. When Netflix first renewed the hit adaptation in 2022, the streamer hyped a growing 'Sandman world' and teased more stories drawn from Neil Gaiman's iconic graphic novels. What the announcement didn't do was offer any specifics, like how many seasons viewers could expect. That lack of clarity has left some fans feeling blindsided by the revelation that the upcoming second season is the end of the road. Then came January 2025. Just as headlines began swirling around Gaiman, who denied allegations of sexual abuse, Netflix confirmed that The Sandman would conclude with Season 2. Some assumed the controversy may have prompted a creative pivot or early cancellation. But Heinberg insists that's not the case, he told Variety: '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.' Now, with the show's return just weeks away, Heinberg is doubling down. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said: 'It was a decision we made three years ago.' He acknowledged the awkward optics of Netflix's timing, announcing the end of the series just as Gaiman-related controversy was growing, but emphasized that the creative plan hadn't changed. 'I can't say that it affected our process, which is scheduled years in advance. 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. Every production is its own little island.' Still, the rollout has felt to some fans like the kind of tidy PR positioning studios fall back on when external complications arise. The situation echoes the path taken by Good Omens , another Gaiman-driven project. That show opted for a single 90-minute special instead of a full third season, and Gaiman stepped back from production altogether. Whether or not viewers buy the "two-season plan" pitch, The Sandman's endgame is now locked in. Season 2 will release in two parts, with the first on July 3, and the finale on July 24. As Morpheus prepares for his final on-screen chapter, audiences will be watching to see how the story ends, and how the show will close out under a cloud of controversy and curiosity.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘The Sandman' Showrunner Still Maintains 2 Seasons Was the Plan All Along
The Netflix series based on the comic co-created by the recently controversial Neil Gaiman returns for its two-part final season in July. Hollywood is no stranger to doing damage control when a creative person does or is accused of something so distressing it affects the projects they're associated with. Think Ezra Miller, Jonathan Majors, or Neil Gaiman—the latter being a particularly notable case because when he was first hit with sexual abuse allegations, which he has denied, he was involved with multiple TV series. That includes two much-loved titles: Good Omens on Prime Video and The Sandman on Netflix. Good Omens' solution was to have Gaiman, co-author of the original novel and showrunner/creator of the series, first step back from being involved with production on what had already been confirmed as the show's third and final season. Then, it was announced that in lieu of a full third season, the Amazon show would close out its story with a single 90-minute special. The situation is a little different with The Sandman. After a very well-received first season, the show was renewed in 2022 and a Netflix press release shared at the time promised 'the Sandman world will continue to expand' with 'with more episodes and stories to be adapted from multiple Sandman graphic novels.' The announcement didn't specify how many seasons that might include. However, in late January 2025, Netflix confirmed season two would be The Sandman's final outing. In a Variety story released at that time, showrunner Allan Heinberg shared a statement that read in part: '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.' In April, fans learned that The Sandman's two-part final season would arrive in July, wrapping up the show for good. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Heinberg re-emphasized his earlier claim that two seasons of Sandman was something the team had been planning around for some time: 'It was a decision we made three years ago.' He framed Netflix's announcement, made at the height of Gaiman-adjacent negative press, that The Sandman would return for a second and final season as 'unfortunate timing, for sure.' He told the magazine the Gaiman stories started to hit just as The Sandman was close to finishing production and moving into postproduction. 'I can't say that it affected our process, which is scheduled years in advance,' Heinberg said. '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. Every production is its own little island.' The Sandman season two drops its first block of episodes July 3, with the final block arriving July 24.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Celebrity Big Brother star hit with massive blow as her huge Netflix TV show is axed just weeks after she left the house
Donna Preston has been hit with a huge blow after her TV show The Sandman was axed just weeks after she left Celebrity Big Brother. The actress, 38, had enjoyed a role playing Despair, one of the seven Endless, in the Netflix fantasy series. But the popular drama has been cancelled after two seasons amid allegations of sexual assault made against its creator Neil Gaiman. The writer, 64, denies all claims and has asked a federal court in Wisconsin to dismiss Scarlett Pavlovich's $7million (£5.6million) lawsuit against him, alleging that his accuser has 'fabricated a tale of abuse'. The second series of The Sandman began filming last year and is expected to be released on the streamer next year, after receiving praise from both fans and critics alike. The highly-anticipated adaptation stars Tom Sturridge as Morpheus aka Dream, the king of dreams who was captured and held captive for 106 years before escaping to reset order to his realm. The actress came fourth in the latest series of CBB and was cheered out of the house to cries of her name in the live final The original comic, penned by Gaiman from 1989 to 1996, was among the first graphic novels to appear on the New York Times bestseller list and is often regarded as one of the greatest graphic novels of all time. Attempts to bring his beloved story to film were held up for years until Netflix signed a deal to produce the show in 2019. It finally premiered in 2022 and featured some well known names including Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Jenna Coleman and Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer. Mark Hamill was also in the first series, voicing Mervyn Pumpkinhead, a chain-smoking janitor with a jack o'lantern for a head. In March, Gaiman branded Scarlett, 26, a 'fantasist' and claims he has WhatsApp messages proving their relationship was 'consensual'. The lawsuits - filed in Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New York - claim the couple violated laws on federal human trafficking, with complaints of assault, battery and inflicting emotional distress against Gaiman and negligence against Palmer. The author, who called Pavlovich's allegations 'outrageous', has now urged the court to dismiss her lawsuit on the grounds that it was filed in the wrong jurisdiction. The 'alleged conduct claimed and described in the complaint, all supposedly occurred in New Zealand', where he was living with his wife prior to Palmer and Gaiman announcing their divorce in 2022. Gaiman's motion to dismiss - which was reviewed by - states that US courts have 'no legal authority' over the suit and argued 'requisite discovery' in the case would be 'severely burdened' if proceedings took place outside New Zealand. Nine women have made allegations against Gaiman, but he denies any wrongdoing and says that all sexual encounters were consensual. Donna came fourth in the latest series of CBB and was cheered out of the house to cries of her name in the live final. She was told she received the fewest amount of nominations out of all of the housemates - just two throughout the series. When asked about her odd nomination reasons, the star admitted: 'I think I was a bit naughty wasn't I. I honestly didn't have anything bad to say about anyone.' And opening up on her close friendship with Danny Beard, she sweetly quipped: 'As soon as I saw Danny I knew he was my comfort blanket and I knew I was going to be amazing friends with him.'
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix cancels four shows - and one is axed just before its final season
Netflix has confirmed that four of its shows will be coming to an end, including The Recruit, Territory, The Sandman and The Empress, which all failed to land final seasons Ahead of the 2025–2026 TV production season, Netflix has left audiences gutted by confirming the axing of four of their series, including beloved and critically acclaimed dramas. Two shows won't even get the chance to bid farewell to their fans, after being cut with immediate effect. One of these, The Sandman, is rumoured to have been axed after allegations of sexual assault were raised against its creator Neil Gaiman. The most surprising axe has fallen on The Recruit, a high-octane spy thriller introduced in 2022 which quickly won over fans. Featuring Noah Centineo as a greenhorn CIA lawyer plunged into a complex world of global espionage, the show was lauded for its shrewd take on the American intelligence community. Despite bagging an impressive 80 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it's been discontinued after just two seasons. Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, lead actor Centineo reflected on the cut saying: "It is what it is. Netflix, they have a certain mandate that they need to fill, and I'm very proud of the show, very grateful to our audience. We have a pretty strong cult following. And with Netflix, it just didn't really fit what it was that they needed, I suppose. And so onto the next, I guess." Netflix's latest string of terminations also includes Territory, an Aussie neo-Western drama exploring the power struggles within a wealthy family ruling the remote Outback, reports the Mirror. The six-part saga of the Lawsons and their battle to maintain control over their billion-dollar cattle empire while facing opposition from rival ranchers, corporate miners, and Indigenous land claims has met a disappointing end; Netflix has cancelled the show after just one season, leaving a trail of unresolved mysteries for its viewers. The realm of dreams will also be closing its doors with The Sandman's impending second season, which has now been confirmed as the final journey through Neil Gaiman's celebrated 1989–1996 comic book universe. As we follow Morpheus on his quest to rebalance the fantastical domain he presides over, it's clear the series, showcasing stellar performances from Tom Sturridge, captured the hearts of many, yet Netflix has chosen to wrap up this spellbinding narrative after its forthcoming chapter. Amidst the backdrop of these show cancellations, Neil Gaiman has come under fire following sexual assault allegations. A disappointed fan expressed their outrage on social media by saying: "F--k you, Neil Gaiman. "You make one of the most enjoyable pieces of fiction I've ever experienced, let me fall in love with the universe, characters, events, everything about it, and then go and do some heinous shit." They continued: "All the while leaving breadcrumbs within your own stories that we all probably could have seen coming. I've felt every emotion reading, watching, and listening to Sandman. I loved it." Completing the list is The Empress, a German historical drama centred on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. The series took the world by storm when it first aired in 2022, quickly becoming Netflix's second-most watched series globally for a fortnight and ending the year as the seventh most popular non-English language series. Despite its success, Netflix has confirmed that the upcoming third season will be the last, with no plans to extend the story beyond that.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Huge blow for CBB star as TV show is AXED just weeks after leaving the house
CELEBRITY Big Brother star Donna Preston is facing a huge blow after her TV show, The Sandman, was axed. Donna, 38, who left the house just under two weeks ago, had enjoyed a role in the Netflix fantasy drama as Despair, one of the seven Endless. 4 But, since the streaming hit has been canned beyond its second season, she'll have a gaping gap in her calendar. The decision coincides with allegations of sexual misconduct against creator Neil Gaiman. While he vehemently denies them, they have led to the suspension or cancellation of several of his other projects. The Sandman follows the story of Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) who is the personification of dreams and nightmares. He is part of the Endless family of cosmic beings and was initially captured in 1916 in occult ritual. But after being held captive for 106 years, he escapes back into the world and he wants to restore order back in his realm. Donna's portrayal of Despair was well-received, and she was set to reprise her role in the third season alongside returning cast members Tom (Dream), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death), and Mason Alexander Park (Desire). The blow comes just weeks after she reached the Celebrity Big Brother final, finishing in fourth place behind JoJo Siwa, Danny Beard and eventual winner Jack P. Shepherd. Neil, 64, has responded to the shock claims from eight women by saying he has "never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever." The popular English writer is also known for American Gods and the children's book Coraline, as well as co-writing Good Omens alongside Terry Pratchett in 1990. Why JoJo Siwa DOESN'T have the CBB crown in the bag – and could Donna Preston be the series breakout star? The show went on to become a hit BBC and Amazon TV series with Neil acting as the writer and executive producer. But after a bombshell report released in New York Magazine detailed a number of shock claims against the Brit which span back to 1986 production on the third season of the show was axed. One allegation included a woman who accused Neil of raping her in a bathtub outside. In a blog post in January, the popular author said he has read the allegations and felt "horror and dismay". He wrote: "I've stayed quiet until now, both out of respect for the people who were sharing their stories and out of a desire not to draw even more attention to a lot of misinformation. "I've always tried to be a private person, and felt increasingly that social media was the wrong place to talk about important personal matters. "I've now reached the point where I feel that I should say something. "As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognise and moments I don't, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. "I'm far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever." Neil said he had read back text messages from the time of one of the assaults and felt they were "of two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships". He added that he "could have and should have done so much better" and realised he hadn't been as "thoughtful" as he would have liked looking back. He continued: "I was obviously careless with people's hearts and feelings, and that's something that I really, deeply regret. "It was selfish of me. I was caught up in my own story and I ignored other people's. "Like most of us, I'm learning, and I'm trying to do the work needed, and I know that that's not an overnight process." The author said he understood that "not everyone will believe me". Neil vehemently denies several of the allegations claiming they "simply never happened". Others had been "distorted" from reality, he added. Neil did not go into detail into which accusations he was referring to. The New York Magazine report released on Monday detailed the allegations which ranged from rape to hitting one accuser with a belt. All eight of the accusers said they had been willing to engage with many of Neil's requests - one of which often included calling him "master", according to the report. But the women allege that during some acts they had removed their consent before or during. Some also said they had not discussed or agreed on the acts and scenarios Neil wanted before they happened, claims the report. Several of these allegations were first revealed on the Tortoise podcast which is hosted by journalist and broadcaster Rachel Johnson. Neil's representatives had previously told Tortoise Media that "sexual degradation, bondage, domination, sadism and masochism may not be to everyone's taste, but between consenting adults, BDSM is lawful". A police report accusing Neil of sexual assault was made in January 2023, but the investigation was eventually dropped. The Sun contacted Neil's representatives for comment at the time. 4 4 4
