Pictures courtesy of Netflix
Netflix’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s seminal comic, The Sandman, was hugely successful when it premiered in summer 2022. Chronicling the trials and tribulations of Dream (Tom Sturridge) across his vast existence, ruling over the domain we all enter when we sleep, the show will officially return for more episodes based on multiple comic volumes.
With a reported eight episodes, season 2 started filming in June 2023. But, of course, the production has been put on pause due to the ongoing WGA writer’s strike and the SAG-AFTRA strike throughout Hollywood.
Before filming was stopped, we got our first glimpse of new and returning cast members, giving us insight into the stories the new season is covering.
New Cast Members in The Sandman Season 2
Indya Moore as Wanda
Before filming was halted due to the strikes, fans could see some sneaky footage. One behind-the-scenes photo shows Pose star Indya Moore on set alongside Tom Sturridge and Kirby Howell-Baptiste.
A transgender woman, Wanda is one of Barbie’s best friends. Her biggest role in the comic comes in the A Game of You storyline. Right now, it seems unlikely that this arc will be covered in season 2, but Wanda’s role is expected to be remixed and expanded in the new episodes.
Ruairi O’Connor as Orpheus
Netflix has announced that Ruairi O’Connor will play Orpheus in season 2. Based on the character from Greek mythology, Orpheus is the son of Dream and Calliope. His story also tells a version of Orpheus in the Underworld, set within the Sandman continuity. He’s a romantic, driven young man — who very quickly becomes aware of the true nature of love.
We were already aware of Ruairi O’Connor’s involvement in the series, after set pictures taken on Durdle Door beach in 2023. Take a look:
One year ago today, we got our first glimpse of #TheSandman season 2 ⏳ pic.twitter.com/KzRL4vsM9u
— Sandman News (@SandmanNews) June 28, 2024
Steve Coogan as Barnabas
One of the instant stand-out castings from the next batch of episodes is British comedy icon Steve Coogan. Of course, everyone will know him as Alan Partridge — he’s one of the finest comedy actors out there.
Similar to the castings of those like Lenny Henry, David Tennant and Michael Sheen, Coogan’s name alone will draw in new viewers.
His character, Barnabas, is the canine companion of Destruction, who forges a close relationship with Delirium.
Ann Skelly as Nuala
Nuala is a fairy from the Faerie who is presented as a gift to Morpheus. She is gracefully accepted into the Dreaming, and performs housekeeping duties in the realm, becoming a key inhabitant.
Netflix has now confirmed that Ann Skelly will portray Nuala. Skelly is best known for her roles in The Nevers and Death and Nightingales (2018).
Douglas Booth as Cluracan
Douglas Booth is best known for playing Boy George in Worry About the Boy. He also played Romeo in 2013’s Romero and Juliet adaptation.
He’s the perfect person to play Cluracan of the Faerie in The Sandman. Cluracan is the brother of Nuala and courtier to the Queen of Faerie. He shows up periodically throughout the comics, but he’s best known for his role on the Season of Mists story arc, which will be covered in season 2.
Freddie Fox as Loki
For any House of the Dragon fans out there, you’ll be well acquainted with Freddie Fox from his role as Gwayne Hightower.
Now he’s been cast as Loki in Sandman season 2. Audiences know about the Norse God of mischief all too well thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but his Sandman counterpart is a much more mythologically accurate version. From looks alone, Fox seems to have what it takes to be everyone’s new favourite take on the trickster!
Laurence O’Fuarain as Thor
Thor in the Sandman Universe is, once again, a significantly more accurate depiction of the Norse God compared to versions in other media. A towering menace, Thor is not a man to be messed with. He’s immensely powerful. In the Season of Mists story arc, he accompanies Loki and Odin in their bid to attain the Key to Hell.
Laurence O’Fuarain isn’t quite as enormous as Thor from the comics — such a stature is almost impossible for anyone to imitate. That said, he’s previously worked on Viking Destiny (2018), so there’s a history with Norse work. Plus, he also worked on The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Clive Russell as Odin
Odin is the most powerful of all the Norse Gods. Given his omnipotence, it makes total sense that when Lucifer abandons Hell and leaves the Key to He with Morpheus, Odin is one of the first to declare his interest.
Clive Russell has previously worked on a Neil Gaiman project having played Mr. Vandemar in Neverwhere. You may also recognize him from his role as Brynden Tully in Game of Thrones.
Jack Gleeson as Puck
Speaking of Game of Thrones, perhaps the most surprising casting in the new season is Jack Gleeson, aka Joffrey Baratheon. Following his performance in Game of Thrones, Gleeson said he was keen to step back from acting.
That’s until now — Netflix has confirmed that Jack Gleeson will play Puck in season 2. Puck is a character from English myth. He’s a trickster capable of shapeshifting. He appears in The Sandman during A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which Morpheus invites the people from Faerie to be the audience for the first showing of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Gleeson is perfect for the role. We all know too well just how nasty he can be following his iconic portrayal of Joffrey.
Esme Creed-Miles (Delirium)
Esme Creed-Miles is the daughter of Samantha Morton, who voiced Urania Blackwell in Audible’s The Sandman comic book. The 23-year-old actress has credits in HANNA and Dark Life (2017). This casting has been confirmed by Netflix.
Delirium is the youngest Endless sibling. Formerly Delight, she is youthful and playful and extremely immature, especially around her family. She’s a fan-favorite character. Delirium will play a big role in season 2, in which she and Morpheus hunt for their long-lost brother Destruction.
Barry Sloane as Destruction
According to a report from Redanian Intelligence, The Bay and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare star Barry Sloane has been cast in the role of Destruction in The Sandman season 2. Destruction is one of the seven siblings in the Endless. But unlike the others in his family, he abandoned his post and now lives a quiet and peaceful life in the countryside. He is set to play a key role in the new season.
Netflix has now officially confirmed this casting.
Destiny is played by Adrian Lester
Adrian Lester is best known for roles in Hustle, Renegade Nell and The Day After Tomorrow. He plays Destiny, the all-knowing, eldest Endless sibling. Destiny is blind, and lives in the center of a misty, never-ending labyrinth. He lives in solitude. He knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen, all through an enormous book that’s chained around his neck. Destiny kicks off the Season of Mists storyline, where he gathers all of his siblings for an all-important Endless family meeting.
Rumored/Yet To Be Announced Season 2 Cast Members
Garry Cooper as Hades
We can also reveal that Garry Cooper will play Hades, though this casting has not been officially revealed by Netflix. Cooper is well known for playing Ryam Redwyne in House of The Dragon. His character in The Sandman is Hades of the Underworld, whom Orpheus must bargain with when he seeks to find his love, Persephone.
Amber Rose Revah (Character unknown)
Amber Rose Revah
Most recently, Redanian Intelligence revealed that Marvel’s The Punisher star Amber Rose Revah has joined the cast for season 2. The news is backed up by looking at her Spotlight CV, where Sandman features in her works. Her role is currently under wraps. Some of the most popular theories suggest that she could portray Titania or Eurydice. Let’s wait and see!
This casting has not been confirmed by Netflix yet.
Charlotte Bate (Character unknown)
Per her profile on The Artist’s Partnership, Charlotte Bates has joined the cast of season 2. Her role is unknown, although her profile lists her character as Tally; a name unfamiliar to fans of the comics. Chances are this character could be completely original to the show, or the name listed is a placeholder name. Fans can already visualise her as Persephone.
Bates’ TV roles include the recurring part of Michelle in Casualty and Bea in Beaumont. She also featured in I Think We’re Alone Now (2021).
This casting has not been confirmed by Netflix yet.
Daphne Alexander (Character unknown)
Incidentally, Daphne Alexander has previously worked on Casualty like her new co-star Charlotte Bate. According to Redanian Intelligence, her character’s name is Bromie, although this could well be a codename as the name doesn’t appear in the Sandman comics. She has had credits in a number of films over the years, most notably Sergeant (2023) and Milnore (2023).
This casting has not been confirmed by Netflix yet.
Bridgette Amofah (Character unknown)
We can also reveal that Bridgette Amofah has joined the season 2 cast, although we don’t know which character she’ll be playing. Amofah is a musician and actress. She’ll also be involved in an upcoming Mission: Impossible project.
Other unconfirmed cast members.
There are plenty more actors involved in season 2 as well. While unconfirmed by Netflix, here’s our list of additional cast members. Please note that some of these character names may be placeholder names.
- Charlotte Bate (I Think We Are Alone) as TBD
- Daphne Alexander (The Fourth Kind) as Bromie
- Jordan Adene (Young Wallander) as Donnie Capax (expected to be a variation on Danny the son of Bernie Capax)
- Paul Brennen (Men in Black: International) as Captain Carnot
- Wil Coban (The Boys in the Boat) as TBD
- Andre Flynn (The Musketeers) as TBD
- Joel Burman as TBD
- Gavin Spokes (House of the Dragon, SCOOP) as Jeremy
- Kayode Akinyemi (Vikings: Valhalla) as Kris
- Daniel Hoffmann-Gill (The Nevers) as Guillaume
- Tafline Steen (Miss Scarlett and the Duke) as Xantho
Returning Cast Members for The Sandman Season 2
Tom Sturridge (Dream)
The Sandman – Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
Let’s start with the obvious. Yes, Tom Sturridge will return as the titular Morpheus, the Dream Lord, in new episodes of The Sandman. Sturridge has been spotted on set filming new episodes before the show’s production was shut down due to the WGA writer’s strike and the more recent actor’s strike.
The images, shared by Mail Online, show Sturridge filming what appears to be the story “The Song of Orpheus” from the comics.
Moreover, a more recent capture shows him filming a funeral scene alongside Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death).
Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death)
Kirby Howell-Baptiste only made one appearance in The Sandman season one. However, she made a pretty big impression in just half an episode.
In “The Sound of Her Wings,” Death met with her brother Dream and made him join her as she went about her duties, accompanying people to the afterlife. It was heartfelt and immensely touching, proving to be one of the highlights of the series. And later in the episode, she granted Hob Gadling (Ferdinand Kingsley) eternal life, so that Dream could see how he fares over the centuries.
Looking at the comics, it’s fair to say that her role will be more significant. In fact, Kirby Howell-Baptiste is one of the few actors we’ve seen on set filming the new season, looking as cool as ever.
Gwendoline Christie (Lucifer)
Despite not being spotted on set yet, Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer will play a major part in the new season. Without getting into spoilers, the entire volume “Season of Mists” takes place due to Lucifer’s actions.
In the final scene of season one, Lucifer vowed to take revenge on Morpheus their battle in which the Dream Lord reclaimed his helm. Lucifer promised to “bring him to his knees” after seemingly hatching a plan with Azazel.
Mason Alexander Park (Desire) and Donna Preston (Despair)
While their roles aren’t exactly crucial in the stories covered in season 2, Mason Alexander Park’s Desire and Donna Preston’s Despair will certainly make a few appearances.
Perhaps the most exciting upcoming Desire scene comes in the beginning of the “Season of Mists” story arc. In the prologue, Destiny calls an Endless family meeting, and Desire causes a whole lot of chaos at the dinner table.
Speaking to Winter Is Coming about their hopes for the new season, Mason cited the Endless family meeting as one of their most anticipated scenes. “I’m really looking forward to many moments in the comics, but seeing the family together for the first time in “Season of Mists” is super exciting,” they said. “There’s something very Succession about the whole thing, and who doesn’t want to be the person making all the fuss at a dinner party!”
In addition, we can expect Despair’s appearance to change slightly in the new season. Neil Gaiman hinted that the team may have missed the mark with her appearance, including a tatty brown shirt and crocs. “Mostly, what I hope is that the next time you see Despair on the screen, you won’t think of her as frumpy, depressed, and unloved,” he wrote on Tumblr. “She isn’t in the comics, and I think we missed what we were aiming for in Sandman season 1.”
Neither Mason Alexander Park nor Donna Preston have not been spotted on set yet, but we’ll let you know as seen as we get a glimpse. Watch this space!
Vivienne Acheampong (Lucienne)
Pictures: Netflix
Lucienne, a twist on the male character Lucien in the comics, proved to be a clear fan favorite in season 1. Lucienne is loyal and trustworthy, a librarian and Dream’s most trusted advisor, and is not afraid to confront her boss at times.
Like in season one, Lucienne is expected to make several appearances throughout the new episodes as a series regular.
Funnily enough, Acheampong wants in on the iconic “Endless meeting” scene despite her character not appearing in the comics. “If the Endless had a family get-together, I’d love Lucienne to just be there, being like, ‘Guys, I’ve come to be a mediator, mentor, whatever you need me to be,’ But I would just love to see all those siblings together, I think it would be incredible,” she told EW.
Mervyn Pumpkinhead (Mark Hamill)
Mark Hamill as Mervyn Pumpkinhead was one of the most surprising castings in the show. As the resident janitor of the Dreaming, it’s Merv’s job to keep the kingdom in good shape. He’s not afraid to speak his mind either. Despite being a sentient pumpkin, he is presented as a voice of reason and sanity amongst all the craziness.
Again, like Lucienne, we can expect Mervyn to pop up every now and again. A large portion of the Season of Mists storyline takes place in Dream’s palace, where he gets lots of visitors, so we’ll probably see Lucienne and Merv getting very stressed out!
Patton Oswalt (Matthew the Raven)
Speaking of voice work, Patton Oswalt will no doubt return to the recording booth to voice Matthew the Raven, Dream’s loyal messenger raven.
Cain (Sanjeev Bhaskar) and Abel (Asim Chaudhry)
Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
Based on the biblical characters, Cain and Abel are very much comic relief characters in Sandman. Look no further than the numerous times Cain murders Abel in increasingly gruesome ways. In season one, they made two appearances. First, we saw the death of Gregory and the hatching of Goldie the gargoyle in episode 2. Later, they reappeared while Lucienne was performing a census of the Dream Realm.
Looking ahead to when we’ll next see them, they notably put on a magic show for visitors to Dream’s palace. Moreover, there’s no doubt they’ll show up in other scenes, too.
Ferdinand Kingsley (Hob Gadling)
Ferdinand Kingsley will presumably return as Hob Gadling in the new season. In the comics, he makes sporadic appearances throughout the series, so don’t expect anything more than that. Without going into spoiler territory, in Season of Mists, we see Dream meet with Hob once more.
Deborah Oyelade (Nada) and Ernest Kingsley Junior (Kai’ckul)
Nada was an ancient African queen who falls in love with Dream. In the episode “A Hope in Hell,” she makes one brief appearance in season one, in which Morpheus travels to Hell to reclaim his stolen Helm. While traveling to Lucifer’s palace, Dream reunites with Nada (Deborah Oyelade), who is shown to be imprisoned in Hell. She begs him to release her, but he does not. In this scene, Dream is shown as Kai’ckul, played by Ernest Kingsley Junior. Of course, the appearance of the Endless shifts depending on those who see them.
It is currently unclear whether The Sandman season 2 will cover Dream and Nada’s backstory. The story “Tales in the Sand” could’ve been covered in season one, given that the comic falls at the beginning of The Doll’s House story arc. Considering that the show has already cast Nada and Kai’ckul, the writers seem intent on covering their story in full.
Nada makes further appearances in the Season of Mists story arc, which will be covered in season 2.
Melissanthi Mahut (Calliope)
We already know that season 2 is covering the The Song of Orpheus storyline from the behind-the-scenes photos from filming. This means that Melissanthi Mahut will no doubt reprise her role as Calliope. The character, who is the mother of Orpheus by Dream, is present at his wedding to Eurydice.
Calliope was introduced into The Sandman in episode 11, where she was abused by Erasmus Fry and later Richard Madoc, who used her powers as a Muse to create great stories.
Characters that The Sandman is casting for season 2!
We’ll keep you updated on the latest casting news. While we don’t have a lot so far, The Sandman is officially casting the characters listed below:
- Auberon — The King of the Fairies.
- Titania — The Queen of the Fairies.
- Persephone — The wife of Orpheus
Be sure to keep checking back for casting announcements. We will keep you updated right here!
Netflix Synopsis: "After years of imprisonment, Morpheus -- the King of Dreams -- embarks on a journey across worlds to find what was stolen from him and restore his power."
