After 30 long years of waiting, multiple failed attempts, and an exercise in patience, The Sandman finally has a live-action adaptation. Based on Neil Gaiman’s literary masterpiece, a mammoth of a comic book collection, Netflix’s The Sandman exceeded all expectations. The fantasy series has maintained a steady position in Netflix’s Top 10 ever since its release and even reigned on the list for several weeks. So, it’s no surprise that The Sandman season 2 is all the rage right now.

But, if you think that an almost perfect adaptation with over 250 million hours of viewing time so far has nothing to worry about, think again. Granted, fans and critics alike showered the show with immense love and admiration. However, we all know how fickle a show’s fate can be on Netflix; exhibit A- First Kill. At the end of the day, it is all about numbers. Even Neil Gaiman’s genius is not impervious to a Netflix cancellation. 

Fantasy is an expensive affair

A show as big as The Sandman unsurprisingly went through an intense bidding war among the many OTT platforms. Netflix ultimately outbid Hulu and signed a deal with the creators of the fantasy show for a whopping $15 million per episode. While this number might seem alarming, a fantastical world, especially such a popular one, can be extremely challenging; creatively and financially. No wonder the showrunners are apprehensive about the show’s renewal.

Modeling and rendering The Dreaming realm or Lucifer’s Hell to look aesthetic and authentic means a lot of VFX and CGI, which in turn means a lot of money. For a show to escape cancellation, it needs to maintain the equilibrium of viewership and cost-effectiveness. Gaiman himself admits on Twitter that being “the top show in the world” is great, but it “still may not be enough.”

Why is the fate of The Sandman season 2 still up in the air?

The Sandman has everything going in its favor ever since its release. However, the author and executive producer, Neil Gaiman, is still unsure about upcoming seasons. Funnily enough, the audience cannot think of a single reason for the show’s cancellations. Several of them have reached out to Gaiman on Twitter expressing their love for the show. They also often wonder why the creator isn’t as confident about the show’s renewal.

Gaiman, in response, has been urging the viewers to “watch” and “finish watching Sandman” so that there can be a definite season 2. This probably stems from a fear of being canceled by the streaming Goliath. Many beloved shows like First Kill, Daredevil, The Good Cop, and more were canceled way too young. The cancelation process is definitely not a simple one. There are many parameters that come into play, as Netflix makes these big decisions.

On the one hand, Netflix is on a cost-cutting spree while on the other, the streamer, infamous for dropping excellent shows before its time, strives to change that perception. Only time will tell which will overpower the other. However, canceling a show like The Sandman will definitely unleash an angry army of devotees resulting in further bad press.

Will the exorbitant budget of $15 million per episode be the show’s undoing? Does that mean no season 2 for The Sandman? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. In the meantime, re-watch the fantasy series on Netflix and dream of an official announcement.