Yes, Netflix's 'The Sandman' Budget Is Huge, But Not Compared With Other Blockbuster Shows
Netflix seems to be betting big on the upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman comic book series, whose budget is in very high numbers.
According to Deadline, Netflix managed to secure a budget of $15 million per episode, and with 11 episodes planned for the first season, the total could be up to $165 million. It's not every day you see a TV series with a budget close to that of Michael Bay films, but despite that, 'The Sandman ' is still far from being the most expensive series in history. That's how Peak TV is, folks.
The honor of being the most big-budgeted TV affair goes to Amazon's upcoming 'Lord of the Rings', boasting an unbelievable $465 million price tag for the first season alone (!). Seems like streaming giant is betting big on Tolkien's beloved universe – hopefully it won't backfire.
Disney+ isn't far behind the competition either – all of original Marvel series, including 'Loki ' and 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier', were filmed at a hefty $25 million per episode cost. This may explain why all of their series last only 6 episodes.
Another streaming giant, Apple TV+, is keeping the budgets of its biggest shows on par with upcoming 'Sandman' – $15 million per episode for Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon's 'The Morning Show' and Jason Momoa's 'See'.
It's great news for fans of Gaiman's work that Netflix has decided to give 'The Sandman' such a big budget – they seem confident in the success of the series. And that means several more seasons can be ordered, thanks to the huge and complex narrative of the original comic series.
'The Sandman' is set to premiere sometime in 2022.