Netflix Is Giving The Sandman’s Best Character a Special Bonus Episode

Dream will be finished when The Sandman Season 2 ends, but Death will have the last word. On Tuesday, Netflix announced that it will release a special bonus episode after The Sandman is over, titled “The Sandman Presents: Death: The High Cost of Living.” The title comes from a comic book limited series, though it’s not clear if the story will be related at all. Death (Kirby) has been a major character since the start of The Sandman, and a fan-favorite. The final season of the show premieres in two parts — first on July 3rd, then on July 24th. Now we know that the series will truly end on July 31st when “The High Cost of Living” premieres on Netflix.

The Sandman Season 2 consists of 11 episodes, with six premiering on July 3rd and five more on July 24th. This bonus episode will bring the series up to a total of 23 episodes when it’s all said and done. Trailers for Season 2 have heavily teased the machinations of Dream’s siblings, the Endless, and showrunner Allan Heinberg has emphasized that he sees this show as a “family drama” between them. Ending on a story about Death feels fitting on a few levels.

“Death: The High Cost of Living” was published in 1993, in the midst of the original series run by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg. It was a three-issue story written by Gaiman with art by a different team — Chris Bachalo and Mark Buckingham. The story is about Death making her annual visit to earth in human form, living among people in order to stay grounded and keep her perspective.

[RELATED: Netflix’s The Sandman Reveals Dream’s Lost Endless Brother, Destruction (But Where Has He Been?)]

This miniseries has actually had a film adaptation trapped in development for over a decade, but nothing has ever come of it. Gaiman wrote a screenplay for the movie himself, and was expected to direct the feature at one point. Guillermo del Toro was added an executive producer when New Line Cinema held the rights. However, the project went on hold in 2010 and there has been no substantial news on it since.

The recent sexual abuse allegations against Gaiman have contributed to ending many adaptations of the author’s work in recent months, but according to Heinberg, that’s not the case with The Sandman. Last week, he told Entertainment Weekly that he had planned for the show to end with Season 2 before the allegations went public, as he only wanted to adapt the stories that concern Dream and the Endless. Adding “The High Cost of Living” to that list will definitely please fans, especially those who wanted this show to go on longer.

The Sandman Season 2 kicks off on July 3rd on Netflix, with a second batch of episodes on July 24th. The series concludes with this bonus episode on July 31st.