Audible & DC Release Surprise Third Installment of Audio Drama ‘The Sandman’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is definitely safe to say, that it has been a very good couple of years for the Neil Gaiman story, The Sandman. For not only did the long-awaited live adaptation arrive on Netflix to critical acclaim, but the Audible and DC partnered audio drama of the series, was met with the same acclaim and joy from fans everywhere. So much in fact that Act II was quickly released following Act I’s debut… and well, it just so happens that there is now even more Sandman for us to enjoy, courtesy of today’s surprise.
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For earlier, Audible and DC stunned fans of this franchise everywhere, with a surprise release of The Sandman: Act III. And well… since those words undoubtedly raised some eyebrows and piqued curiosity, let’s not waste any time and provide you with all the details on this epic release, courtesy of DC and Audible.

‘Audible Inc., the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today surprise released the much-anticipated third installment of The New York Times best-selling, multi-part original audio drama franchise, The Sandman. Picking up where The Sandman: Act II left off, The Sandman: Act III, now available exclusively on Audible, continues to bring to aural life the world of The New York Times best-selling graphic novel, The Sandman, created by Neil Gaiman and published by DC. The third installment is once again adapted and directed by co-executive producer Dirk Maggs and narrated by Gaiman, who also returns as creative director and co-executive producer, with original score from BAFTA Award-winning composer James Hannigan. 
 
Returning to the Audible Sandman universe is series star, James McAvoy in the title role as well as Kat Dennings as Death, Miriam Margolyes as Despair, Justin Vivian Bond as Desire, Jeffrey Wright as Destiny, Kristen Schaal as Delirium, Andy Serkis, Riz Ahmed, Regé-Jean Page, Kevin Smith, Bebe Neuwirth, Niamh Walsh, Arthur Darvill, Ray Porter, Shruti Haasan, Billy Boyd, and a full ensemble cast. Joining the cast of Audible’s Sandman franchise for the first time are David Harewood as Destruction, Wil Wheaton as Brant Tucker, and KJ Apa as Prez.
 
In 2020, Audible released the first installment in the audio franchise The Sandman to record-breaking Audible Original pre-orders; it still stands as the best-selling Audible Original in the company’s history. It also occupied the #1 spot on The New York Times Best Seller Audio Fiction list in July 2020 and August 2020. The Sandman: Act II, released in 2021, is the second best-selling Audible Original in the Premium catalog in the first 90 days of release, bested only by the first installment, while also holding the #2 spot on The New York Times Best Seller Audio Fiction list.
 
“You are not dreaming! We are thrilled to surprise fans with the third volume in Audible’s Sandman franchise, today. We couldn’t wait for our listeners to drift back into this world with us, and this installment is again beautifully brought to life in audio with even more immersive soundscaping and incredible performances,” said Audible EVP and Head of US Content, Rachel Ghiazza. “We were blown away by the response to the first two installments, which broke Audible records and took our listeners to places beyond their wildest imagination, and we continue to be in awe of this beloved franchise helmed by a true visionary, Neil Gaiman, and brought to life by the incredible talents of Dirk Maggs and an ensemble of dreams.”
 
Neil Gaiman said, “The excitement and the joy people have taken in the astonishing Audible adaptations of Sandman has been such a morale booster over the last few years. The only downside has been that everyone I know, and many thousands of people on social media that I don’t know, have wanted to know when Act III would be released. Now you all know. I think it might be the best one yet.” 
 
“I can’t wait for you to join us for The Sandman: Act III. It’s been a long time coming and it’s worth every minute of the wait,” added Dirk Maggs. “New to this installment, Regé Jean Page’s bereaved hero finally meets Destruction, played by the brilliant David Harewood. There's a modern-day road trip across the US with Dream and Delirium, and we finish up beyond space and time in The Worlds’ End Pub, where the fantastic Wil Wheaton as Brant Tucker and KJ Apa as Prez join this amazing cast.”
 
The first installment of Audible’s The Sandman adapts volumes 1-3 of the graphic novel series of the same name (Preludes & Nocturnes, The Doll’s House, and Dream Country). The second installment adapts Season of Mists, Distant Mirrors, A Game of You and Convergence from the graphic novel series and the third installment adapts Brief Lives and Worlds’ Ends, diving deeper into the world of The Sandman.
 
The Sandman installments join a robust slate of Audible Original audio dramas including Kerry Washington’s The Prophecy; Moriarty; KOZ, featuring Taylor Kitsch and Kate Mara; Jesse Eisenberg’s When You Finish Saving the World; Skybound’s Impact Winter; The Miranda Obsession, produced and performed by Rachel Brosnahan; Armored from The New York Times bestselling author, Mark Greaney; and James Patterson’s The Coldest Case starring Aaron Paul, among many more. Catch up on The Sandman on Audible: www.audible.com/thesandman and www.audible.com/sandman2.
 
ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.
Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible content includes more than 760,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers.
 
 
ABOUT DC
DC, part of Warner Bros. Discovery, creates iconic characters and enduring stories and is one of the world’s largest publishers of comics and graphic novels.  DC’s creative work entertains audiences of every generation around the world with DC’s stories and characters integrated across Warner Bros. Discovery’s film, television, animation, consumer products, home entertainment, games, and themed experiences divisions, and on the DC Universe Infinite digital comic subscription service.  Learn more at DC.com.

ABOUT NEIL GAIMAN
Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author and creator of books, graphic novels, short stories, film and television for all ages, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, Coraline, The Graveyard Book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The View from the Cheap Seats. His fiction has received Newbery, Carnegie, Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner Awards. American Gods, based on the 2001 novel, is now a critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated TV series, and he was the writer and showrunner for the mini-series adaptation of Good Omens, based on the book he co-authored with Sir Terry Pratchett. Gaiman was an Executive Producer and co-showrunner for Netflix’s TV adaptation of his Sandman comic book series, and the first and second volumes of the Audible Sandman full-cast audio adaptation were New York Times bestsellers, with the first volume reaching #1. He is currently developing season 2 of Good Omens and a TV adaptation of Anansi Boys. Neil Gaiman is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR and Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

ABOUT DIRK MAGGS
Dirk Maggs writes and directs immersive, densely layered audio stories that fire the imagination. At the BBC, his groundbreaking 'audio movies' featuring DC Comics' Superman and Batman dazzled Douglas Adams, who asked Dirk to bring The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy back to its original home, BBC Radio. In the last decade, Dirk has worked closely with his friend Neil Gaiman to adapt and direct prestige BBC versions of Neverwhere, Stardust and Neil and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens. For Audible, Dirk adapted and produced The X-Files, starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, and four epic audio adventures set in the Alien universe. Dirk's many awards include Audies, Writers Guild, Sonys, Talkies, British Fantasy Society and two New York Festivals Gold Medals. Dirk is an Honorary fellow of the University of Winchester, and he was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Arts by Bournemouth University.’

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