Hankley Common is heaven for many but hell for some, it seems – with the local beauty spot masquerading as the netherworld in new Netflix series The Sandman.

Based on the DC comic book by Neil Gaiman, the series features top actors Tom Sturridge – who won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in 2016 play American Buffalo – and Gwendoline Christie – best known for her role as Brienne of Tarth in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones (2012–2019).

It was filmed in various locations across England, including Hankley.

The story revolves around Morpheus, the titular Sandman performed by Tom Sturridge, who is captured in an occult ritual in 1916 and after 106 years of captivity, escapes and sets out to restore order to his realm, the Dreaming.

The series was developed by Gaiman, David S Goyer, and Allan Heinberg and produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros.

It premiered on August 5, 2022, and was renewed for a second season in November 2022, receiving generally positive reviews from critics.