Hit Netflix drama to film in Brighton this month

A hit Netflix drama is to film scenes for its second season around the Royal Pavilion this month.

Residents living in roads around the Pavilion and Old Steine have been sent letters telling them the Pavilion Gardens will be closed on Monday, February 19.

The letters refer to the production as Essex 2 – believed to be code for The Sandman, an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s comic book series.

And parking bays in several roads surrounding the Pavilion will be suspended from Sunday, so film crews can park there.

A spokeswoman for the Brighton and Hove Museums, which runs the Pavilion, said: “The Royal Pavilion and the Royal Pavilion Garden will be closed on Monday 19 February for filming.

“We are subject to an non disclosure agreement and cannot disclose any details at this time.”

The Sandman drew glowing reviews when it was released in August 2022.

Filming on the second season resumed in November, when Netflix published a letter from Neil Gaiman to fans updating them on the plans.

He said: “This week we officially restart production on the next sequence of stories of The Sandman for Netflix. Genius showrunner Allan Heinberg and the countless people in front of and behind the camera are building something endlessly special, and bringing these stories to life in a way that would once have been unimaginable.

“A journey is beginning that will take us from Destiny’s garden to Hell, from the Heart of the Dreaming to Ancient Greece and revolutionary France, and from there to places even I cannot quite imagine on the screen. I will be patient. Good things are coming.”

Filming had originally begun at Shepperton in June last year, but was interrupted by the Screen Actors Guild strike the following month.

The first season starred Tom Sturridge as Morpheus and Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer Morningstar.

The letters are from Gate 4 Productions, a production company owned by Time Warner Ltd.