Are Netflix’s ‘Locke & Key’ and ‘The Sandman’ Connected?

Netflix recently released its long-awaited new series, The Sandman, based on Neil Gaiman’s 1989 DC Comics collection of the same name. In just a few days, the hit Netflix series Locke & Key will drop its third and final season inspired by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s IDW comics. Beyond their fantasy genre and comic book roots, these two shows may not seem like they have much in common. Believe it or not, though, Locke & Key and The Sandman once existed in the same universe. Here’s how they’re connected, and whether that connection will translate to the Netflix shows.

‘Locke & Key’ and ‘The Sandman’ had a crossover in the comic books

Locke & Key follows the Locke family — mom Nina (Darby Stanchfield) and kids Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones), and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) — as they move into Keyhouse, a home filled with magical keys that belonged to the Lockes for decades. As the Locke kids discover the keys’ powers, they must also deal with the dangers — including evil demons. Meanwhile, The Sandman follows Dream/Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), the king of dreams, who is held captive for more than 100 years. When Dream finally escapes, he must restore his kingdom.

Locke & Key and The Sandman shared a crossover in a three-part comic book saga between December 2020 to September 2021. Locke & Key: Hell and Gone doubled as the conclusion to a prequel series that followed a much earlier generation of Lockes — Chamberlin Locke and his kids.

After Chamberlin’s son, John, died by suicide, Chamberlin often used the Echo key to summon his son’s soul from Hell. Hoping to finally relieve Chamberlin of his grief, John’s sister, Mary, tried to rescue John from Hell and bring him back to life. However, she first had to make a deal with Roderick Burgess, Dream’s captor. Mary gained access to Dream’s kingdom, where she risked waking the nightmare The Corinthian as she searched for answers.

Will Netflix’s ‘Locke & Key’ and ‘The Sandman’ have a crossover?

Now that Locke & Key and The Sandman have both made it to Netflix, it seems like the perfect opportunity for an on-screen crossover. However, the comic book crossover took place decades before the Netflix shows, so the timelines may not make sense. For now, the shows exist in their own universes, despite the comic book connection.

As CBR notes, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez addressed the possibility of a Netflix Locke & Key x Sandman crossover last year. Hill shot down an on-screen collab, but he said another comic book crossover could be possible.

“Specifically, I would like to do another story, if for any other reason, to explain why the two universes overlapped in the 1920s but don’t by the time we get to Kinsey, Tyler, and Bode because Kinsey, Tyler, and Bode do not exist in a universe with Batman and Superman. But it is clear that Roderick Burgess is in a universe with Superman and Batman,” Hill added. “There’s a story in my head that explains why those two universes split apart and we need to do another Mary Locke story to tell that.”

The final season of ‘Locke & Key’ premieres this week

Locke & Key will conclude its story on Netflix in just a few days. While many fans are disappointed that the series is coming to an end, showrunners Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill said three seasons always felt “ideal.”

“Once we began working on the series, we felt three seasons was the ideal length to bring the story of the Locke family and their Keyhouse adventures to a satisfying conclusion,” the showrunners said in a joint statement earlier this year. “As storytellers, we are grateful that we had the opportunity to tell our version of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s incredible story exactly the way we wanted. We’re keeping the magical keys, though, for our own personal use.”

The Sandman Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Locke & Key Season 3 premieres on Netflix on Aug. 10.