slumberland is the latest fantasy story for kids to join Netflix Original Releases in 2022. Based on the 1905 comic, Little Nemo in Slumberland, by means of Winsor McKay, this live-action adaptation is coming to Netflix in November. This film will be the second full-length of the original comics, with the first being the 1989 Japanese animated film Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. slumberland was originally announced in early 2020, with Francis Lawrence (I am a legend) at the wheel. Lawrence also directed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay and is currently filming the prequel movie, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
slumberland was co-written by Michael Handelman and David Guion. This will be their second collaboration since the two previously collaborated on Night at the Museum: Secret of the Grave. The film is co-produced with Chernin Entertainment, with: Peter Chernin as the CEO and David Ready as EPP, as well as Jenno Topping. The three have produced movies together many times with the most recent being Netflix’s fear street trilogy. Netflix has acquired the distribution rights for: slumberland shortly after Lawrence was announced as director and production was set to begin that summer, but due to the pandemic, the project was delayed until shooting began in February 2021. The shooting lasted about 3 months and ended on May 19 of the same year.
After a short teaser clip was included in the Netflix 2022 Movies trailer, there wasn’t much news about this upcoming movie until now. Here’s everything you need to know about slumberland.
Editor’s Note: This piece was updated on October 8 to include the latest trailer for the film.
What is Slumberland about?
The main character from the comics and the previous film adaptation was originally a young boy named Nemo, but in the new version the character has been changed to that of a little girl named Nema. The name ‘Nemo’, or in this case ‘Nema’, has a Greek origin, which loosely translates to ‘Nobody’. The name is linked to nautical stories, such as Captain Nemo from 20,000 leagues under the sealike Nemo the clownfish from Finding Nemo. How does this connect to slumberland? Most literary “Nemos” were adventurers looking for something. They are often isolated, but meet a few friends during their journey. This story is eerily similar…
Nema once lived with her father, who one night told her an enchanting bedtime story about the mystical Slumberland. It’s a world built on dreams… but also on nightmares (yes, like the sandman). It’s a place where you can wish for anything, and it will happen. After he dies, she finds a mysterious map that supposedly shows her the way to Slumberland. As she falls asleep that night, she finds herself being transported to that realm atop her (now magical) bed. There she meets the infamous character Flip. Flip is a lovable crook with a knack for trouble in Slumberland. Like the Artful Dodger, who takes young Oliver under his wing in Oliver TwistFlip and Nema befriend and together they venture through the ever-changing world of dreams in an attempt to reunite Nema with her late father once more.
Is there a Slumberland trailer?
Yes! Netflix finally released an official teaser trailer on YouTube on August 24. It’s the first piece of information we’ve gotten since the original teaser clip. Check it out below!
The second trailer for slumberland was released by Netflix on October 6, 2022, giving us our best look yet at the film’s stunning visuals and backstory of our main heroine Nema as she sets out with her father’s old acquaintance, Flip, to find her to find father lost. Watch the second trailer below:
If you’re familiar with the original comics or the 1989 animated adaptation, you may have noticed that the trailer doesn’t seem to make any mention of nightmares and their relationship with Slumberland. It could be a conscious decision not to emphasize this antagonist, or it could also be a deliberate change in the story, more focused on Nema and how she is coping with the loss of her father. You can also tell that Nema must have wanted her stuffed pig to come to life, as you see the stuffed animal by her side during many adventurous moments, similar to the character of Icarus, the flying squirrel, from the 1989 animated film. But will her greatest wish, to see her father again, come true?
Who is in the Slumberland cast?
Marlow Barkley makes her feature film debut as Nema. She is known for her role as Sophie Cooper on the television series, Single parents as well as her voice acting for the Disney animated series, amphibian. She also has several upcoming projects underway such as: spicywhat is a modern retelling of Charles Dickens‘s classic novel A Christmas song with a musical twist to be released on Apple TV+ in 2022. The character Flip, who was originally voiced by Mickey Rooney in the 1989 adaptation, will be played by Jason Momoa (Aquarius). Momoa is best known for his portrayal of the Dothraki leader, Khal Drogo, in HBO’s hit series, Game of Thrones.
Luxton Hand Spiker (The Handmaid’s Tale) plays a new character named Matt. He can be seen in the trailer with Nema and Flip behind the wheel of some sort of dreamland vehicle. Nema’s father, whose character has yet to be named, is played by Kyle Chandler. Chandler is known for his roles in bloodline, godzilla vs. Kongand Game night. Chris O’Dowd (bridesmaids) has also been cast in an undisclosed role, alongside India de Beaufortwho was last seen in the movie Kimic.
There are four characters represented as Agent Red, Agent Orange, Agent Green and Agent Brown Tonya Cornelisse (Yellow jackets), Jamillah Ross (Chucky), Weruche Opia (I can destroy you), and Leslie Adlam (Becky), respectively. It is unclear what role these agents will play slumberlandwhether or not they will be considered enemies or allies of Nema and Flip.
When is Slumberland coming out?
slumberland will premiere on November 18, 2022. The film is available to stream exclusively on Netflix. This film is rated PG, so it will be a family-friendly fantasy/adventure film that is suitable for almost all ages. We still have plenty of time to kill before November, so if you’re interested in the 1989 animated version, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberlandyou can find it available to stream on various platforms like Roku, Tubi and Prime Video.