A new advenute awaits! Slumberland is a fantasy film based on the original 1920s comic strip Little Nemo by Windsor McKay. The live-action movie is directed by Francis Lawrence (Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 & 2) and co-written by David Guion and Michael Handelman. The film premieres on Netflix on November 18, 2022, with a limited theatrical release already having been launched on November 11 and we at Collider are hosting a free early screening of the film on November 17.
Slumberland is not the first film adaptation of Little Nemo, as there was a Japanese-animated movie from 1989 called Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland. While the characters in the new film are similar, there are a few significant changes made to the story. This handy guide will tell you everything you can expect from the characters of Slumberland.
Marlow Barkley as Nemo
Actress Marlow Barkley makes her first feature-film debut as the main character, Nemo. In this film, the character has been gender-flipped from the original comic strips and the 1989 animated adaptation. Nemo was homeschooled by her father until he passed away, leaving her struggling to adapt to her recently upended life. Her only escape is through her dreams when her bed magically transports her to Slumberland, the land of dreams. While there, she discovers a map that would lead her to a secret treasure. This treasure has the capability of granting her a single wish of whatever she wants the most. She sets out to find this treasure with an eccentric outlaw named Flip, determined to find a way to see her late father one more time.
Barkley is best known for her portrayal of Sophie Cooper on the television series, Single Parents. She will also be making an appearance in Spirited, the 2022 musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol. The Apple TV+ film will also have its streaming premiere on November 18, making the day extra special for the talented young actor. As her first feature film, production on Slumberland was a new experience for Barkley and she spoke to Collider's Steve Weintraub in an interview about what really surprised her about the whole thing:
I guess I always knew that movies had big casts and crew, but I didn't know how many people would be on the set. I thought that it was a lot of people either online or in offices doing a lot of work. But no, those sets are filled with people all the time. That was even just during COVID, so I'm sure there are so many more, normally. I was also surprised at how fun it was on set. Even during the super emotional scenes, we were still laughing, making jokes on set. So I guess I was just surprised at how comfortable I would feel in this environment. Yeah, working with Francis was just amazing. Everything came very natural and easy in this movie.
Jason Momoa as Flip
Jason Momoa became a household name after his performance as Khal Drogo in HBO’s hit series, Game of Thrones. His character in Slumberland, Flip, serves as a guide for Nemo. He might occasionally get her into more trouble than he gets her out of, but it’s hard to stay mad at him when he flashes his fanged grin. He tells Nemo that he and her father used to be partners “a long time ago,” and he might have a way to help reunite her with her father, thanks to a treasure map in his possession. Unfortunately for Flip, his antics somehow wind up getting him placed in a prison cell as shown in the trailer. It might just be Nemo’s turn to rescue him for once.
Flip’s character has also been modified from the 1989 animated adaptation, where he was voiced by the late Mickey Rooney. The character changed from a mischievous clown to a half-beast, half-man outlaw played by Momoa, though he still seems plenty trickster-y. We don't often get to see Momoa in roles like this and the actor has an interesting story behind his casting, which he revealed in an interview with Collider:
It's actually funny. I think I was slicing someone's neck, and we were on set, and I was covered in blood. We were goofing around and he's like, "I have this great role for you. It's a comedy." He tells me about it, and I'm like, "I'd love to do it. No one's ever picked me for that." So I got to spend a lot of time with Francis, and we became dear friends. So it's all his, and he killed it. This movie's amazing, but it's his idea.
Kyle Chandler as Nemo’s Father Peter
In the latest trailer, it is heavily implied that Nemo’s father, Peter, has traveled to Slumberland many times in his childhood, thanks to an admission from Flip. Before he disappeared at sea, Peter would tell Nemo fantastical tales of his adventures with Flip as bedtime stories, which she assumed were made up until she discovers Slumberland herself. In a home video that Nemo watches, she sees a younger version of her father, played by Antonio Raine Pastore.
Kyle Chandler (Godzilla vs. Kong) plays the adult version of Peter that Nemo knows, who is the driving force behind her determination to find the treasure marked on the map. Memories of their life together push her to her limits to see him one last time. Chandler is known for his work on the CBS series Early Edition and is currently a part of the Showtime series Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber.
Chris O’Dowd as Philip
Irish actor Chris O’Dowd is best known for his comedic performance in Bridesmaids and as a recurring voice actor for the Netflix series Big Mouth. It’s not certain from the trailer whether or not O’Dowd’s character, Philip, is Nemo’s uncle or just a close childhood friend of her father’s. After Peter’s disappearance, Philip takes Nemo to live with him and gets her enrolled in school. He is also the one who shows Nemo the old home video of her father as a young man. The younger version of Philip is played by Cameron Nicoll (Stolen By Their Father). Additionally, he admits that Peter used to tell him stories every night about the “wild adventures” they were to go on together. It’s unclear if Philip has ever traveled to Slumberland with Peter, but there’s a high likelihood that his character plays a pivotal role in Nemo’s quest to see her father again.
Weruche Opia as Agent Green
Weruche Opia is best known for her performance as Terry in the 2020 series, I May Destroy You. In the latest trailer, we finally get to see more of the characters and how they interact with each other. While not appearing outright evil, Agent Green certainly seems to take on more of an antagonistic role, especially in the eyes of a child. She can be seen (decked out in a green suit) aiming a stun gun at Nemo and Flip as they run from her. She later tells Nemo that “no dream lasts forever,” and that “sooner or later, it’s time to wake up.”
Agent Green is joined by other agents, Orange and Red, played by Jamillah Ross (Chucky) and Tonya Cornelisse (Yellowjackets), respectively. They all seem to be part of an organization within Slumberland, charged with the responsibility of maintaining order. If they have the ability to lock somebody up in Slumberland forever, do they vanish in real life? Could this be what caused Nemo’s father to disappear?
India de Beaufort as Arya
It’s unclear what role India de Beaufort’s character plays in Slumberland. She doesn’t appear in the trailer, adding more mystique to her character and involvement in the film. The Veep actress appears to be playing somebody that Nemo interacts with in the waking world but the circumstances of their meeting are still rather unclear. Apart from her work on Veep, de Beaufort is also known for her role in the 2007 movie Run Fatboy Run and her most recent work was in the Zoë Kravitz/Steven Soderbergh movie Kimi.
Slumberland will be available to stream on Netflix on Friday, November 18 with high hopes for viewership. We’ll be sure to catch you on the flip side after the premiere!