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The news about Adam Sandler's next dramatic role, Spaceman has been floating around since late 2020, but now the film is all set to premiere in 2024. The sci-fi drama adventure film is based on the novel Spaceman of Bohemia by Czech author Jaroslav Kalfař, published in 2017, and features Sandler as the titular astronaut, Jakub. Directed by Johan Renck of Chernobyl fame and written by Colby Day, Spaceman follows an astronaut who is sent on a mission to outer space, where he meets and befriends an ancient creature that has stowed away on his ship. The film, akin to the book, is described as “an intergalactic odyssey of love, ambition, and self-discovery.”

Departing from his classic, laugh-out-loud plots with reckless characters, this upcoming sci-fi film is going to be a little more layered and serious, though retaining some light-hearted elements. Some of Sandler's most acclaimed films have been his more dramatic fare, including Uncut Gems, Punch Drunk Love, and Hustle.

If you are an Adam Sandler fan or simply like sci-fi adventures, then Spaceman might be a movie for you to look forward to. While you wait for the film to arrive next year, you can read on to explore all the details about the film, including the release window, plot, cast, characters, and everything else that we know so far about Spaceman.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on January 16, 2024.

The poster for Spaceman.
Spaceman
R
Adventure
Drama
Sci-Fi

Jakub Procházka, orphaned as a boy and raised in the Czech countryside by his grandparents, overcomes his odds to become the country's first astronaut.

Release Date
March 1, 2024
Director
Johan Renck
Cast
Adam Sandler , Carey Mulligan , Paul Dano , Kunal Nayyar , Lena Olin , Isabella Rossellini
Main Genre
Adventure
Studio
Netflix
Distributor(s)
Netflix
Runtime
107 minutes
Writers
Colby Day , Jaroslav Kalfar

Does 'Spaceman' Have a Release Date?

A closeup of Adam Sandler as Jakub in Spaceman
Image via Netflix

After much speculation and delays, Spaceman finally has a release date, as the film is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on March 1, 2024. The science-fiction drama will be part of Netflix's exciting 2024 film slate, which also includes highly anticipated titles such as Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Damsel, Lift, Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver, and The Old Guard 2.

Is There a Trailer for 'Spaceman'?

A 24-second sneak peek of Spaceman was unveiled by Netflix on December 19, 2023. The sneak peek doesn't give us much of anything other than Adam Sandler as Jakub, walking through a river in the middle of a forest, supposedly on another planet. We also hear narration from Paul Dano's character who says:

"Just like you, I fled my planet. Through galaxies, through black holes, through time. And then I found you."

We then get a close-up shot of Sandler's face before cutting to the title card.

The official trailer for Spaceman was released by Netflix on January 16, 2024, giving us a much clearer look at what the film will be about.

Who Stars in 'Spaceman'?

Adam Sandler leads the cast of Spaceman as Jakub Procházka, an orphaned boy from the Czech countryside, raised by his grandparents, who overcomes all odds to become the first astronaut of the independent Czech Republic and is sent on a mission to outer space. This marks Sandler's twelfth movie he has starred in for Netflix, having previously headlined The Ridiculous 6, The Do-Over, Sandy Wexler, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), The Week Of, Murder Mystery, Hubie Halloween, and Hustle. In 2023 alone, Sandler starred in three films: the comedy sequel Murder Mystery 2, the coming-of-age comedy You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, and the animated musical Leo. Sandler was also recently announced to star alongside George Clooney in Noah Baumbach's next movie for Netflix.

In an interview with Netflix's Tudum, Johan Renck talked about casting Sandler in the role, claiming that he wanted to have a performance from the famous comedian that was like no other character he has played before, going on to say:

“I don’t think people understand how [although] he may come across as funny and sweet and all that, he’s very intelligent, really smart, profound.”

Renck also praised Sandler's work ethic on the set, especially since he spent a lot of time dangling from wires.

“It’s tremendously uncomfortable with all these harnesses and hanging in your own body weight. I think it’s painful in a way that’s actually going to be intrusive to your performance — unless you’re Adam, because he just pushed through that in an incredible way."

Academy Award-nominated actress, Carey Mulligan joins the cast as Jakub’s pregnant wife, Lenka, coming off her critically acclaimed role in Bradley Cooper's Maestro. Paul Dano, who is coming off of the ripped-from-the-headlines dramedy Dumb Money, will voice Hanuš, a mysterious, alien creature who befriends Jakub. Renck also teased what we can expect from Dano's voice-acting performance:

“He has this peculiar cadence when he’s speaking, his careful formulation of words, and his very unique voice.”

The rest of the cast of Spaceman includes Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) as Peter the technician, cinema legend Isabella Rossellini (Blue Velvet) as Commissioner Tuma, Jakub's commanding officer, and Academy Award nominee Lena Olin (The Unbearable Lightness of Being) as Zdena

What Is 'Spaceman' About?

Hanus, the alien spider, voiced by Paul Dano, in Spaceman
Image via Netflix

Following the plot of the original novel, Spaceman follows the adventure of a Czech astronaut, Jakub. A middle-aged, middle-class man, and the first astronaut of an independent nation, Jakub is sent on a mission to reach a mysterious cluster of space dust and sample it. But he doesn’t feel comfortable with space travel and also misses his wife back home. Then Jakub meets a mysterious (hopefully friendly) creature aboard his spaceship, which leads to a one-of-a-kind adventure.

In an interview with Netflix's Tudum, Johan Renck gave some key details about the upcoming film, proclaiming that Jakub and Lenka's marriage is the heart of the film.

The official synopsis for Spaceman from Netflix's Tudum reads:

Six months into a solitary research mission to the edge of the solar system, an astronaut, Jakub (Adam Sandler), realizes that the marriage he left behind might not be waiting for him when he returns to Earth. Desperate to fix things with his wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), he is helped by a mysterious creature from the beginning of time he finds hiding in the bowels of his ship. Hanuš (voiced by Paul Dano) works with Jakub to make sense of what went wrong before it is too late.

Who's Making 'Spaceman'?

Johan Renck and Adam Sandler, talking on the set of Spaceman
Image via Netflix

Spaceman is inspired by Jaroslav Kalfař’s 2017 novel, Spaceman of Bohemia, and directed by Johan Renck. A Swedish film, television, and music video director, Renck is best known for helming the multiple-award-winning miniseries Chernobyl, which won him a Primetime Emmy Award. Besides Chernobyl, he has also directed various episodes of popular television shows like The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Vikings, and Bates Motel. Spaceman is the director’s second feature film, the first one being 2008’s Downloading Nancy, and he is set to direct the upcoming sci-fi TV series, The Day of the Triffids. Colby Day writes the screenplay for Spaceman, in his second feature film project. He had previously written, directed, and produced several short films and the 2011 independent film I Don't Want to Kill Myself. He is also credited as the screenwriter and executive producer for the upcoming Andrew Stanton film, In the Blink of an Eye.

Cinematographer Jakob Ihre, who has previously worked on Chernobyl, Dispatches from Elsewhere, and Thelma, is credited for the cinematography of Spaceman. Renck also serves as an executive producer for the film, along with Ben Ormand and Barry Bernardi, while Reid Carolin, Peter Kiernan, Michael Parets, Tim Headington, Lia Buman, and Max Silva serve as producers for the film alongside Channing Tatum.

When and Where Is 'Spaceman' Filming?

Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan as Jakub and Lenka, leaning in for a kiss, in Spaceman
Image via Netflix

The filming for the sci-fi adventure film started in April 2021, with the film’s title being changed to Spaceman from the original title taken from the novel. The principal photography took place in New York City and production was moved to the Czech Republic, where it ended in July 2021.