Dreams and nightmares alike can be stunning backdrops to lesson learning. We’ve seen this story told time and again, and in the world of upcoming movies, we’re going to see it come to life in director Francis Lawrence’s Netflix original Slumberland. The big difference is this time around? We have an energetic Jason Momoa and a thrilling Coldplay cover to sell this absolute dream of a trailer.
Netflix (opens in new tab) released this latest look at Slumberland through the first full trailer for the November release. In this footage, we see little Nema (newcomer Marlow Barkley) dealing with the loss of her father Nemo (Kyle Chandler), as well as being sent to live with her uncle (Chris O’Dowd). Initially, the two feel like they have nothing in common, but through their memories of Nemo, the young girl is introduced to the dream world that gives the movie its name, complete with an absolutely wild dream figure named Flip (Jason Momoa).
Based on Winsor McKay’s Little Nemo in Slumberland comic strip, Netflix’s modern retelling of this classic dreamscape already feels quite large. Part of the reason is because of the grand sounding cover of Coldplay’s “Clocks,” which scales up rather nicely with a full orchestra. After catching our first look at Slumberland during the studio’s 2022 lineup trailer at the beginning of the year, it’s nice to see just how much more is in store in the full trailer.
Never let it be said that Jason Momoa is a total hardass, because this movie looks like it breaks that stereotype in the best way possible. The dude’s inner child is running loose in this Slumberland preview, as his character Flip embodies the freedom of dreams as much as Momoa loves the color pink.
The best part is that the Aquaman 2 actor knows just when to hold back in his performance. We see a more playful Jason Momoa than we’re used to without question, but he never veers towards the hokey falseness some actors adopt in what “kid’s movies.” You can see more of that precision at work in another recently released clip from Slumberland, in which Flip lays down the rules that Nema must abide in the dream world:
Of course, it seems like if you include Jason Momoa in your movie these days, he just might die off. Momoa’s frequent on-screen deaths are something he’s owned up to in recent interviews, which means that Slumberland could end up being even more bittersweet than I would have thought. Even if he doesn’t die per se, the potential for a separation of dream friend and child would be heartbreaking; especially with Jason Momoa’s Flip being so damned charming.
We’ll just have to wait and see if Slumberland makes our dreams and/or nightmares come true when it debuts on November 18th. This dream requires you to have an active Netflix subscription, so don’t daydream too long! If you need some more convincing, check out Netflix’s October 2022 schedule