View source for Slumberland (film)

{{Short description|2022 film by Francis Lawrence}}
{{About|the 2022 film based on the comic|the 1989 film|Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| image          = Slumberland (film).jpg
| caption        = Official release poster
| director       = [[Francis Lawrence]]
| based_on       = {{Based on|''[[Little Nemo]]''|[[Winsor McCay]]}}
| screenplay     = {{Plainlist|
* David Guion
* Michael Handelman
}}
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Peter Chernin]]
* [[Jenno Topping]]
* [[David Ready]]
* Francis Lawrence
}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|<!--Per poster billing-->
* [[Jason Momoa]]
* Marlow Barkley
* [[Chris O'Dowd]]
* [[Kyle Chandler]]
* [[Weruche Opia]]
}}
| cinematography = [[Jo Willems]]
| editing        = Mark Yoshikawa
| music          = [[Pinar Toprak]]
| studio         = {{plainlist|
* [[Chernin Entertainment]]
* About:Blank
}}
| distributor    = [[Netflix]]
| released       = {{Film date|2022|11|18}}
| runtime        = 117 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $150 million<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Benjamin |date=2022-11-11 |title=Slumberland review – inventive big-budget Netflix adventure for kids |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/nov/11/netflix-slumberland-review-jason-momoa |access-date=2023-04-28 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
| gross          = 
}}
'''''Slumberland''''' is a 2022 American [[Fantasy fiction|fantasy adventure]] film directed by [[Francis Lawrence]] and written by David Guion and Michael Handelman. Based on the [[comic strip]] ''[[Little Nemo|Little Nemo in Slumberland]]'' by [[Winsor McCay]], the film stars [[Jason Momoa]], [[Chris O'Dowd]], [[Kyle Chandler]], [[Weruche Opia]], and introducing Marlow Barkley in her film debut as Nemo.<!--Despite the end credits of the film, the trailer listed Marlow Barkley with an introducing credit--><ref name="DoubleCasting">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/weruche-opia-india-de-beaufort-join-jason-momoa-in-fantasy-slumberland-exclusive|title=Weruche Opia, India de Beaufort Join Jason Momoa in Fantasy ''Slumberland'' (Exclusive)|date=February 18, 2021|first=Borys |last=Kit|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=February 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219003854/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/weruche-opia-india-de-beaufort-join-jason-momoa-in-fantasy-slumberland-exclusive|archive-date=February 19, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> It tells the story of a young girl who goes to live with her uncle after her father is lost at sea and enters Slumberland where she befriends a renegade character who is involved in a plot to get to the Sea of Nightmares and obtain a special pearl that may have the power to reunite her with her father. ''Slumberland'' was released on November 18, 2022, by [[Netflix]]. It received generally mixed reviews from critics.

==Plot==
Nemo is a young girl who lives in a [[lighthouse]] with her widowed father Peter, a lighthouse keeper. Every night, Peter tells her wild bedtime stories about his adventures with Flip, his old partner.

One night during a storm, Peter heads out to help a distressed boat. Nemo is later visited by the family friend Carla who informs her that Peter was lost at sea. With Nemo devastated by the news, Carla persuades Nemo's estranged uncle Philip to take her in before she becomes a [[Ward (law)|ward of the state]]. In contrast to his brother Peter, Philip is a doorknob salesman who leads a lonely, boring, and monotonous life. Nemo moves to the city with Philip and the two find it difficult to adjust to each other. When enrolled at a local school, she struggles to fit in as she meets school counselor Ms. Arya and a student named Jamal.

One night, she is awakened when her stuffed [[pig]] (Pig) comes to life. In reality, she is still asleep and in Slumberland, the world between [[dream]]s. Here, she meets Flip, learning that he is real and not simply a character her father made up. A stubborn and unscrupulous outlaw, Flip is looking for a map that will lead him to magical wish-granting pearls.

Nemo finds the map in the waking world and takes it back to Slumberland by sleeping through classes. Flip begrudgingly allows her to join him for the pearls so she can wish her father into her dreams. Nemo learns that Flip has refused to wake up for so long he no longer remembers who he is in the real world. He uses the map as a guide through various people's dreams to get to the Sea of Nightmares, where the pearls are. They are attacked by Nemo's nightmare, a cloud of smoke resembling a [[kraken]]. Flip is later imprisoned by Agent Green of the Bureau of Subconscious Activities (BoSA) for intruding on people's dreams.

In the real world, Philip shows Nemo an old videotape of him and Peter playing together as children. Nemo realizes that Flip is Philip's dream alter ego. As Flip has not woken up, Philip has lost that part of his personality and become Flip's opposite: docile and unadventurous. Nemo returns to Slumberland to rescue Flip. At the Sea of Nightmares, she reveals to him who he really is. The truth of his boring real life upsets him and Flip decides never to wake up. Nemo is awakened by Ms. Arya, who calls Philip to bring up her progress in school. This event leads to an argument between her and Philip.

Nemo runs away from home and sails through a storm back to the lighthouse. She hits her head and passes out in the boat, sending her back to Slumberland. In the Sea of Nightmares, she acquires a wishing pearl. Flip saves her from the kraken nightmare as in the real world, she falls into the water, unconscious. Philip arranges a rescue boat captained by Carla and heads toward the lighthouse, terrified by the storm. When the nightmare grabs Flip, Nemo uses her wish to force Flip to wake up. In the real world, Philip becomes emboldened and dives into the water to rescue Nemo.

In Slumberland, Green commends Nemo on using her wish to save Flip, saying Nemo has finally found something more important than what she has lost. Green reveals that Pig actually swallowed two pearls, allowing Nemo to wish to see her father again. Peter appears and the two spend time together before he tells her that life is waiting for her in the real world and she cannot stay. Nemo says goodbye to her father and wakes up, where Phillip embraces her, now embedded with the personality of Flip.

Nemo begins to improve her life in the waking world, making friends at school and repairing her relationship with her uncle as they make use of one of Peter's boats for sailing.

==Cast==
* Marlow Barkley as Nemo, a young girl who has dreams of Slumberland. The character is a boy in the 1900s comic strip.<ref name=SW>{{cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/jason-momoa-slumberland-first-look|title=''Slumberland'' first look finds Jason Momoa sporting a full set of not-so-sleepy horns|last=Grossberg|first=Josh|work=[[Syfy Wire]]|date=April 5, 2021|access-date=August 3, 2021}}</ref>
** Abigail White works as Nemo's photo double.
* [[Jason Momoa]] as Flip, a con artist with sharp teeth and the ears and horns of a goat who becomes Nemo's companion and was a former friend of Nemo's father Peter. The character is a clown in the 1900s comic strip.<ref name=SW/>
* [[Chris O'Dowd]] as Philip, Nemo's uncle who works as a doorknob salesman. He is the waking world counterpart of Flip.
** Cameron Nicoll as young Phillip
* [[Kyle Chandler]] as Peter, Nemo's father and former [[lighthouse keeper]] who gets lost at sea.
** Antonio Rane Pastore as young Peter.
* [[Weruche Opia]] as Agent Green, an operative of the Bureau of Subconscious Activities who Flip has been eluding.
* [[India de Beaufort]] as Ms. Arya, the [[school counselor]] at Nemo's school.
* Chris D'Silva as Jamal, Nemo's school friend.
* [[Yanna McIntosh]] as Carla, a family friend of Peter and Nemo.
* Jacob So as Emmett, a boy who dreams of driving a garbage truck.
* Izaak Smith as a Canadian guy who dreams about riding a giant [[Canada goose]]
* Michael Blake as an [[accountant]] whose dreams have him with more hair
* Humberly González as Graciela, a [[nun]] who dreams about being a salsa dancer.
* Ava Cheung as Ho-Sook
* Leslie Adlam as Agent Brown, an operative of the Bureau of Subconscious Activities.
* Jamillah Ross as Agent Orange, an operative of the Bureau of Subconscious Activities.
* Tonya Cornelisse as Agent Red, an operative of the Bureau of Subconscious Activities.
* Luxton Handspiker as Matt
* Katerina Taxia as Janice, a [[lunch lady]].

==Production==
===Development and casting===
On March 3, 2020, it was announced that [[Jason Momoa]] would star in a live-action adaptation of the comic strip series ''[[Little Nemo|Little Nemo in Slumberland]]'' by [[Winsor McCay]] from director [[Francis Lawrence]], with [[Netflix]] distributing and production starting in the summer of that same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/little-nemo-in-slumberland-movie-netflix-jason-momoa-cast/|title=Jason Momoa to Star in Live-Action ''Little Nemo in Slumberland'' for Netflix|date=March 3, 2020|first=Jenna |last=Anderson|website=Comicbook.com|access-date=February 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219004144/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/little-nemo-in-slumberland-movie-netflix-jason-momoa-cast/|archive-date=February 19, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> However, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], filming for the project was postponed. On October 12, 2020, [[Kyle Chandler]] joined the cast of the film, where [[Chris O'Dowd]] and Marlow Barkley had already been confirmed to star.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/10/kyle-chandler-jason-momoa-netflixs-slumberland-1234594645/|title=Kyle Chandler Joins Jason Momoa In Netflix's ''Slumberland''|date=October 12, 2020|first=Justin |last=Kroll|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=February 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219004302/https://deadline.com/2020/10/kyle-chandler-jason-momoa-netflixs-slumberland-1234594645/|archive-date=February 19, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, on February 18, [[Weruche Opia]] and [[India de Beaufort]] were cast.<ref name="DoubleCasting"/>

===Filming===
Filming began on February 18, 2021, in [[Toronto]], and concluded on May 19, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-witcher-blood-origin-jason-momoa-movie-might-rule-out-lead/|title=''The Witcher'': Jason Momoa's New Movie Might Rule Him Out As Blood Origin Lead|date=January 30, 2021|first=Matthew |last=Aguilar|website=[[Comic Book Resources]]|access-date=February 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219004424/https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-witcher-blood-origin-jason-momoa-movie-might-rule-out-lead/|archive-date=February 19, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://dailyhive.com/toronto/filming-in-toronto-february-2021|title=11 movies and TV shows filming in Toronto this February|date=February 4, 2021|first=Alison |last=Pudsey|website=[[Daily Hive]]|access-date=February 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205140146/https://dailyhive.com/toronto/filming-in-toronto-february-2021|archive-date=February 5, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://moviesr.net/p-netflix-fantasy-movie-slumberland-starring-jason-momoa-wraps-up-filming|title=Netflix Fantasy Movie ''Slumberland'' Starring Jason Momoa Wraps Up Filming [Exclusive]|date=May 21, 2021|last=Bradley|website=MoviesR|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521121720/https://moviesr.net/p-netflix-fantasy-movie-slumberland-starring-jason-momoa-wraps-up-filming|archive-date=May 21, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref>

===Post-production===
[[Pinar Toprak]] composed the musical score.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2022/01/05/pinar-toprak-to-score-francis-lawrences-slumberland/|title=Pinar Toprak to Score Francis Lawrence's ''Slumberland''|date=January 5, 2022|website=Film Music Reporter|access-date=January 6, 2022}}</ref> [[DNEG]] and [[Framestore]] provided the visual effects. Additional VFX was done by [[Scanline VFX]], Ghost VFX, Important Looking Pirates, Outpost VFX, [[Rodeo FX]], Incessant Rain Studios. and Pinscreen, which did AI VFX. The film's main and end titles were done by Imaginary Forces.

==Release==
''Slumberland'' was released on November 18, 2022, by [[Netflix]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/jason-momoa-slumberland-first-look-exclusive/|title=Jason Momoa Says Watching ''Slumberland'' with His Kids 'Blew Me Away' — See the Exclusive First Look|date=August 24, 2022|first=Glenn|last=Garner|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=August 24, 2022}}</ref> In its first week of release Slumberland was the fifth most streamed program for the week of November 21–27 accruing over 1 billion minutes viewed across the platform.<ref name="SlumberlandViews">{{cite magazine|last=Campione|first=Katie|url=https://deadline.com/2022/12/wednesday-netflix-nielsen-us-streaming-ratings-1235204384/ |title='Wednesday' Manages Record-Breaking Debut Week On Nielsen U.S. Streaming Charts |magazine=Deadline |date=December 21, 2020 |access-date=December 21, 2022}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|40|5.3|42|ref=yes|[[Winsor McCay]]'s classic Nemo comics are fertile ground for the right filmmaker, but ''Slumberland'' forsakes the spirit of the strips in favor of senseless spectacle.|access-date=19 November 2022}}{{cbignore}} {{Metacritic film prose|40|16|ref=yes|access-date=19 November 2022}}{{cbignore}}

==Accolades==
The film was nominated for two awards ([[Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature|Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature]] & [[Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature|Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature]]) at the [[21st Visual Effects Society Awards]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Tangcay |first1=Jazz |title=''Avatar: The Way of Water'' Leads Visual Effects Society Awards Nominations |url=https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/visual-effects-society-2023-awards-nominations-announced-ves-1235491339/ |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |date=January 17, 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Netflix title}}

{{Winsor McCay}}
{{Francis Lawrence}}

[[Category:2022 films]]
[[Category:2022 adventure films]]
[[Category:2022 fantasy films]]
[[Category:2020s American films]]
[[Category:2020s English-language films]]
[[Category:2020s fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:American fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:Chernin Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Netflix original films]]
[[Category:Film productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic]]
[[Category:Films about intelligence agencies]]
[[Category:2020s chase films]]
[[Category:Films about dreams]]
[[Category:Films based on American comics]]
[[Category:Films based on comic strips]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Winsor McCay]]
[[Category:Films directed by Francis Lawrence]]
[[Category:Films produced by Peter Chernin]]
[[Category:Films scored by Pinar Toprak]]
[[Category:Films shot in Toronto]]
[[Category:Little Nemo]]
[[Category:Live-action films based on comics]]
[[Category:Magic realism films]]
[[Category:Films about grief]]
[[Category:Battle of Britain films]]
[[Category:English-language fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:English-language action thriller films]]