Netflix has revealed a first look at Spaceman, the new sci-fi drama from Chernobyl director Johan Renck starring Adam Sandler. You can watch the first look on YouTube and read on to learn more about the project.
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.
Based on the novel Spaceman of Bohemia, the film also stars Kunal Nayyar, Lena Olin, and Isabella Rossellini. Spaceman will begin streaming on Netflix on March 1, 2024.
Written by Colby Day, the film is produced by Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin, Peter Kiernan, Michael Parets, Tim Headington, Lia Buman, and Max Silva.
The executive producers include Ben Ormand, Johan Renck, and Barry Bernardi.
“I really wanted to have a performance from him that had nothing to do with the Adam Sandler we all know,” director Johan Renck told Netflix’s Tudum. “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.”
The secret creature is voiced by Okja star Paul Dano. “Paul was the first thing that came up in thinking about [the creature],” Renck said. “He has this peculiar cadence when he’s speaking, his careful formulation of words, and his very unique voice.”
Renck added that the relationship between Jakub and Lenka is the heart of Spaceman. “Carey Mulligan is incredible, both in terms of her technical skills and her tremendous authenticity,” the director said. “I love her as Lenka. She’s such a big part of this film and does such an extraordinary job.”
Spaceman of Bohemia author Jaroslav Kalfař told Tudum that the cosmic tale had humble origins. “Spaceman began as a short story that I wrote in my last year of college. Originally, it was just a punch line about an American astronaut who was stranded in orbit when he received a call from his wife asking for a divorce.”
Kalfař said he is very pleased with the adaptation: “I was completely blown away when I saw the film. I’ve seen it twice now,” he said. “I think all the people out there who love weird things and weird art will hopefully be delighted by it.”
“During the quarantine, we had all these late nights, two-hour conversations about the character and about the book,” Kalfař said about Adam Sandler. “And he was so curious about what it is to be Czech and the Czech history.”
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.