Netflix has unveiled the official trailer for Allen, the first live-action film produced by Ludo Studio, the Australian studio behind the hit animated series Bluey. Along with the teaser, the platform has also shared the first official images and confirmed the exact release date.
The film had been previously announced during Netflix's What Next? showcase, but details regarding its plot, cast, and creative team are finally available.
What is Allen about?
Allen is a sci-fi comedy described by Netflix as a heartwarming tale about friendship and adventure. The story takes place in a sunny coastal town in Queensland, Australia, and follows the reunion between two best friends separated for decades, with a surprising extraterrestrial twist.
The official logline shared by Netflix summarizes the premise: Twenty years after Petey lost the best friend he ever had, Allen is back.
What the Allen trailer shows
The trailer finally reveals the big secret behind the title: Allen is actually a tiny extraterrestrial. The film is framed as a sort of follow-up, two decades later, in the vein of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
The teaser introduces Petey, played by T.J. Power, an adult man still emotionally stuck in his past. Through flashbacks featuring home videos, it shows how a young Petey befriended Allen, a large-eyed, snack-loving alien, before they were traumatically separated.
Years later, while working a dead-end job and being urged by his friends to grow up, Petey spends his nights sending keyboard melodies into outer space. Everything changes when a giant sphere, similar to a disco ball, crashes on the beach and reunites the two friends, in a scene where Allen comically mistakes the adult Petey for someone who ate his childhood friend.
Although the reunion starts with fairground games and nostalgia, the trailer makes it clear that Allen's return hides something more. Petey's friends warn him that Allen didn't cross half the universe just to hang out, as the town begins to descend into chaos: overturned cars in flames, mysterious energy beams, and police dogs in full pursuit. Allen himself begins to wonder if he is a bad person for ruining Petey's life, making it clear that the alien visitor is keeping a big secret.
The comparison to Paul, the comedy starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, is almost inevitable when watching the tone of the trailer.
The vision of Daley Pearson, creator of Allen
Daley Pearson, the film's creator and also responsible for The Strange Chores and Content, has explained his personal connection to the story. In his words, Allen is at its heart a story about love, family, and those small and big childhood moments that end up shaping the adult we become. Pearson noted that being able to shoot this story in the region where he grew up, drawing inspiration from the friends and family he was raised with, represents a dream come true, and he defined the project as a film intended for families to watch together.
Allen cast
The film's protagonist is T.J. Power, known for his work in Eat Pray Love and The Sapphires, who plays Petey.
The main and supporting cast includes:
Charlotte Nicdao (Mythic Quest) as Carly.
Josh Helman (Mad Max: Fury Road, X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Jaden.
Emily Barclay (Please Like Me, Babyteeth) as Sarah.
Benedict Hardie (Upgrade) as Rory.
Chaydon Jay (Elvis) as Roy.
Kaipo Heke (The Bluff) as Nahuel.
Caitlin Niemotko as young Carly.
Edward O'Sullivan as young Petey.
Until the arrival of the trailer, details about the character of Allen were kept secret. It has now been confirmed that it is an extraterrestrial creature created using computer-generated effects.
Creative team behind the film
Allen is a production by Ludo Studio, the studio that turned Bluey into a global phenomenon, and which is now tackling its first feature film with this project.
The project is created by Daley Pearson, who also directs the film alongside Jeffrey Walker, responsible for The Artful Dodger and Apple Cider Vinegar. The screenplay is by Pearson himself along with Sophie Miller, writer of Thou Shalt Not Steal.
Executive producers include Daley Pearson, Charlie Aspinwall, and Sophie Miller, while production is handled by Sam Moor of Ludo Studio and Ross Allsop. Lauren Brown, also from Ludo Studio, serves as co-producer.
Filming and locations
Principal photography for Allen began in July 2025. The production was based at Screen Queensland Studios in Brisbane, while location shooting took place on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
The film is supported by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland's production attraction strategy. Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek highlighted the importance of the project, stressing that Ludo Studio represents a business success story for Queensland and that this Netflix production will allow the state's stories and its landscapes on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast to be showcased to the world.
Allen release date on Netflix
Netflix has officially confirmed that Allen will be released worldwide on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
The film joins the growing list of Australian productions in the Netflix catalog, which already includes titles such as Boy Swallows Universe, Territory, Apple Cider Vinegar, Son of a Donkey, and the final season of Heartbreak High.
Frequently asked questions about Allen
When is Allen released on Netflix?
Netflix has confirmed that Allen will arrive on the platform worldwide on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
Who stars in Allen?
T.J. Power leads the cast as Petey, accompanied by Charlotte Nicdao, Josh Helman, Emily Barclay, Benedict Hardie, Chaydon Jay, and Kaipo Heke, among others.
What is Allen in the film?
The trailer revealed that Allen is an extraterrestrial created through computer-generated visual effects, and the childhood best friend of the protagonist, Petey.
Who directs and creates Allen?
The film was created by Daley Pearson, who also directs it alongside Jeffrey Walker. The script is the work of Pearson and Sophie Miller.
Where was Allen filmed?
Filming began in July 2025 at Screen Queensland Studios in Brisbane, with additional locations on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
Is Allen the first film from Ludo Studio?
Yes, Allen marks the debut of Ludo Studio, the studio known for the animated series Bluey, in the live-action feature film format.
