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After giving the viewers hits like Plankton: The Movie, The Garfield Movie, and Spellbound, Netflix is back with another heartfelt animated film, In Your Dreams. It promises an emotional journey into a magical world that is full of endless possibilities. The film revolves around a pair of siblings who uncover the legend of the Sandman.

This feature is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most eagerly awaited releases as it has colorful visuals and a blend of humor, adventure, and emotional moments. However, what a lot of people don’t know is that the film is deeply personal for director Alex Woo and his actor brother, Simu Liu.

How does Netflix’s In Your Dreams resonate with the lives of Simu Liu and Alex Woo? A scene from Netflix’s In Your Dream / Credit: Netflix

In In Your Dreams, Stevie and Elliot desperately try to reconnect with their parents.

At this year’s Annecy Animation Festival, Netflix unveiled a first look at its upcoming original animated feature “In Your Dreams,” produced by Kuku Studios. Directed by Alex Woo and co-directed by Erik Benson, the film follows a brother-sister duo as they navigate fantastical dream worlds in a heartfelt attempt to fix their family.

What made the Annecy sneak peek feel truly special was how deeply personal, funny and creatively liberated the project is. That was hammered home in a candid sit-down discussion later between Variety, Woo, production designer Steve Pilcher and VFX supervisor Nicola Lavender.

“It’s so exciting,” Woo said when asked about the opportunity to create something wholly original. “I mean, it’s true, it’s an original, but it’s not like we’re starting from nothing. We’re starting from, you know, the personal story that inspired it. We’re starting from the concept of dreams,...

To get any drama out of the way, the animated movie that Netflix really wants to do well is due to be released on November 14, 2025. That should be just in time for families to watch In Your Dreams over the Thanksgiving break and during the December holidays. Perfect timing.

But will the movie be any good? It should be, based on the directing team of Alex Woo and Erik Benson. Your favorite streamer doesn't do anything half-heartedly, and if it's going to delve into spending money on an animated flick, you can bet that money is going to be well spent.

So, as you can see in the recently dropped teaser trailer for In Your Dreams, the graphics are great, the voices are perfect, and the hijinks are real. Heck, there is even a sarcastic giraffe voice by Craig Robinson, likely best known for his work on The Office.

Netflix...

Netflix is preparing to release a brand-new animated feature called In Your Dreams. Director Alex Woo recently discussed the film and explained its origins.

"In Your Dreams began 10 years ago, when I left Pixar to start Kuku Studios," Woo's director's note reads vi Deadline. "At the time, we were a tiny team of three, imagining the kinds of stories we wished to see in the world. One of our first ideas was a film about dreams. Dreams have always fascinated me. Why do we have them? Where do they come from? What do they tell us about ourselves? Making this movie gave me the chance to explore those questions in the most fun and fantastical ways I could imagine."

Directed by Woo from a screenplay co-written alongside Erik Benson, which itself was based on a story the duo developed with Stanley Moore,In Your Dreams follows Stevie, a teenage girl who,...

Directed by Alex Woo and Erik Benson, and produced by Timothy Hahn and Gregg Taylor, In Your Dreams follows a pair of siblings who navigate the magically absurd world of their dreams in search of the mythical Sandman, hoping he can grant their ultimate wish: the perfect family.

The adventure centers on Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her younger brother Elliot (Elias Janssen), two polar opposites whose bickering gives way to unexpected teamwork when they tumble into their subconscious. Their surreal quest introduces them to such dreamscape oddities as a sarcastic stuffed giraffe named Baloney Tony (Craig Robinson), zombie breakfast foods, a man-eating hot dog and the queen of nightmares herself.

Woo, who left Pixar a decade ago to found startup Kuku Studios, introduced the film as a work in progress to the Annecy audience on Wednesday. He said the story of In Your Dreams came from a deeply personal place,...

Alex Woo y Erik Benson estrenan en Netflix una comedia de aventuras. © Netflix

Netflix ha compartido el primer tráiler y póster de su película animada En sueños (In Your Dreams), dirigida por el ex-artista de Pixar Alex Woo (Wall-e) y el también ex-artista de Pixar Erik Benson (Toy Story 4).

En sueños es una comedia de aventuras que sigue a Stevie y Elliot, dos hermanos que descubren un libro mágico que les permite entrar en el absurdo mundo de sus sueños. Si son capaces de enfrentarse a una sarcástica jirafa de peluche, a un desayuno zombi y a la reina de las pesadillas, Sandman les concederá su mayor deseo: la familia perfecta.

El reparto de voces incluye a Craig Robinson, Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Omid Djalili, Gia Carides, SungWon Cho y Zachary Noah Piser.

El director Alex Woo, que se inspiró en el divorcio de sus padres para construir la historia,...

Netflix dropped the teaser trailer for its animated Oscar-hopeful, “In Your Dreams” (streaming November 14), the original comedy-fantasy about siblings trying to save their parents’ marriage by enlisting the aid of the mythical Sandman. Former Pixar story artist Alex Woo (“Wall-e”) directs with Erik Benson, another ex-Pixar story artist (“Toy Story 4”). The film is produced by Netflix Animation and Woo’s Kuku Studios, with animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks. The voice cast is led by Cristin Milioti as the mom and Simu Liu as the dad.

“In Your Dreams” finds Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her younger brother Elliot (voiced by Elias Janssen) discovering a magic book, which allows them to enter the wacky realm of their dreams, where the Sandman (voiced by Omid Djalili) can grant their wish for the perfect family. Along the way, they encounter Elliot’s long-lost stuffed giraffe, Baloney Tony (voiced by Craig Robinson), zombie breakfast foods,...

”In Your Dreams” is a new CG-animated fantasy feature, directed by Alex Woo, and co-directed by Erik Benson, starring Simu Liu, Craig Robinson, Cristin Milioti, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Gia Carides, Omid Djalili, SungWon Cho, and Zachary Noah Piser. Streaming November 14, 2025 on Netflix:

“…’Stevie’ and her brother ‘Elliot’, magically travel into the world of dreams to find ‘The Sandman’, who would grant their wish of saving their parents' marriage…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

This fall is about to be one for the books thanks to Netflix’s upcoming family adventure animation, which is, of course, stacked with quite an impressive list of actors. Titled In Your Dreams, the musical film is scheduled to drop on the streamer on Friday, November 14, but with all these months between now and then, fans have fortunately been gifted with an enchanting trailer. Alex Woo directs In Your Dreams with co-director Erik Benson, from a script by the two and a story by Woo and Stanley Moore. Producers are Timothy Hahn and Gregg Taylor.

The comedy follows two delightful siblings, 12-year-old Stevie and her 8-year-old brother, Elliot, as they venture through an absurd world of their own imagination to make their family perfect again. As teased by Netflix, it all begins when the duo discovers a magical picture book that says the Sandman can make any dream a reality.

Movies like Inception and the A Nightmare on Elm Street series showed audiences the possibilities of entering the surreal world of dreams. But while those were broad experiences for adults, Netflix’s new animated comedy shows how the fun and wacky dreams of kids can be a unique adventure all its own. Netflix has just released the new trailer for In Your Dreams. The trailer is everything a kid would want — a vast world of yummy dessert treats, reuniting with an old beloved toy and living out an anime fantasy.

The official synopsis from the streamer reads,

“In Your Dreams is a comedy adventure that follows Stevie and her brother Elliot as they journey into the absurd landscape of their own dreams. If the siblings can withstand a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie breakfast foods, and the queen of nightmares, the Sandman will grant them their ultimate dream come true…the perfect family.

Netflix has revealed the release date, teaser trailer, and artwork for In Your Dreams, an upcoming animated comedy adventure. The film is set to launch on the streaming service on November 14, 2025.

The film is officially described as follows: “When 12-year-old Stevie and her 8-year-old brother, Elliot, discover a magical picture book that says the Sandman can make any dream a reality, the duo embark on a life-affirming journey into the dream realm to find the mythical character. Longing to make their family perfect, the duo urgently wishes for it to come true.”

The cast includes Simu Liu as Dad, Craig Robinson as Baloney Tony, Cristin Milioti as Mom, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Stevie, Elias Janssen as Elliot, Gia Carides as Nightmara, Omid Djalili as The Sandman, SungWon Cho as Chad, and Zachary Noah Piser as Joon Bae.

Written and directed by Alex Woo, In Your Dreams is a magical saga with plenty of heart.

Netflix has dropped the first teaser trailer and poster art for its big animation film of the year, In Your Dreams.

The original feature, directed by Alex Woo and Erik Benson, follows a pair of siblings who navigate the magically absurd world of their dreams in search of the mythical Sandman, hoping he can grant their ultimate wish: The perfect family.

Woo presented the film as a work in progress to audiences at the Annecy international animation festival this week.

Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) from ‘In Your Dreams’ Netflix ©2025

The adventure of In Your Dreams centers on Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her younger brother Elliot (Elias Janssen), two polar opposites whose bickering gives way to unexpected teamwork when they tumble into their subconscious. Their surreal quest introduces them to such dreamscape oddities as a sarcastic stuffed giraffe named Baloney Tony (Craig Robinson), zombie breakfast foods, a man-eating...

Netflix has dropped the first trailer for upcoming animated comedy adventure In Your Dreams.

The movie follows the adventures of 12-year-old Stevie and her 8-year-old brother, Elliot, who discover a magical picture book that says the Sandman can make any dream a reality.

The duo embarks on a life-affirming journey into the dream world to find the mythical character, to ask him to fulfil their dream of making their family perfect.

Along the way, they encounter Baloney Tony, Elliot’s beloved, long lost stuffed toy, a one-eyed giraffe with a matted mane, as well as the queen of nightmares.

Alex Woo directs with co-director Erik Benson, with the pair co-writing the screenplay, from a story by Woo and Stanley Moore. Producers are Timothy Hahn and Gregg Taylor.

The voice cast features Craig Robinson (The Bad Guys 1 &2) as Baloney Tony, Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as...

Dream on! In the new trailer for Netflix’s animated comedy “In Your Dreams,” two siblings discover the “The Legend of the Sandman,” a book that sets them on a wild adventure through their dreams. Aptly set to Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams,” the footage shows off their descent into the dream world, from a town made entirely of breakfast food to the age-old “naked dream.”

The film stars Craig Robinson, Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Omid Djalili, Gia Carides, SungWon Cho and Zachary Noah Piser. The film will debut on Netflix on Nov. 14.

“In Your Dreams” is directed by Alex Woo and co-directed by Erik Benson. Woo and Benson wrote the screenplay together, from a story by Woo and Stanley Moore. Timothy Hahn, p.g.a. and Gregg Taylor, p.g.a. are producers. The film’s music is by John Debney, while Kuku Studios crafted the animation.

Searching for a family adventure that won’t break the bank? Coming to Netflix this fall, In Your Dreams takes you on a fantastical journey from the comfort of your own home.

In this enchanting tale, Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her brother, Elliot (voiced by Elias Janssen), venture through an absurd world of their own imagination to make their family perfect again. If the siblings can withstand a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie breakfast foods, and the queen of nightmares, their dream just might come true.

See a new teaser trailer for the animated adventure above.

Written and directed by Alex Woo, In Your Dreams is a magical saga with plenty of heart. Erik Benson joined as co-director and writer, and Tim Hahn and Gregg Taylor as producers.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about the upcoming film, including the new cast joining this epic ride.

When...

Netflix revealed the first details of its Stranger Things animated spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, and its hot awards-season contender In Your Dreams at a panel at the Annecy film festival on Wednesday

The animated expansion of the Stranger Things universe will be set in Hawkins “in the stark winter of 1985” between seasons 2 and 3 of the original live-action series and feature the show’s original characters — with one new edition, Nikki, a tough, mohawk-wearing gal — fighting “new monsters and unravel[ing] a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town.”

Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer are executive producing the animated series via their Upside Down Pictures production banner, along with Upside Down’s Hilary Leavitt, and Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen via 21 Laps. Eric Robles will executive produce via Flying Bark Productions and act as showrunner.

Robles gave the Annecy audience a sneak peek at the series, which he said was...

Netflix took center stage early evening at Annecy today with its Bonlieu-hosted presentation Next on Netflix Animation: From “Stranger Things” to “In Your Dreams.” The standing room only session featured showrunner Eric Robles introducing the animated spinoff “Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85,” a family spectacle blending nostalgia with supernatural intrigue.

Netflix’s official logline for the series reads: “Welcome back to Hawkins in the stark winter of 1985, where the original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, an epic new animated series.”

With animation headed by Australian outfit Flying Bark, the show is being executive produced by “Stranger Things” creators Matt and Ross Duffer via their Upside Down Pictures, along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen via 21 Laps, Eric Robles, – who is showrunning the series – via Flying Bark Productions and Hilary Leavitt from Upside Down Pictures.

“The team and I,...

After releasing stand-out animations like Nimona, Ultraman Rising, Spellbound, and Wallace & Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl, Netflix is ready to take this year’s Annecy International Animation Festival by storm with exciting new releases planned for 2025 and beyond. Netflix Animation returns to the Théâtre Bonlieu on Wednesday, June 11, for the fest, with exclusive previews for the animated fantasy adventure In Your Dreams and Stranger Things: Tales From ’85.

Executive producer Eric Robles will present a world-exclusive first look at the Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 series, while director Alex Woo, production designer Steven Pilcher, and VFX supervisor Nicola Lavender will debut never-before-seen footage from their upcoming film In Your Dreams during a special panel. Additionally, Netflix will bring Genndy Tartakovsky’s Fixed to the Annecy stage for its world premiere on Wednesday, June 11.

Other must-see events include A masterclass with Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the creator of BoJack Horseman, which follows on Thursday, June...

Netflix will debut a world exclusive first-look at “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85” at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.

The new animated series – set in the “Stranger Things” universe – will be presented by executive producer Eric Robles during the “Next on Netflix Animation” showcase on June 11.

“Your Saturday morning cartoons are getting turned upside down,” teased the organizers.

It won’t be the only title getting the spotlight, however, with director Alex Woo, production designer Steven Pilcher and VFX supervisor Nicola Lavender presenting never-before-seen footage from upcoming film “In Your Dreams,” handled by Kuku Studios.

Set for fall release, “In Your Dreams” is a comedy adventure that follows Stevie and her brother Elliot as they journey into the absurd landscape of their own dreams. “If the siblings can withstand a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie breakfast foods and the queen of nightmares, the Sandman will grant them their ultimate...

Cristin Milioti experienced a well-deserved whirlwind awards season thanks to her indelible performance as Sofia Falcone in the Colin Farrell-led Penguin streaming series. Milioti won the Critics Choice Award (Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television) for her portrayal of the antagonist, and she was also nominated for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award, among others. Now, the talented thespian is joining Netflix’s upcoming animated adventure, In Your Dreams,in which Milioti will play Mom in the film. One of the movie’s writers and directors, Alex Woo, said of her casting in a new interview:

"Cristin is an Egot-level talent. She can sing. She can act. I haven’t seen her dance, but I’m sure she could give Ginger Rogers a run for her money. You believe every performance Cristin gives, and that’s every director’s dream come true.

Elias Janssen as Elliot, Cristin Milioti as Mom and Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Stevie in ‘In Your Dreams’ (Photo Cr: Netflix © 2025)

Critics Choice Awards winner Cristin Milioti (The Penguin) will play mom to Simu Liu’s dad in Netflix’s animated adventure In Your Dreams. Milioti is one of the latest actors to join the production, joining Liu and Craig Robinson, who were previously announced to lend their voices to the family-friendly film.

New cast members also include Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Gia Carides, Omid Djalili, SungWon Cho, and Zachary Noah Piser.

“In Your Dreams is a comedy adventure about Stevie and her brother Elliot who journey into the absurd landscape of their own dreams,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “If the siblings can withstand a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie breakfast foods, and the queen of nightmares, the Sandman will grant them their ultimate dream come true…the perfect family.”

Alex Wood...

“The Penguin” star Cristin Milioti has joined the cast of Netflix’s animated feature “In Your Dreams.”

Milioti joins Simu Liu and Craig Robinson, as well as Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Gia Carides, Omid Djalili, SungWon Cho and Zachary Noah Piser.

Set to be released later this year, “In Your Dreams” follows Stevie and her brother Elliot who journey into the absurd landscape of their own dreams. If the siblings can withstand a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie breakfast foods and the queen of nightmares, the Sandman will grant them their ultimate dream come true…the perfect family.

Alexander Woo co-wrote the story with Erik Benson and Stanley Moore, and makes his animated feature directorial debut. Woo said, “Cristin is an Egot-level talent. She can sing. She can act. I haven’t seen her dance, but I’m sure she could give Ginger Rogers a run for her money. You believe...

We're just a few days away from the premiere of "Ultraman: Rising" on Netflix, the latest addition to the ever-growing animation library of the streamer. Animation has been on shaky ground for the last few years, with the animation guild growing stronger to fight for fair contractions as creatives continue to battle against the dystopian threat of artificial intelligence. Fortunately, animation is still as popular and well-loved as ever, and Netflix has been absolutely crushing it as of late. Not only did the streamer pull in an Academy Award for Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio" in 2022, but shows like "Blue Eye Samurai," "Arcane," "Love, Death, & Robots," and movies like "Wendell & Wild," "The Sea Beast," and "The Mitchells vs. the Machines" are some of the best releases of original animation, period.

Today I was in attendance at the Next on Netflix: Animation event to preview their upcoming slate of animation,...

Exclusive: Former UTA agent Anna Berthold-Zuk has joined Stampede Ventures as Executive Vice President of Animation and Kids & Family, the company’s President Chris Bosco announced on Thursday.

In her new role, Berthold-Zuk will guide Stampede’s existing kids & family initiatives and oversee expansion in this space as she continues to build out additional creator-driven ventures aimed at launching new franchises. Additionally, she will work to find ways to overcome current hurdles in the kids & family business by building out strategic ventures necessary to support the launch of said franchises in the wake of continual constriction within the industry.

Berthold-Zuk’s appointment bolsters Stampede’s ability to expand its Kids & Family reach in tandem with their existing ventures including Mo Willems’s Hidden Pigeon Company with RedBird Capital Partners and HappyNest Entertainment, a co-venture with UTA, which Berthold-Zuk helped put together. Looking ahead, she will work closely with Sadaf Cohen Muncy,...

Lin (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and Monkey King (Jimmy O. Yang) – Photo Credit: Netflix © 2023)

Netflix’s slate of upcoming animated films includes The Monkey King directed by Anthony Stacchi (The Boxtrolls) and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie – a new SpongeBob SquarePants film. The 2023-2024 slate also includes the animated musical comedy Leo featuring the voice of Adam Sandler, along with a new Chicken Run film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

The streaming service also released details on In Your Dreams, That Christmas, Thelma the Unicorn, Nimona, and Ultraman.

Nimona – Summer 2023

This summer, Netflix will release the highly anticipated Nimona, based on the bestselling graphic novel by Nd Stevenson. Nimona follows Ballister Boldheart, a knight framed for a crime he didn’t commit, and the titular shapeshifter who sets out to help him prove his innocence.

Netflix confirms joining the film’s previously announced cast members Chloë Grace Moretz...

Netflix on Tuesday announced the new animated films In Your Dreams and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, coming to the platform in 2024, also setting new voice cast for the fantasy adventure Nimona and offering new first-look stills from each of its animated titles debuting over the next 18 months, which you can view above and below.

The streamer’s first new film, In Your Dreams, is billed as a comedy adventure about Stevie and her brother Elliot, who magically travel into the world of dreams with the mission of finding The Sandman who will grant them their ultimate wish — saving their parents’ marriage. The kids are total opposites, making them an unlikely duo to navigate the absurdity of their own subconscious. Along their journey, they discover that as long as they have each other, they can face anything, even their worst nightmare. Alex Woo is directing, with Erik Benson as co-director,...

Netflix announced two new animated features coming to the platform in 2024: A new SpongeBob SquarePants-themed movie titled Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie; and In Your Dreams, a comedy adventure about a pair of siblings who magically travel into the world of dreams.

As part of an overview of its 2023-2024 slate, Netflix Animation revealed additional cast members for its summer release Nimona, based on the graphic novel by Nd Stevenson, and released first-look images and new art for its upcoming titles.

In Nickelodeon’s Liza Johnson-helmed Bikini Bottom, all its denizens are suddenly scooped out of the ocean, and Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob SquarePants journey to Texas to save the town from a villainous plot. The ensemble voice cast includes Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks), Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Wanda Sykes and Johnny Knoxville.

‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’

Produced by Kuku Studios, In Your Dreams...

Netflix has entered into an overall deal with Kuku Studios to produce a host of animated films and TV shows for the streaming titan.

Under the new pact, Alex Woo, Stanley Moore, Tim Hahn, and Erik Benson will serve as executive producers on exclusive cartooned projects. The creative animation team previously worked on hits including “Ratatouille,” “Toy Story 3,” Monster’s University,” and “Finding Dory.”

The first project is “Go! Go! Cory Carson,” a preschool series based on the hit toy line Go! Go! Smart Wheels from VTech Electronics, is slated to launch on Netflix early in 2020. The streamer also greenlit a still-untitled animated feature film, which will be produced in Kuku’s California-based studio. The movie will explore the power and magic of dreams.

“With ‘Go! Go! Cory Carson,’ the creative team at Kuku proved that they can bring their vast cinematic experience into the preschool realm, and the...

Netflix has closed a multi-year overall agreement for film and TV with Kuku Studios, a Berkeley, CA-based animation house founded by former Pixar senior creative and production staffers. Under the pact, Netflix has ordered an animated feature film from Kuku, which explores the power and magic of dreams.

The overall deal stems from the first commission for Kuku made by Netflix last year — preschool series Go! Go! Cory Carson, based on the hit toy line Go! Go! Smart Wheels from VTech Electronics, which will debut on the streamer in early 2020.

Under the overall pact, Kuku, led by founders Alex Woo, Stanley Moore and Tim Hahn and director Erik Benson, will exclusively produce animated films and series for Netflix.

“With Go! Go! Cory Carson, the creative team at Kuku proved that they can bring their vast cinematic experience into the preschool realm, and the result is a breathtaking show that we...

Yesterday, I got a look at Pixar’s other contender this year in The Good Dinosaur, and let me tell you…2015 is a good year for the studio. Sure, Inside Out is getting a bit of Best Picture buzz and has been called one of the best Pixar films in some time, but The Good Dinosaur is no slouch either. Though not quite on par with their instant classics, this movie is very strong and perhaps one of the most beautiful looking bits of animation ever. In that regard, it’s quite special, trust me there. It’s going to be an Oscar contender for sure, so it’s two for two for Pixar this year. It comes out this week and it’s surely about to become a big hit. The film is a what if about a situation where the dinosaurs never went extinct. What would have happened...