Spaceman Trailer Reveals Adam Sandler’s Conversations with a Big Spider
Sandler’s dramatic turn continues with a mystical sci-fi tale.
Adam Sandler has developed a surprising taste for innovative drama. Thanks to films like Uncut Gems, he’s gone from the poster child of goofy comedies and formulaic rom-coms to an actor worth watching out for. While he’s still making his trademark Netflix comedies like Murder Mystery 2 and Leo, his next role brings him into deep space for a solitary sci-fi tale that’s even stranger than it first appeared.
Spaceman, directed by Chernobyl’s Johan Renck, is the story of Jakub Procházka (Sandler), a Czech astronaut who manages to be chosen for a deep space mission despite the odds against him, only to realize he wants to return home to his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan). While exploring another planet, he discovers Hanus, a mysterious giant spider (voiced by Paul Dano) who helps a desperate Jakub through his inner turmoil. Netflix just released a new trailer that reveals Procházka’s possible descent into madness.
The film, based on the novel Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar, may seem like a touching drama, but the source material reveals just how integral the sci-fi elements are to the story. In the book, Jakub’s mission revolves around the mystery of why a space cloud is making Earth’s sky turn purple. The purple cloud features heavily in the trailer, so this plot point will likely carry over.
Spaceman also has a significant element of surrealism. “You wish to know if I am real,” Hanus says, a question that lingers in each of the trailer’s shots. We see Jakub watch particles dance outside his window, deal with projections of his past, and even confront a vision of his wife, but it’s unclear how much of that is actually happening and if we’ll get any definitive answers.
Hanus introduces himself to Jakub.
While Spaceman looks to be a redefining role for Sandler, it could also be a game-changer for Netflix, as it would prove the streamer could put out serious sci-fi alongside dreck like Rebel Moon. Spaceman’s unreliable and surreal nature might give Netflix a foothold in the space opera and drama subgenres that Apple has dominated lately.
With a seasoned star and unique premise, Spaceman could prove it’s worthy of a spot alongside other cerebral classics like Interstellar, Moon, and Annihilation. And if not, Sandler could always fall back on his formula and make Hubie Halloween 2.
