Netflix’s ‘Allen’ Trailer Turns a Childhood Alien Friendship Into a Very Grown-Up Problem

Some friendships are hard to let go of, and the new ‘Allen‘ trailer is built on that feeling. One outlet pointed out that the premise reads like a hypothetical sequel to ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’, with the kid who never got over his alien pal all grown up. That nostalgic hook is exactly what makes the footage so easy to get invested in.

The film also comes from an unexpected place. It is the work of Brisbane-based Ludo Studio, the producers of ‘Bluey’, and it follows a Queensland man whose childhood best friend was an alien. It is the studio’s first locally produced live-action feature film.

Netflix has now released the official trailer, and it opens on adult Petey beaming a signal into space in the hope that his old friend will return. He rewatches tapes of their childhood adventures while his family asks why he can’t grow up. He insists the best thing that ever happened to him is already behind him.

The film follows that man’s reunion with his alien best friend 20 years after they first met. When Petey finally yells at the sky, Allen answers by arriving in a glowing spaceship. The film premieres on Netflix on November 12.

The reunion comes with a catch. According to the official synopsis, Allen vanished without a goodbye and returns with a secret big enough to change the world. Petey will have to finally grow up to help save it.

First trailer for ‘ALLEN’. The film follows a man who is reunited with his childhood alien best friend 20 years after they first met. Releasing November 12 on Netflix. https://t.co/bB02r4MkkY

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 27, 2026

The trailer leans on humor as much as heart. Petey is stuck in a dead-end shop job, his exasperated friends beg him to grow up, and he spends his nights broadcasting keyboard melodies into deep space. A giant, disco-ball-like orb eventually crash-lands on the beach, and Allen hilariously mistakes the adult Petey for someone who ate his childhood friend.

The footage also winks at other movies. It reportedly includes references to ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ and ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’. The earlier teaser played with the title’s resemblance to Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic ‘Alien’, using text that echoes that film’s title treatment. The mix of homage and goofiness gives the film a distinct identity.

Some mysteries remain. It is not yet clear who is voicing Allen himself. The trailer also never reveals the secret itself, which could be nefarious or something far gentler.

T.J. Power stars as Petey, with Charlotte Nicdao, Josh Helman, Emily Barclay, Benedict Hardie, Kaipo Heke, Chaydon Jay and Danny Kim rounding out the cast. Edward A. O’Sullivan plays a younger version of Petey. Nicdao plays Carly, Barclay plays Sarah, Hardie plays Rory and Helman plays Jaden.

Daley Pearson and Jeffrey Walker co-direct the film. Walker previously directed ‘Dance Academy: The Movie’, ‘Ali’s Wedding’ and ‘The Portable Door’. Pearson wrote the screenplay with Sophie Miller.

When the production was announced, Pearson described the story as being about love, family and the childhood moments that shape adulthood. That gives the growing-up premise a more personal foundation than a standard alien-visitor setup.

Production kicked off in July 2025 in Queensland. Filming took place across the state, including Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Netflix describes the film as a heartwarming, hope-filled tale of Aussie nostalgia, friendship and adventure set in a sun-drenched Queensland coastal town.

Alongside the trailer, Netflix released a new poster and 5 images from the film. The movie runs 1 hour 45 minutes. It is a separate project from Ludo Studio’s previously announced ‘Bluey’ film.

The film offers a gentle alternative to bigger and darker sci-fi. It arrives on Netflix in the wake of popular films such as ‘Project Hail Mary’. Its bet is that a friendship story with a comic edge can stand out.

The trailer’s strongest asset is its central question. Getting a childhood friend back is a dream come true, but it does not give Petey his childhood back. That tension between wish fulfillment and responsibility could be what sets ‘Allen’ apart from other alien-friend stories.

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