Allen is now on Netflix: Bluey studio makes live-action debut

Allen landed on Netflix on November 12, 2026. It’s a nostalgic Australian sci-fi film from Ludo Studio, the team behind Bluey, and the company’s first live-action feature. The story follows Petey, who’s still carrying the disappearance of his childhood alien friend Allen 20 years later, when Allen suddenly turns up again in his coastal Queensland hometown with a secret that could change the world.

For all its comedy, adventure, and light-horror touches, Allen is really interested in grief, memory, unfinished loss, and the way a friendship from childhood can keep shaping a life long after the fact.

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The film was shot around Coolum and Mount Coolum, and it doesn’t hide where it’s from. Its Australian identity is front and center, while the 1998 flashbacks are stuffed with period details: Cheezels, Tazos, Bubble O’ Bills, Street Sharks, and Etch A Sketches.

Early reviews have also pointed to the film’s warm, hazy Kodak-style look, along with the blend of puppetry and CGI used to bring Allen to life.

If you grew up on E.T., this may be one to put on your list. Even so, the first wave of reviews is mixed, with some praising its sincerity, creature work, and family-friendly sense of wonder, while others find it unsubtle, derivative, and a little too reliant on nostalgia.

You can stream Allen on Netflix now. The film also feels like a real marker for Netflix’s Australian originals, even if details on its budget, viewing numbers, and major coverage in the US and UK are still pretty thin.

Author: Emmanuel Pina

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