two boys on a bird in the imaginary
(Netflix)

Netflix’s New Film ‘The Imaginary’ Takes Us Into a Brand New World

Animation is having a moment and Netflix is bringing us so many new movies and shows to explore. One is a new movie from Yoshiyuki Momose titled The Imaginary! Based on the book by A.F. Harrold, Studio Ponoc tells us that imaginary friends are very real.

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When Rudger is separated from his best friend Amanda, he must find her before fading away, and it looks like another beautiful exploration of friendship and the wonderment that comes from imaginary friends.

“This is a tale of Rudger, neither human nor animal, who is dismissed by adults as a fake, a mere figment of imagination,” screenwriter and producer Yoshiaki Nishimura said. “Our vision is to be as true as possible to our own stories, founded on our belief in this outrageous and wild fantasy.”

So what do we know about the new Netflix film?

What is The Imaginary about?

We’re in a bit of a thing with imaginary friends, but it is kind of fun to see. We had Imaginary, then came IF, and now with The Imaginary, we’re seeing Nishimura and Momose’s vision of Harrold’s story.

According to Netflix’s Tudum website, the film will explore our deep love of imaginary friends! The synopsis is as follows: “Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see, imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures. But when Rudger, suddenly alone, arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries go to live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat. Directed by renowned animator Yoshiyuki Momose (Spirited Away), The Imaginary is an unforgettable adventure of love, loss, and the healing power of imagination.”

Who is joining the voice cast?

As is always the exciting part of animated films, the voice cast for The Imaginary has some of our favorite people lending their voices to the cast!

The cast includes: Louie Rudge-Buchanan, Evie Kiszel, Hayley Atwell, Sky Katz, Jeremy Swift, Kal Penn, LeVar Burton, Jane Singer, Ruby Barnhill, Roger Craig Smith, Courtenay Taylor, Miles Nibbe, Ian James Corlett, A.F. Harrold, Cassandra Lee Morris, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Christopher Swindle, Fred Tatasciore, and Kari Wahlgren. 

How long do we have to wait?

The Imaginary hits Netflix on July 5!


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Rachel Leishman
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Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.