Not Alone Teaser Trailer Makes First Contact
Fresh from its announcement at Annecy Festival last week, Illumination's new film Not Alone has got its first trailer. The film is the studio's latest original feature, and is due to be released next Spring.
The film features Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet in his debut animation role, and Selina Gomez in an animated rom-com with a twist.
Chamalet voices Joe, an introverted rocket mechanic. Gomez voices Fran, a brilliant astro-botanist who is developing the world's first plant-fuelled rocket. When they meet, it's love at first sight, but neither is all that experienced in the world of romance.
Joe's quiet existence is soon disrupted when three diminutive extraterrestrials decide to take refuge in his house. Dunk, Welly and Shirm are fugitives on the run from Zandro, an overzealous but useless officer of the law who is determined to track them down. The trio think that the secret of their escape could lie in Fran's rocket...
The aliens are voiced by British comedy stars Rob Brydon (The Trip), Diane Morgan (aka Philomena Cunk) and Jamie Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats) as Dunk, Welly and Shirm, with Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso) as Zandro. The supporting voice cast includes Alison Janney and Lamorne Morris.
Not Alone is directed by Eric Guillon, Claire Dodgson and Jonathan Del Val. Guillon was co-director of Despicable Me 3, and was also the designer on the Despicable Me and Minions series, as well as doing additional design work on the Secret Life Of Pets and Sing movies. Dodgson was an editor on The Lorax, Minions, Despicable Me 3 and Minions: The Rise of Gru. Del Val co-directed Minions: The Rise Of Gru and The Secret Life Of Pets 2.
The film is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and executive produced by Joy Poirel, Richard Curtis and David Distenfeld. The involvement of Curtis is particularly noteworthy: the writer of such films as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually, he has a strong background in romantic comedy. Combined with the large contingent of Brit comedians among the cast, the film looks set to have a unique flavour (with a u).
The trailer concentrates mainly on the meet-cute between Joe and Fran, only introducing the aliens towards the end. We see enough of them to know that they will bring some Minion-esque chaos to proceedings, however. This is looking like another charmer from Illumination.
Not Alone will be released in cinemas on April 16, 2027.
