BLUEY STUDIO'S FIRST LIVE-ACTION FILM ALLEN LANDS ON NETFLIX: WHAT TO KNOW
If your household has watched every episode of Bluey more times than you care to admit, the Bluey studio has something new for you to enjoy together.
Allen, the first live-action feature film from Brisbane's Ludo Studio, arrived on Netflix around the world on Thursday, November 12.
It went live at 7pm AEDT, which meant 6pm for families in Queensland, just in time for a weekend of popcorn on the couch.
The film celebrated its Brisbane premiere the night before, with cast, crew and special guests gathering at Angelika Cinemas on November 11, TV Blackbox reported.
What is Allen about?
The story follows Petey, a Queensland man who befriended a small alien as a boy.
His otherworldly best friend, Allen, disappeared without saying goodbye, and Petey has never quite moved on.
Twenty years later, Allen comes back, and according to Variety Australia, he returns with a secret that could change the world.
That leaves grown-up Petey with no choice but to face his past and finally do some growing up of his own.
It sounds like a big sci-fi adventure, but the people behind it say the heart of the film is much closer to home.
Creator Daley Pearson has described it as a story about love, family and the small moments from childhood that shape who we become.
The Bluey studio behind the film
Ludo Studio is the Brisbane company that gave the world the Heeler family, and Bluey has become one of the most loved children's shows on the planet.
Allen is the studio's first locally made live-action feature, so it is a big step for a team best known for animation.
Daley Pearson created the film and co-directs it with Jeffrey Walker.
Sophie Miller is one of the film's writers and also an executive producer alongside Pearson and Charlie Aspinwall.
The setting is a coastal Queensland town inspired by Pearson's own childhood, and TV Blackbox notes the story draws on his upbringing in Coolum.
Pearson has been clear about who the film is for, telling Variety Australia, "We're creating Allen for families to watch together."
Who stars in it?
TJ Power plays the grown-up Petey, while Edward A O'Sullivan plays him as a boy.
Australian actor Charlotte Nicdao plays Carly, the grown-up version of a childhood friend, according to What's on Netflix.
The cast also includes Josh Helman, Emily Barclay, Benedict Hardie, Kaipo Heke, Chaydon Jay and Danny Kim.
Christopher Sommers appears as a local police officer, giving the film a classic small-town feel.
Made in Queensland
Cameras started rolling in July 2025, with filming in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, including at Screen Queensland Studios.
The production was supported by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland, which also co-hosted the premiere with Netflix and Ludo Studio.
For Queensland families, that means plenty of familiar sunshine, beaches and local scenery on screen.
TV Blackbox reviewer Kyle Laidlaw was a fan, praising the film's blend of nostalgic Aussie humour and heartfelt storytelling.
Planning a Bluey studio movie night
If you are thinking of making Allen your next family film, it is worth watching the trailer together first so younger children know what to expect.
Older kids who grew up on Bluey may enjoy spotting the same warm, gently funny style in a brand new form.
Parents and grandparents, meanwhile, may find themselves reaching for the tissues as the story turns to friendship, loss and growing up.
Make it an event with a big bowl of popcorn, a pile of cushions and the phones put away for a couple of hours.
You can find Allen now by searching the title on Netflix.
And if it sparks a conversation afterwards about your own childhood friends, real or imaginary, that may be exactly what its makers were hoping for.
