The animated film stars Brittany Howard in her first-ever voice-over role.
Netflix’s empire of animated films is expanding with Thelma the Unicorn – a new family film all about accepting yourself and believing in who you are. Based on the beloved children’s books of the same name, the film stars a young pony named Thelma (Brittany Howard), who has big dreams and aspirations of becoming a music star. However, her self-consciousness about her personal appearance prevents her from having the confidence to follow her dreams.
Thelma finally gets her chance when a truck accident covers her in pink paint and glitter, making her appear as if she’s a unicorn. Her magical makeover generates a lot of attention and Thelma finally finds the confidence to pursue her music career, but is it worth tricking everyone into thinking she’s a real unicorn? To find out more about Netflix’s latest animated film, as well as its cast, trailer, release date, and more, here is everything we know so far about Thelma the Unicorn.
Thelma the Unicorn (2024)
In a heartwarming animated adventure, Thelma the pony, who dreams of being a unicorn, finds herself swept into a whirlwind of fame after a fortunate accident makes her appear as one. As she navigates the complexities of her new celebrity life, Thelma learns important lessons about the value of self-acceptance and the true meaning of happiness beyond the glitter and spotlight.
- Release Date
- May 17, 2024
- Director
- Jared Hess , Lynn Wang
- Cast
- Brittany Howard , Will Forte , Jemaine Clement , Edi Patterson , Fred Armisen , Zach Galifianakis , Jon Heder , Maliaka Mitchell
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Writers
- Jared Hess , Jerusha Hess , Aaron Blabey
When Is ‘Thelma the Unicorn’ Coming Out?
Thelma’s quest through the music world and journey of self-discovery begins when Thelma the Unicorn premieres worldwide on Friday, May 17, 2024.
Where Can You Watch ‘Thelma the Unicorn’?
Thelma the Unicorn will be premiering exclusively on Netflix once it arrives later this May. Already Netflix has had a fairly big month for May, with the release of Jerry Seinfeld‘s exaggerated story about the Pop-Tart’s creation, Unfrosted, releasing earlier this month. Also on the calendar for later this May are the anticipated third season of Bridgerton and the Jennifer Lopez-led sci-fi action film Atlas. No plans for a physical release via DVD or Blu-ray have been announced by Netflix at this time.
Does ‘Thelma the Unicorn’ Have a Trailer?
Netflix released the first trailer for Thelma the Unicorn on April 15, 2024, introducing audiences around the globe to the anticipated adaptation of a beloved book series. The trailer begins with Thelma and her band, the Rusty Buckets, doing some rehearsals. Unbeknownst to Thelma, she already has the talent to become a music star, but she’s still constantly shamed for her looks by some local bullies. As soon as Thelma accidentally gets her unicorn makeover, everything changes, and her newfound popularity is motivated almost exclusively by her fake identity as a unicorn. Thelma’s best friend Otis (Will Forte) tries to get Thelma to see that she’s perfect just the way she is, all while a rival music star, Nikki Narwhal (Ally Dixon), seeks to ruin Thelma’s blossoming career.
Who Stars in ‘Thelma the Unicorn’?
The cast of Thelma the Unicorn is led by five-time Grammy-winner Brittany Howard in the lead role. A titan in the rock and R&B world, with sixteen Grammy nominations under her belt in addition to her five wins. Thelma the Unicorn will not only mark Brittany Howard’s first voice-over role, but it will also be her official feature acting debut.
Joining Howard in Thelma in the Unicorn is actor and comedian Will Forte, who also just recently appeared in another Netflix IP with the true-crime dramedy Bodkin, which has become the subject of rave reviews ahead of its official premiere. Forte will be playing Thelma’s close friend Otis, who is trying to convince Thelma of the error of her ways. The cast also includes
- Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder as Reggie
- The Hangover star Zach Galifianakis as Crusty Trucker
- Knuckles star Edi Patterson as Megan
- The Croods: Family Tree star Ally Dixon as Nikki Narwhal
- Moana star Jemaine Clement as Vic Diamond
- Portlandia star Fred Armisen as Danny Stallion
What is ‘Thelma the Unicorn’ About?
The official plot synopsis of Thelma the Unicorn reads as follows:
Thelma is a small-time pony who dreams of becoming a glamorous music star. In a moment of fate, Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and instantly rises to global stardom, but this new life of fame comes at a cost.
Who Is Making ‘Thelma the Unicorn’?
Co-directing and co-writing Thelma the Unicorn is the cult-classic-generating machine that is Jared Hess. Hess has had a hand in several beloved films from the 2000s era, including the surreal high school comedy Napoleon Dynamite, the absurd luchador film Nacho Libre, and the coming-of-age story Gentlemen Broncos. It makes perfect sense that Jon Heder is in the film, given that the actor extensively worked with Hess on the surprisingly popular Napoleon Dynamite. Jared Hess is also attached to direct the upcoming and long-gestating video game adaptation, Minecraft.
This marks Hess’ first-ever animated feature film, which is likely why Teen Titans Go! and Unikitty! director Lynn Wang will be co-directing. Jared Hess co-wrote the screenplay with his wife, Jerusha Hess, with their screenplay adapting the original works of author Aaron Blabey. Thelma the Unicorn will also be produced by Dana Lynn Bennett Cooney (Rocco), Aaron Blabey (The Bad Guys), Pam Coats (Mulan), and Patrick Hughes (Unstuffed).
Thelma and the Unicorn will also feature:
- Music by John Powell (How to Train Your Dragon)
- Editing by Edie Ichioka (The Boxtrolls)
- Production design by Trevor Dalmer (Missing Link)
- Art direction by Paul Sullivan (The Book of Life)
What Are the ‘Thelma the Unicorn’ Books?
The original Thelma the Unicorn book was published in 2017 and was written by Aaron Blabey. Much like the upcoming feature film, the book follows a young pony who just wants to be famous, only for her to eventually realize that she already had everything she could possibly need in the life she already had. The book received a sequel in 2019 with The Return of Thelma the Unicorn, where Thelma decides to relive her faux life as a unicorn but for a far more noble purpose.
The Thelma the Unicorn books are just two of many hit children’s books from Aaron Blabey. One prime example is the original novel The Bad Guys, which follows a group of experienced criminals who decide to turn a new leaf. The book was, of course, turned into a hit DreamWorks feature film in 2022, with a sequel now reportedly on the way.
This article was originally published on collider.com