Nimona on Netflix: A Heartfelt, Funny, and Thrilling Adaptation
A hit on Netflix and an instant animated classic, the Nimona movie is a wondrous, heartfelt, and hilarious triumph in which ND Stevenson’s beloved comic is brought to life. Directed by the directing duo of Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, along with Stevenson herself, the making of Nimona mirrors the story itself – with challenges and setbacks, but a steadfast determination to bring Nimona back into the world.
Originally in development at Blue Sky Studios, Nimona had to be restarted from scratch when it was revived by Annapurna and Netflix, but the core story of queer identity, bravery, and perseverance remained intact. The film’s themes and LGBTQ+ representation were embraced and strengthened by the new production team, and Blue Sky Studios even provided input.
“Blue Sky was very involved in the process and gave a lot of support,” Bruno tells us. “From what I understand, there were a lot of queer employees who worked at the studio, and they sent us a lot of feedback that we tried to incorporate into the script.
“There was one line where Ballister is asking Nimona a couple of questions that were maybe a little bit ignorant but well-intentioned. Nimona gets upset with him, and she says, ‘Why do you always ask me that? I’ve told you before, I don’t want to talk about it.’ We took a line from a real-life interaction and put it right into the script. It’s authentic moments like that that I feel make the LGBTQ representation really sing.”
Much like Nimona, the film’s visuals reflect the reality of a queer person existing in a non-queer world. The film is awash with pride flags, subtly placed throughout and reinforcing the diverse storytelling. Small touches, such as Nimona’s shape-shifting attire, also reflect her identity – her clothes are a reflection of her own self, unapologetic in their expression of herself.
“We wanted to make sure that whenever Nimona shape-shifts she’s still dressing like Nimona,” Quane says. “There’s the scene where she’s talking to Ballister, and she’s wearing a shirt that says ‘Stevenson’ on it, just because we thought that would be a really great visual representation of, ‘Here I am. Here’s who I am. I’m Nimona.’
“She’s telling the world, ‘Look at me, look closely, take notice, and celebrate the individuality in all of us.’ It’s a pretty powerful response to a society that wants to ignore or erase her.”
The Nimona adaptation presented a joyous challenge to Bruno and Quane, who had to balance the fairytale fantasy of the graphic novel with elements of science fiction and find design elements that complemented the narrative. Nimona’s world reflects her; a city that blends medieval and modern, emphasizing the message of putting aside ignorance and getting to know someone for who they truly are.
“We knew we wanted the city to feel like it was leaning more towards the modern side of things,” Bruno says. “ND writes in her author commentary that she was imagining Nimona living in a city that was stuck between the medieval and modern ages. That really inspired the look of the film.
“We were imagining Nimona living in a city where a lot of the modernity had been forgotten, but she remembers it and has a very strong connection to it. The design of the city is a mix of the two ages.”
The film also explores the theme of remaining hopeful in the face of adversity. Nimona struggles to find her place in the world, and ultimately chooses to embrace her true self.
“ND is just a hilarious, wonderful human being,” Quane says. “She was so supportive of the process, and she was always wanting to know what we were thinking and what we were planning. She was very helpful in sharing with us the original ideas that she had for the books. That was a huge help.”
“It was a dream come true for us as filmmakers to get to adapt her work,” Bruno adds. “We’re huge fans of her books, and we knew that if anyone had to be at the helm of this ship it had to be ND. She had so much to say about the characters and the story that we just couldn’t do it without her.”
Falling in love with Nimona as a character was a highlight for everyone involved, as they discovered the layers beneath her shape-shifting mischief and rebellious nature. Nimona’s guard and mischievous behavior serve as a cover for someone who feels misunderstood by the world, but also as a way to shake up the world and bring joy to others.
“In a lot of ways, Nimona is incredibly selfless – she doesn’t think about herself,” Bruno says. “Her guard, her mischief, her shape-shifting, all of that is a means to an end. It’s a cover, but it’s also a way to shake things up and bring joy to others. She’s a very pure character, and we really wanted to make sure that came across on screen.”
Nimona’s unapologetic expression of herself is a powerful response to a society that wants to ignore or erase her, reminding audiences to embrace their true selves without compromising their happiness.
“Nimona is a character that ND created who is so charming and so lovable that you can’t help but fall in love with her,” Quane says. “She embodies the message of ‘Here I am. Here’s who I am. I’m Nimona.’ It’s almost a challenge to the rest of the world: ‘Look at me, and look closely, and celebrate the individuality in all of us.’”
