Behind the Scenes of the Netflix Film Spaceman

Exclusive Interview with Director John Renck

- By Lindsey Feth

Johan Renck (Director) and Adam Sandler as Jakub on the set of Spaceman. (Jon Pack/Netflix)

In the sci-fi Netflix film Spaceman, Director John Renck takes the audience on an exploration of solitude, love, and the mysteries of our solar system. As Jakub, played by Adam Sandler, embarks on a research mission completely alone, the film captures his failing connection with his wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), and the true meaning of life. While on the spaceship, Jakub finds a new friend within Hanuš, a mysterious creature voiced by Paul Dano, with origins from the beginning of time.

Adam Sandler in a scene from Spaceman. (Courtesy of Netflix)

In this exclusive interview with Renck, we explore his inspiration for taking on the directorial role, his creative process in crafting the space environment, and the challenges and triumphs he faced in bringing the intricate relationships and cutting-edge tech of Spaceman to life on the big screen.

Innovation & Tech Today: What inspired you to take on the directorial role of Spaceman? What was that process like?

Johan Renck: I stumbled on the very first rudimentary draft of the script sent to me from my producing partner. And it was undeniable for me to do this because it was a great story.

So, I read the script and read the book. It was an important story and one that I related to so much.

It exemplifies how we deal with our sort of desires and callings and the sacrifices we make to some extent.

It also showed egoism and our self-centeredness that can come in the way at the cost of our relationships—our friends and our love lives. I've lived that life. To some extent, it was a personal thing.