Nimona (film)

Promotional release poster

***Nimona*** is a 2023 American computer-animated science fantasy adventure comedy-drama film directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane from a screenplay by Robert L. Baird and Lloyd Taylor. It is based on the 2015 graphic novel of the same name by ND Stevenson. Set in a sci-fantasy world influenced by the Middle Ages, the film features the voices of Chloë Grace Moretz as the titular character and Riz Ahmed as her boss and former knight, with Eugene Lee Yang and Frances Conroy voicing supporting roles.

Originally a production of Blue Sky Studios, it was originally set to be directed by Patrick Osborne, with an initial release date of 2020. Following the Walt Disney Company's acquisition of 21st Century Fox, the parent company of Blue Sky, the production received push-back from Disney's leadership due to the film's LGBTQ themes, after which it was delayed multiple times before being canceled due to Blue Sky's closure in April 2021. However, Annapurna Pictures revived the project the following year, with Bruno and Quane announced as directors, DNEG Animation providing animation, and Netflix acquiring worldwide distribution.

*Nimona* had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 14, 2023, was released in select cinemas on June 23, 2023, and made its streaming debut on June 30, 2023, by Netflix. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation, themes, humor, characters, musical score, tone, writing, and vocal performances (particularly that of Moretz and Ahmed).

## Plot

In a medieval-futuristic kingdom, the citizens are protected by the Institute for Elite Knights, established by the legendary heroine Gloreth, who, a thousand years ago, vanquished a "Great Black Monster" and enclosed the kingdom with a high wall for its protection.

Ballister Boldheart, along with his fellow knight and boyfriend, Ambrosius Goldenloin, is about to be knighted, with Ballister being the first commoner to achieve this, as Queen Valerin is trying to change tradition so that "anyone can be a hero". During the ceremony, Valerin is murdered by a mysterious laser shot from Ballister's sword. Ambrosius tries to stop this by cutting off Ballister's right arm, and he is hunted by the Institute and its Director. As Ballister hides and crafts a prosthetic replacement arm, he is visited by Nimona, a mysterious teenage shapeshifter, who has faced persecution for her powers. Seeing a "villainous spirit" in Ballister, as he is facing similar treatment for his commoner origin and the murder of the Queen, Nimona hires herself as his new sidekick.

To clear Ballister's name, the duo kidnaps Diego, the squire who gave him the murder weapon. Diego gives them video evidence revealing that the Director is the murderer. The duo confronts Ambrosius and the Director with the evidence, but it is destroyed in a sudden fight with the Institute's knights. Later, Ambrosius confronts the Director, who stabs him and admits that she framed Ballister and murdered the Queen, as she objected to the Queen revising tradition by allowing commoners to become knights, fearing that doing so would lead to the kingdom's downfall. It is revealed that Ambrosius was a disguised Nimona, and that Ballister recorded the Director's confession. He posts it online, leading to public outcry.

The Director, recognizing Nimona's powers, discovers through ancient scrolls that Nimona is the Great Black Monster defeated by Gloreth. She uses this to convince the public that Ballister used Nimona's powers to fake the confession, while also stating that Nimona could be impersonating anyone, leading to distrust among the citizens. Ambrosius meets with Ballister and reveals Nimona's past, insisting that the two were deceived by her. Shocked by the revelation, Ballister argues with Nimona and questions their friendship; feeling betrayed, Nimona flees into the woods.

Stopping at an old abandoned well, Nimona reminisces about her past: a thousand years ago, she wandered the world and turned into other animals to try and fit in with the wildlife, but none of the creatures she encountered accepted her. One day, she encountered Gloreth as a child by the well, and turned into a human for the first time. After seeing Nimona, Gloreth immediately welcomed her and the two became best friends, even after Gloreth discovered Nimona's powers. Eventually, the rest of Gloreth's village discovered Nimona and quickly accused her of being a monster. While attacking Nimona with pitchforks and torches, the village was accidentally set on fire. Instead of defending her friend, a confused Gloreth turned on Nimona after her parents called Nimona a monster, having been raised to believe that anything called a monster was bad.

With Ballister's abandonment and Gloreth's betrayal echoing in her head, a distraught Nimona breaks down, and transforms into the Great Black Monster. She then attacks the city, intending to commit suicide by impaling herself on the sword of Gloreth's statue. However, before Nimona is about to pierce her own heart, Ballister stops her and apologizes to her, causing Nimona to change back to human form as they embrace and make amends, while the whole Kingdom watches and are touched by it. Meanwhile, the Director, unmoved, orders a laser cannon to be fired from the wall to kill Nimona; Ambrosius protests, knowing that firing the laser into the city will kill innocent civilians. The Director then turns on them using the same laser she used to kill the Queen and prepares to fire the cannon herself. To save the kingdom, Nimona assumes a giant, red phoenix-like form and flies into the cannon, resulting in her apparent death as well as the death of the Director. The resulting explosion destroys part of the wall, revealing a beautiful, mountainous valley behind it.

Sometime later, the kingdom undergoes several changes: the breach in the wall has become a trade road, Nimona and Ballister are honored as heroes, and Ballister restores his relationship with Ambrosius. Ballister visits his old hideout; he hears Nimona's voice, and joyfully realizes that she has survived.

## Voice cast

* Chloë Grace Moretz as Nimona, a shapeshifter who insists on being the sidekick to Ballister Boldheart.
	+ Mia Collins voices Nimona's Demon Baby disguise.
* Riz Ahmed as Ballister Boldheart, a former knight for the Institution who was kicked out when he was accused of murdering Queen Valerin.
	+ Zayaan Kunwar as young Ballister
* Eugene Lee Yang as Ambrosius Goldenloin, the champion knight of the Institution, direct descendant of Gloreth, and Ballister's boyfriend.
* Frances Conroy as The Director
* Lorraine Toussaint as Queen Valerin
* Beck Bennett as Sir Thoddeus Sureblade
* RuPaul Charles as Nate Knight
* Indya Moore as Alamzapam Davis
* Julio Torres as Diego the Squire
* Sarah Sherman as Coriander Cavaverish
* Karen Ryan as Gloreth. Ryan also voices a knight version of herself, as well as providing additional voices.
	+ Charlotte Aldrich as young Gloreth.
		- Aldrich also provides additional voices.
* Cindy Slattery as Syntheya - voice of the Kingdom.
	+ Slattery also provides additional voices.
* Sommersill Tarabek as an Institute Analyst.
	+ Tarabek also provides additional voices.
* Lylianna Eugene as Patinece.
	+ Eugene also provides additional voices.

Other members of the production crew who voice knight versions of themselves include directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, Julie Zackary, Christopher Campbell, and Randy Trager; Bruno, Quane, Zackary, and Trager also provide additional voices, alongside Wesley Turner. Bruno's sons, Jarrett (who voiced young Walter Beckett from Bruno and Quane's *Spies in Disguise*) and Jake, voice the kids who play a board game in a commercial as well as provide additional voices, and Taryn Bruno voices a concerned citizen; Trager's relative Sadie also voices a concerned citizen, while Sebastian Trager voices the Danks Kid. Maurissa Horwitz—who also provides additional voices—and former Blue Sky editor Tim Nordquist voice the zombies in a movie Nimona and Ballister watch.

Comic book creator ND Stevenson has a voice cameo as Kwispy Dragon, a cartoon cereal mascot.