Wilem follows a Gen-Z barbarian prince and reluctant heir to the throne, who would much rather be playing Village Destroyer VI with his best friend Finn than preparing for battle. But unfortunately for him… his family have other plans for his sixteenth birthday.
We’ve teamed up with Adult Swim SMALLS again on a brand new home-grown animated short.
Wilem is the brainchild of London-based director James Papper, who first imagined the world a few years ago as a rough pencil sketch animatic that follows a bratty barbarian calling his dad after slaying a village. Over time, James worked closely with animation director Bárbara Oliveira, co-directing the final film together and shaping it into a fully-realised, unruly but hilarious fantasy kingdom.
Crafted in 2D, the world of Wilem fuses Y2K nostalgia with classic fantasy, drawing visual inspiration from Moebius and 90s Nintendo aesthetics. The kingdom itself is a bizarre collision of eras, where mud huts, witches and brutal wars coexist alongside iPhones, capitalism, familiar brands, music, and other contemporary touches. The kingdom’s largest natural resource? Pink crystal gloop, which runs through the castle in the opening shot, a whimsical detail that hints at the world’s quirkiness.
At the centre of this kingdom is Wilem: a Gen-Z barbarian prince and reluctant heir to the throne. Until now, Wilem has lived a shielded life, preferring to play Village Destroyer VI with his best friend Finn rather than hitting the battlefield. But on his sixteenth birthday, his parents attempt to force him to confront his destiny by joining them in battle.
