Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu voice the leads in an adaptation of AJ Dungo’s memoir, arriving in theaters before its December Netflix debut.
The new In Waves trailer introduces a romance shaped by drawing, friendship and the ocean. Netflix shared the preview on October 20, offering a closer look at director Phuong Mai Nguyen’s animated adaptation of AJ Dungo’s autobiographical graphic memoir.
Will Sharpe voices AJ, a reserved teenager who spends time drawing and skateboarding. Stephanie Hsu voices Kristen, an enthusiastic surfer whose relationship with AJ introduces him to both the water and the community around it.
The story begins with the pair meeting at a high-school dance in Southern California. Their growing connection draws a hesitant AJ into surfing, turning the coastline into a setting for the relationship rather than simply a scenic background.
Nguyen makes her feature-directing debut with the film, which opened Cannes Critics’ Week in 2026. In Netflix’s introduction, she identifies the couple’s tenderness, resilience and circle of friends as central to the adaptation.
The trailer’s release is accompanied by new images showing the characters together in the surf and in quieter everyday settings. The film follows the pair as they confront adversity, with AJ’s drawing becoming a way to preserve and express their connection.
In Waves opens in select theaters on November 27 before arriving on Netflix on December 11. The new preview gives audiences an introduction to its characters and coastal world without requiring familiarity with Dungo’s original book.
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