Daydreamers: Release date, plot, and everything we know so far about the Vietnamese vampire film

The Vietnamese vampire thriller Daydreamers received a limited theatrical release in the United States of America from May 2, 2025, onwards. The film is directed by Timothy Linh Bui, who wrote the script along with Doan Si Nguyen. Dark Star Pictures acquired the U.S. distribution rights for the project.

The story is set 400 years ago, reimagining vampire lore in Southeast Asia. After being attacked and eliminated in Europe, vampires flee to Vietnam, then Annam, to avoid the extinction of their species. They bring their dark curse with them, settling and creating their supernatural world in modern-day Ho Chi Minh City.

Daydreamers was originally released in Vietnam in 2023, under the title Nguoi Mat Troi. In November 2023, the director, Timothy Linn Bui, appeared in an interview with Vietcetra to speak about his project. He explained how his xe ôm boat ride in 2015-16 inspired the plot for the film.

The director got off his ride to take a picture of the setting sun, but the boat guy unknowingly took off, not aware of the fact that he was taking pictures from the bridge.

He explained further, "As I waited for him to come back, I noticed a bunch of boats anchored by the banks. I wondered, “Who are those people who live in them, on the fringes of modern society?” As the sun set more and more, the boats looked like rows of coffins."

The idea to give this community more recognition helped him build the plot for his project.

"So, I wanted to explore these people further. How do I tell their story from an angle that won’t be a straightforward social drama? Growing up in America, I was influenced by vampires a lot, and by nature, they live on the fringes of society… That was my way in! So what if [the people in the boats] are vampires? I then sat down and wrote the script right away."

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Daydreamers was released in limited theaters

The vampire thriller was released in limited theaters on May 2, 2025, in the United States of America. According to Deadline, it will be released digitally on June 3, 2025. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 53 minutes.

Daydreamers was nominated for six awards at the 2025 Ngoi Sao Xanh Awards and won Best Director, Best New Talent, and Best Production Design.

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What is the movie all about?

The trailer for the Vietnamese vampire thriller Daydreamers was released on April 11, 2025, and is available on the official Rotten Tomatoes Indie YouTube channel.

The trailer begins with Marco informing his younger brother Nhat about their vampire community. He attempts to recruit his younger brother into their world, as Nhat was raised to control his thirst for blood.

Giving in to his brother's request, Nhat tries to enjoy the nightlife and hunt his first kill, a girl named Ha. He fails to follow through with it and develops a soft spot for her. While his brother tries to hunt her down since she is aware of their secret, Nhat starts protecting her from his brother and his people.

The trailer then introduces Trieu, a 100-year-old vampire queen of Ho Chi Minh City, rallying her troops. It is then followed by multiple action sequences of vampires fighting each other and Nhat trying to protect Ha from the vampire trying to kill her.

The clip ends with Marco delivering a chilling warning to his brother about what he does to the people he preys upon.

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Cast and crew for the film

The movie was directed by Timothy Linh Bui, who also wrote the script along with Doan Si Nguyen. The film is produced by Timothy's Happy Canvas, and its distribution rights for the North American region were acquired by Dark Star Pictures.

The list of cast members includes Trang Ngoc Vang as Nhat, Thuan Nguyen as Marco, Chi Pu as Trieu, and Trinh Thao as Ha.

Daydreamers is available for the audience in limited theaters in the United States of America from May 2, 2025, onwards. It will be released digitally on June 3, 2025.

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Stay tuned with us for further updates on the Vietnamese vampire thriller, Daydreamers.