A new animated fantasy comedy just hit Netflix – and it's written by (arguably) one of the greatest screenwriters of our time.
Orion and the Dark, based on the children's book of the same name by author Emma Yarlett, is the latest animated comedy to hit the streamer. Directed by Sean Charmatz in his feature directorial debut and written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the family-friendly film follows an anxious elementary school kid with an intense fear of the dark. One night, the Dark Ones visit Orion and the two go on a rollercoaster ride around the world to prove that there is nothing to fear in the night.
The voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay as Orion, Colin Hanks as Adult Orion, Paul Walter Hauser as Dark, Angela Bassett as Sweet Dreams, Ike Barinholtz as Light, Natasia Demetriou as Sleep, Carla Cugino as Orion's Mom and Werner Herzog as Narrator.
The movie has a Fresh rating of 87%. Rotten tomatoes with critics attributing the film's warmth and heart to Kaufman's script. The writer-director is best known for Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche, New York. Three of Kaufman's screenplays rank on the Writers Guild of America's list of the greatest screenplays ever written, with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind at number 24 and Being John Malkovich at no. 74, and Adaptation to no. 77.
Orion and the Dark is now streaming on Netflix. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond.
