DreamWorks Animation Reveals Orion and the Dark From Writer Charlie Kaufman

By Charlie Ridgely

Netflix and DreamWorks Animation are teaming up for a brand new adventure. In 2024, DreamWorks is releasing a new animated film called Orion and the Dark, and it will debut around the world exclusively on Netflix. The film comes from director Sean Charmatz, based on the book by Emma Yarlett. Charlie Kaufman, the writer behind Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and I'm Thinking of Ending Things, penned the screenplay for the new film.

There hasn't been an exact release date for Orion and the Dark revealed just yet, but Netflix did announce this week that the film would officially arrive in 2024. There were also a couple of first-look photos unveiled with that announcement, which you can check out below.

Netflix has had a couple of partnerships with major animation studios in recent years, with DreamWorks Animation being just one of several that have released films exclusively on the streaming service. Sony and Netflix got together to release a few different films, including The Mitchells vs. the Machines back in 2020. This summer, Netflix will be releasing the animated film Nimona, which was previously set to be released by Blue Sky Studios. After Disney's acquisition of Blue Sky's parent company, 20th Century Fox, Blue Sky was shut down and the almost-complete Nimona was cancelled. Netflix came in and gave the film a new home.

What Is Orion and the Dark About?

Orion and the Dark is all about our fears and how we deal with them. The story follows a little boy who is terrified of a lot of things, but the dark is his biggest fear. He's eventually visited by an actual manifestation of the Dark. You can check out the official synopsis below!

"Orion seems a lot like your average elementary school kid – shy, unassuming, harboring a secret crush. But underneath his seemingly normal exterior, Orion is a ball of adolescent anxiety, completely consumed by irrational fears of bees, dogs, the ocean, cell phone waves, murderous gutter clowns, and even falling off of a cliff. But of all his fears, the thing he's the most afraid of is what he confronts on a nightly basis: the dark. So when the literal embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, Dark whisks Orion away on a roller coaster ride around the world to prove there is nothing to be afraid of in the night. As the unlikely pair grows closer, Orion must decide if he can learn to accept the unknown – to stop letting fear control his life and finally embrace the joy of living."

Jacob Tremblay stars in the film as Orion, while Paul Walter Hauser lends his voice as the Dark.

Are you excited for DreamWorks' latest movie? Let us know in the comments!

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