There are many interesting things to note in the trailer for Netflix’s Orion and the Dark, a very sweet-looking movie based on the book by Emma Yarlett, but I would like to draw your attention to one especially intriguing detail: This movie is written by Charlie Kaufman. Yes, that Charlie Kaufman. Charlie “Being John Malkovich / Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” Kaufman. Writing a kids’ movie! What’s not to like?
Well, if you’re the Orion (Jacob Tremblay) of the title, you do not like the dark, among a lot of other things (girls, failure, clowns). So it’s a lot to take in when the actual Dark (Paul Walter Hauser) shows up one night to sweep Orion off on a grand adventure to help him overcome his fears. Said adventure involves fireworks, global travel, a bit of light mortal peril, some other appealing night entities… and Light, Dark’s nemesis. Wild idea, but perhaps Light and Dark also have some things they need to come to terms with?
Orion and the Dark is the feature debut of director Sean Charmatz, and counts among its producers Bonnie Arnold (How to Train Your Dragon). Turn out the lights when it comes to Netflix on February 2, 2024.
