Charlie Kaufman returns with animated ‘Orion and the Dark’ trailer

After writing surreal, existential dread-inducing movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Anomalisa, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Charlie Kaufman makes a foray into films for younger audiences with the animated adventure Orion and the Dark.

Directed by Sean Charmatz and based on the book by Emma Yarlett, Orion and the Dark tells the story of elementary schooler Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay). He’s overcome with fear of almost everything — but especially the dark. But when the embodiment of darkness itself (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser) pays him a visit, he’ll embark on a magical adventure to try to overcome his fears.

The film’s first trailer teases Orion and the Dark’s fantastic journey and introduces some of Dark’s friends: Dreams (voiced by Angela Bassett), Sleep (voiced by Natasia Demetriou), Unexplained Noises (voiced by Golda Rosheuvel), and more.

Orion and the Dark hits Netflix Feb. 2.