Charlie Kaufman’s Existential Crisis

Charlie Kaufman is bringing more neuroses to Netflix, this time with an animated twist.

The “Adaptation” screenwriter penned the adaptation of YA novel “Orion and the Dark” for the streaming platform. Jacob Tremblay voices the title character Orion, who is an anxiety-ridden elementary schooler trying to get over his fear of the dark. Turns out, the Dark is actually a physical entity (Paul Walter Hauser) who brings Orion on an adventure to confront his fears, ranging from clowns, fireworks, and ghouls.

“Orion, I’m going to get you to overcome your fears if it kills me,” the Dark says in the trailer.

Angela Bassett, Colin Hanks, Natasia Demetriou, Golda Rosheuvel, Nat Faxon, Aparna Nancherla, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gugino, Matt Dellapina, Nick Kishiyama, Mia Akemi Brown, Shannon Chan-Kent, and Jack Fisher also star. Werner Herzog narrates the film.

Animator Sean Charmatz marks his feature directorial debut with the DreamWorks and Netflix film. Peter McCown produces, with Walt Dohrn and Bonnie Arnold serving as executive producers.

The official synopsis reads: “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, even falling off a cliff. But of all his fears, the thing he’s the most afraid…