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Annecy crowds were in for a treat as Ramsey Naito, President of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, and longtime festival supporter, opened the studios’ 2025 showcase with a preview of the upcoming projects.

“Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie,” “The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2” are all in active development. “Paw Patrol” is set to hit theaters July 24, 2026, followed by Aang’s animated return on Oct. 9. Fans of pizza-loving martial artist turtles will need to wait until Sept. 27, 2027, for the next “Tmnt” bigscreen appearance — or will they? Read on to find out.

Naito, one of the most prominent animation executives in Hollywood today, expressed her excitement about returning to Annecy. She also unveiled new additions to the cast of “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.” Joining the regular cast and Mark Hamill are Regina Hall, Sherry Cola, Arturo Castro, George Lopez, and four-time Grammy-nominated,...

That pineapple under the sea is getting pretty crowded.

Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation on Tuesday unveiled new cast additions for their upcoming The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants movie, with Regina Hall, Sherry Cola, Arturo Castro, George Lopez and Ice Spice joining the ensemble. The four-time Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling rapper will also contribute an original song to the film.

They join returning cast members Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) and Mark Hamill (Flying Dutchman) in the feature directed Derek Drymon and written by Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman.

The log line for the film has SpongeBob and friends journeying to the depths of the ocean to face the ghost of the Flying Dutchman. The film is set for a December release.

Ramsey Naito, president of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, made the cast reveal at...

Are ya ready, kids? Nickelodeon is gearing up for a big summer in theaters with the return of the Smurfs with a starry new musical animated feature headlined by Rihanna in July. In front of the film, however, will be a little surprise for SpongeBob SquarePantsfans. Ahead of the animation giant's annual Annecy International Animation Film Festival panel on Tuesday, Collider can exclusively announce that the never-before-seen short, "SpongeBob: Order Up," will finally hit the big screen starting July 18 alongside Smurfette's big adventure. The news comes ahead of the SpongeBob and Squidward-centric short's global premiere at Annecy on the heels of the long-running kids' show's 25th anniversary last year.

"Order Up" was produced by Nickelodeon Animation in 2011-2012, yet, for one reason or another, has remained locked within the company's archives. Created with the classic SpongeBob aesthetic and animation, it centers on the odd-couple dynamic between the always optimistic SpongeBob and his perpetually grumpy neighbor,...

A preview of writer/director Dean DeBlois’ upcoming live action reimaging of “How to Train Your Dragon” from Universal has been added to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival lineup.

Dreamworks Animation’s 2010 original, based on Cressida Cowell’s book series, was written and directed by DeBlois and Chris Sandlers, and DeBlois wrote and helmed the following two movies to complete the trilogy. The new film will screen at Annecy on June 11, in advance of its June 13 U.S. release.

A Paramount & Nickelodeon Animation presentation has also been added to the festival schedule, featuring upcoming “Smurfs,” directed by Chris Miller (“Puss in Boots”) and “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” helmed by Derek Drymon. A pair of shorts, “SpongeBob: Order Up,” directed by Sean Charmatz and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey,” directed by Kent Seki, will also highlight the June 10 session.

A first look...

We have an official front-runner for the Animated Feature Oscar.

Universal’s The Wild Robot flat-out dominated the 52nd annual Annie Awards on Saturday night, won nine trophies: Best Direction for Chris Sanders — his fifth career Annie — FX, Character Animation, Character Design, Production Design, Editorial, Music and Voice Acting for Lupita Nyong’o as lead character Roz. She was not present at UCLA’s Royce Hall to accept.

See the full winners list spanning film, TV, video games and more below.

Since the Best Animated Feature Oscar category was launched in 2002, 14 of the 22 winners of the Annies’ top feature prize – and seven of the past 12 – went on to claim the golden statuette. But last year bucked the trend as the Academy Award went to Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron over Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which dominated the 2024 Annies with seven nods.

Wild Robot‘s stunning run was...

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2024 is nearly over, and while this year saw the release of many brilliant movies, in this article, we are only discussing the best fantasy movies that came out. Fantasy is one of those genres that invokes something magical in all of us, from the heroic journey in The Lord of the Rings films to the coming-of-age fantastical story in Harry Potter, and maybe that’s why this genre has one of the most loyal fan bases. So, let’s find out which fantasy movies released in 2024 were the absolute best.

If Credit – Paramount Pictures

If is a fantasy comedy film written and directed by John Krasinski. The 2024 film follows Bea, a young girl who discovers she can see imaginary friends of other people. She soon sets out on a magical adventure to find human kids to pair them with forgotten imaginary friends.

2024 really was the greatest year for animation ever.

There was an abundance of outrageously wonderful animated features released over the course of 2024 – all sorts of movies, with all sorts of animation styles and points-of-view. The fact that we left off plenty of wonderful movies, like Naoko Yamada’s brilliant, touching “The Colors Within” (which gets a wide release in January – seek it out), the French sci-fi noir “Mars Express” or mainstream gems like Mike Mitchell’s hellzapoppin’ “Kung Fu Panda 4,” tells you what a stellar year it really was.

But enough with the preamble, let’s chart the very best animated features of 2024 – from melancholic stop-motion to wondrous, widescreen computer animation and everything in-between.

DreamWorks Animation/Netflix 10. “Orion and the Dark”

2024’s most underrated movie is, incredibly, a gonzo animated feature written by Charlie Kaufman. Yes, that Charlie Kaufman. Based on the children’s book by Emma Yarlett, it...

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Netflix is home to millions of hours of content, and something new is added to Netflix’s content library every day. 2024 has been a great year for Netflix as many of the great original movies and TV shows, including shows like Baby Reindeer and Hit Man, came out this year. So, we compiled a list of the best Netflix original movies in 2024.

Society of the Snow Credit – Netflix

Society of the Snow is a Spanish survival drama film directed by J.A. Bayona, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques, and Nicolás Casariego. Based on the 2009 non-fiction book of the same name by Pablo Vierci, the 2024 film is set in 1972, and it follows a Uruguayan rugby team after their flight crashes in the Andes Mountains. Society of the Snow stars Enzo Vogrincic, Matías Recalt, Agustín Pardella,...

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2024 has been a great year so far, with brilliant animated films released this year. While the year started out slow, but after Inside Out 2 came out in theaters and broke every conceivable record, it was off to the races. We compiled a list of the best animated films we could find that came out this year. So, rest up gather your family for most of these films, and enjoy these best-animated films of 2024.

Transformers One (Paramount+ & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Paramount Pictures

Transformers One is an animated sci-fi action film directed by Josh Cooley from a screenplay co-written by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari. Based on the Transformers action figures by Hasbro, the 2024 film follows the origin stories of Optimus Prime and Megatron who were once friends before turning into each others’ arch nemesis.

Orion and the Dark parodies Toy Story 3's incinerator scene in a clever and subtle way. Netflix's 2024 animated film features the same "What if anthropomorphic things had feelings?" trope as Toy Story 3. The movie Orion and the Dark references one of Pixar's most devastating moments, showcasing its impact and legacy.

Toy Story 3 includes several iconic and memorable moments, one of which was sneakily (and cleverly) parodied in a 2024 animated movie that sadly slipped under the radar. The 2010 Pixar animated comedy-drama film, directed by Lee Unkrich and written by Michael Arndt, serves as the third installment in the Toy Story movie series and takes place right before Andy is supposed to leave for college. Consequently, Toy Story 3's main conflict revolves around what happens to Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys when Andy grows up.

Pixar plans to release Toy Story 5, starring...

Described as a live-action Pixar film by the director John Krasinski, the fantasy adventure film If is charming audiences worldwide with its wonderful cast, brilliant visuals, and a lot of heart. If follows the story of a young girl named Bea who finds out that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends and with the help of Cal, she goes on a mission to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. If stars Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, Krasinski, Steve Carell, Emily Blunt, Awkwafina, Blake Lively, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Louis Gossett Jr., Vincent Vaughn, Fiona Shaw, Sam Rockwell, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, and many popular actors. So, if you also love the fantastical nature of If here are some similar films you should check out next.

The Bfg (Disney+ & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Disney

The Bfg is a fantasy-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Melissa Mathison.

Paul Walter Hauser will slip into the life and mind of late comedian Chris Farley in a forthcoming biopic. The film, set to be directed by Josh Gad, is currently in development. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber will provide the screenplay based on the book The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts, published by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby in 2008.

The Chris Farley Show takes its name from a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live. Before his untimely death at the age of...

Last year was a standout year for animation, and 2024 is already shaping up to be another banger. While a majority of the high-profile animation releases are due out later this summer, the first quarter of 2024 has already been promising. We at /Film are constantly singing the praises of animation as a medium, and doing our best to course-correct the ignorant idea that animation is only for children. Admittedly, this list is going to look mighty small for the time being, but it will be updated throughout the year as more films become available. As we noted last year, animation is one of the only mediums where global cinema is given an equal footing to studio-produced films in America, with the artistic visuals serving as a universal language that we can all enjoy. Meaning, this list is not limited to Hollywood animation releases ... and that's a good thing. As for now,...

(Welcome to Under the Radar, a column where we spotlight specific movies, shows, trends, performances, or scenes that caught our eye and deserved more attention ... but otherwise flew under the radar. In this edition: Charlie Kaufman brings childhood and adult fears to the fore in "Orion and the Dark," "Perfect Days" provides a warm hug to the soul, and "The Taste of Things" is a bittersweet feast for the senses.)

February is now firmly in the rearview mirror and all eyes are looking ahead to this year's Academy Awards, so it makes a lot of sense to use this month's installment of "Under the Radar" as an opportunity to catch up on all of the most underappreciated Oscars hopefuls. It only sort of worked out that way in the end thanks to sheer luck and happenstance, but you bet I'm going to take credit for it anyway. It doesn't always...

If you’re looking for something new to watch on Netflix this month, you’ve come to the right place. February brings with it a bevy of love stories to be sure, but also charming family films, Oscar juggernauts and even an artful blockbuster. Below we’ve put together a curated list of some of the best movies newly streaming on Netflix in February to help whittle down your choices when paralyzed by the Netflix interface.

Behold our picks for the best new movies on Netflix in February 2024.

“Orion and the Dark” “Orion and the Dark” (Credit: Netflix)

Those of us whose childhoods were marked by anxiety and fear of the unknown can find solace in “Orion and the Dark,” from writers Charlie Kaufman and Lloyd Taylor and based on the book by Emma Yartlett. Directed by Sean Charmatz, the animated feature stars Jacob Tremblay as Orion and Paul Walter Hauser as Dark,...

Orion and the Dark officially made its Netflix debut, releasing on the streamer this past Friday, February 2. The animated feature hailing from DreamWorks centers on a young boy who faces some of his biggest fears, traversing the city with one of them. One of the elements that helps boost the feature is its score, composed by Kevin Lax and Robert Lydecker. Along with the score, the duo and director Sean Charmatz created an original song for the movie. Today, Collider is excited to share an exclusive clip delving a little more into the process behind the song.

Orion and the Dark, an animated fantasy film, ranks in the global top 10 on Netflix. The movie follows a boy who faces his fears with his new friend Dark on a nighttime adventure. Orion and the Dark is penned by Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.

Netflix’s new animated fantasy film Orion and the Dark makes it onto the global top 10. Orion and the Dark tells the story of a young boy with an active imagination who is forced to confront his fears by going on a journey through the night with his new friend Dark, a giant, mysterious creature. Orion and the Dark features a leading vocal cast of Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, and Colin Hanks.

Now, Orion and the Dark finds success on the Netflix global top 10 list. The film came in no. 2 on the chart for the week of January 29–February 4, with 10 million views. Topping the list...

Orion and the Dark explores themes of anxiety, fear, self-discovery, and empathy through the journey of a scared elementary school boy. The character of Orion in the film is the opposite of the brave huntsman from Greek mythology who shares his name. Orion's journey ultimately teaches him bravery as he confronts and overcomes his fears to save the world, showing that heroism is not measured by physical strength.

Orion And The Dark follows the journey of Orion as he confronts his biggest fear, and one big inspiration for the character makes one key part of his story hugely ironic. Directed by Sean Charmatz with a script by Charlie Kaufman, and based on the children’s book of the same name by Emma Yarlett, Orion and the Dark is an animated fantasy film that addresses topics like anxiety, fear, self-discovery, and empathy. Orion and the Dark introduces viewers to Orion (voiced...

Orion and the Dark is a unique and edgy film that addresses topics people don't usually want to talk about. The film blends CGI and 2D animation styles, with the challenge of coordinating work done in India and creating a hand-made, raw feel. Netflix provided the freedom and support to explore darker and different themes, making it an ideal platform for the film's release.

Orion and the Dark helps children overcome fear and thoughtfully handle existential crises. Acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Kaufman adapts Emma Yarlett's novel about a nervous boy (Jacob Tremblay) taken on a spectacular adventure by immortal darkness (Paul Walter Hauser). He's completely misunderstood and tired of being hated. They meet other Night Entities who explain the critical nature of their jobs and why Light (Ike Barinholtz) is hilariously overrated.

Director Sean Charmatz, stellar in his feature debut, "loved" Kaufman's script and was excited to make a "brave...

Plot: An 11-year-old boy with an active imagination confronts his fears when a giant, smiling creature of the night, Dark, invites him on a transformative journey through the hours of darkness.

Review: During a time when mental health awareness in young people is more important than ever, we must address the fragility of the mind in as many arenas as possible. Most children don’t respond well to an adult who isn’t their parent telling them what to do. You must circumvent the awkward exchange and introduce them to something unique to get through to them. One way to do this is through the power of storytelling. The right story can create a sense of comfort, regardless of how far-fetched the plot or characters appear. In Orion and the Dark, director Sean Charmatz and writer Charlie Kaufman present a powerful tale about confronting fear and how the right story...

Orion overcomes his fear of the dark and learns the importance of empathy and acceptance. Dark disappears when he is abandoned by his friends due to Orion's fears and insecurities. Hypatia, Orion's daughter, helps him realize the consequences of his actions and together they rescue Dark and restore balance to the world.

Orion and the Dark tells a fantasy story that addresses very real issues and feelings that both children and adults can relate to. Orion and the Dark is an animated fantasy adventure movie based on the children’s book of the same name by Emma Yarlett, directed by Sean Charmatz in his feature directorial debut, and with a script by Charlie Kaufman. Orion and the Dark tells the story of Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), an average elementary school boy who is driven by anxiety and is scared of everything, mostly the dark.

One night, Orion comes face...

"Orion and the Dark" is an animated fantasy film that follows a young boy on a unique journey led by his biggest fear: the dark. The movie addresses themes of anxiety and fear in a way that is suitable for a young audience. The film features a star-studded voice cast, including Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett, and Colin Hanks.

Orion and the Dark takes the audience into a one-of-a-kind adventure, led by a voice cast with many well-known names. Directed by Sean Charmatz in his feature directorial debut and with a script by Charlie Kaufman, Orion and the Dark is based on the children’s book of the same name by Emma Yarlett. Orion and the Dark is an animated fantasy film that follows a young boy on a unique journey led by his biggest fear: the dark.

Throughout this one-night adventure, Orion meets other concepts in their physical form,...

Quick Links Orion and the Dark's Big Twist Explained Orion and the Dark's Rescue Gets a New Player Orion and the Dark's Hero Moment is All About Family

The following contains spoilers for Orion and the Dark, now streaming on Netflix.

Many audiences look to Netflix as a new form of modern blockbusters, especially in the realm of live-action, and for good reason. It's hard to deny that notion with popcorn flicks such as Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon, and upcoming releases like Millie Bobby Brown's Damsel. However, the streaming service is known for its profound animated efforts, too.

Whether it be bombastic cartoons such as Masters of the Universe: Revolution or nuanced films like the Oscar-nominated Nimona, Netflix has proven it has something for everyone in the animation field. Now, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman has penned Orion and the Dark for director Sean Charmatz, producing a campy,...

Charlie Kaufman is indeed one of the most interesting minds working in Hollywood currently. He has criticized the kind of movies being made there in recent years. Now he has written Orion and the Dark, the new Netflix animated film directed by Sean Charmatz. Based on the book of the same name by Emma Yarlett, the film is a story about a young boy who has a list of a gazillion things he is scared of. The list is headlined by something (or someone) called the Dark, who later meets him and takes him on a journey. This journey becomes a legendary tale that shapes Orion’s future.

Spoilers Ahead

Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?

Orion, the only child of his caring parents, had a huge problem dealing with his fears. His entire existence was controlled only by his fears, and he wasn’t able to do anything about it.

It’s easy for children to be feel apprehensive and overwhelmed by the world. (To be fair, it’s also easy for a lot of adults to feel apprehensive and overwhelmed by the world, which, you know — thank god for therapists!) You could do a lot worse than to show a fretful youngster Orion and the Dark, a Dreamworks/Netflix animated movie that mounts a full-frontal attack on the notion of fear as a default state of mind. Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) is an 11-year-old who’s afraid of a lot of things: cancer,...

DreamWorks Animation’s latest feature, “Orion and the Dark,” is all but guaranteed to surprise you. It’s skipping theaters and going straight to Netflix, for starters. On a story level, it reveals the little-known fact that every time humans fall asleep, they’re being bludgeoned or smothered into unconsciousness by a little blue gremlin. But the biggest shock may be the name that appears on the screenplay.

An adult-friendly kids movie about dealing with your anxieties — first and foremost, fear of the dark — the computer-animated feature was written by Charlie Kaufman, the intellect behind “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Adaptation.” The project is itself a miles-outside-the-box adaptation of an inventive and fairly straightforward picture book by Emma Yarlett, which Kaufman complicates as only a galaxy brain like his can.

Taking a page from Pete Docter over at Pixar, Kaufman has hatched a creative (if frequently cumbersome) solution...

Taking a page out of the Pixar playbook and animating entities turned into characters, DreamWorks Animation’s latest feature Orion and the Dark recalls ‘toons like Inside Out and Elemental as it tells the story of a young kid and his encounters with his greatest fear, the Dark.

Fortunately for adults who will likely have to sit through this with their kids, Dwa was smart enough to hire Oscar winner Charlie Kaufman to take on the task of bringing Emma Yarlett’s book to the screen. Basically the premise is intact, but Kaufman has expanded this world into Pixar territory where instead of Inside Out’s gang of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, Anxiety and Disgust we get entities like Dark, Light, Insomnia, Quiet, Sleep, Unexplained Noises, and Dreams to help tell the tale of Orion, a kid full of neuroses and unchecked fears...

Orion and the Dark features an exceptional voice cast, with Jacob Tremblay perfectly suited to play the young and naive Orion. The film pays homage to the source material, with a seamless transition from a picture book to animation and enthralling imagery. The movie offers a sympathetic approach to anxiety and insecurity, normalizing the act of discussing mental health for young kids.

Orion and the Dark follows a young boy with an abundance of fears, the dark being his chief one. Anxiety, insecurity, and immaturity are themes often tackled in animated films, but none have been written by Charlie Kaufman. His frankness is refreshing as he adequately writes from a child's perspective without condescension. His writing, based on the book by Emma Yarlett, also perfectly suits the concept of a precocious 11-year-old who is very smart but paralyzed by fear. There is a sincerity to the story that offers a...

The idea of Charlie Kaufman writing a DreamWorks animated movie for kids may sound absurd, but Orion and the Dark proves that Kaufman's signature brand of existential dread and off-kilter humor works perfectly for a story about a kid learning to face his fears. The protagonist of Orion and the Dark could be the younger version of a Kaufman character like Jim Carrey's Joel from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Nicolas Cage's Kaufman stand-in from Adaptation. Kaufman tones down a bit of his weirdness to make Orion and the Dark accessible to kids, but he retains the complexity and self-reflexiveness his work is known for.

Based loosely on the children's picture book by Emma Yarlett, Orion and the Dark tells the story of the 11-year-old title character (Jacob Tremblay), whose very Kaufman-esque collection of fears includes dogs, bees, clogged toilets, his school bully, and of course the dark.

Charlie Kaufman isn’t one to half-ass things or lend his name to projects that don’t reflect the full volume of his voice as a writer, but I was admittedly skeptical of his screenplay credit on Netflix’s “Orion and the Dark,” an animated kids movie adapted from Emma Yarlett’s picture book of the same name and directed by Sean Charmatz, whose most notable work includes a pair of “Trolls” shorts and a job as “head of story” on “The Angry Birds Movie 2.”

On the one hand, this is the first time since “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” that Kaufman has been credited for writing a film that he didn’t direct himself. On the other hand, it’s hard to put much faith in credits on a streaming platform that doesn’t even let you watch them, and — beloved as Yarlett’s book might be — this...

Netflix is teasing their TV show and movie slate with a teaser video, and we’re highlighting some of the movies featured! You can see our full article about Netflix’s TV show slate for 2024 here.

The video features clips from various movies, and other original films have been given release dates that were just revealed!

Keep reading to find out more…

Some of the films teased in the video include Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz‘s Back in Action, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon: Part Two the Scargiver, Eddie Murphy‘s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (out on July 3),

Scroll down for the entire 2024 film slate…

Orion And The Dark (Feb 2)

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,...

Take a look at more footage from "Orion and the Dark", the animated fantasy comedy feature, directed by Sean Charmatz, based on the book by Emma Yarlett, streaming February 2, 2024 on Netflix:

"....'Orion' seems a lot like your average school kid, shy and un-assuming. But underneath his seemingly normal exterior, Orion is a very anxious boy, 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'. 

"He needs a light everytime he's sleeping. So when the literal embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, the 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 grow closer, Orion...

The Netflix streaming service has just unveiled their 2024 line-up of film and TV show releases – and the list is so long, we’ve had to split it into two separate articles. While the TV show line-up can be found in another article here on JoBlo.com, in this one we’re focusing on the films Netflix will be releasing, including the long-awaited fourth entry in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, a sequel to The Platform, a time travel slasher movie, Richard Linklater’s Hit Man, an animated film scripted by Charlie Kaufman, Zack Snyder’s second Rebel Moon movie, and much more.

Here we go, with thanks to Deadline:

Orion And The Dark (Feb 2)

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,...

Here, in all its glory, is Netflix’s long list of movies premiering on the streamer in 2024, and there’s quite a few gems. While Netflix tries to program an event film each quarter, there’s clearly more star-studded pics than that as that’s what gets subscribers to click.

Of note, dates have been announced for five features including the Eddie Murphy fourthquel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (July 3), the animated Nickelodeon Latino title The Casagrandes Movie, (March 22), the cartoon movie Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp (April 12), the Mark Waters-directed Brooke Shields and Miranda Cosgrove title Mother of the Bride (May 9), and the Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry action title The Union (August 16).

Also on deck is Amblin’s first movie under its Netflix deal, the Taron Egerton Tsa thriller Carry On, the Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz action movie Back in Action, franchise movies like Zack Snyder...

Here’s What You Can Watch on Netflix (Films) In February 2024 (Photo Credit – YouTube)

It’s a new month, and movie lovers are looking forward to the new movies releasing on Netflix in February 2024. The streaming giant is known for dropping interesting content every month in the format of series, movies, documentaries, stand-ups, or even short films. Regarding movies, they treat viewers with stories from all over the world.

Just like January, in February 2024 too, fun and intriguing movies and stand-up films are also making their way on Netflix. We have listed the same for you so you can keep a tab and not miss out on any of them.

What To Watch On Netflix (Films) In February 2024

Orion and the Dark – February 2

It’s a fantasy animated adventure film directed by Sean Charmatz and written by Charlie Kauffman. Jacob Tremblay has voiced Orion; Colin Hanks will feature as Adult...

Clockwise from bottom left: Cole Sprouse and Kathryn Newton in Lisa Frankenstein, Jennifer Lopez in This Is Me ... Now, Orion And The Dark, Margaret Qualley in Drive-Away Dolls, and Chip in ArgyllePhoto: Prime, Focus Features, Universal Pictures, Netflix

January may be in the rearview, but movie theaters are still...

Orion And The Dark Image: DreamWorks Animation The notion of an animated feature for children written by Charlie Kaufman, the anxiety-riddled scribe of metaphysical nesting-doll movies like Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, sounds about as unlikely as a G-rated Disney movie directed by David Lynch, or Nine Inch Nails...

Orion And The DarkImage: DreamWorks Animation

The notion of an animated feature for children written by Charlie Kaufman, the anxiety-riddled scribe of metaphysical nesting-doll movies like Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, sounds about as unlikely as a G-rated Disney movie directed by David Lynch, or Nine Inch Nails frontman...

The Eternal Sunshine and Being John Malkovich screenwriter has adapted a picture book for his debut family film about being afraid of the dark

A mainstream children’s movie from screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, creator of Being John Malkovich and Synecdoche, New York? It has to be worth a look, if only for the pleasure of wondering how much of his own adult neurosis has crept in. For this DreamWorks/Netflix family animation, Kaufman has adapted a picture book by Falmouth-based British author Emma Yarlett, and Sean Charmatz makes his feature directing debut, having worked chiefly on storyboarding films such as SpongeBob SquarePants and The Lego Movie 2.

It is about an unhappy little kid called Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), who is afraid of pretty much everything: putting his hand up in class, being bullied, causing the toilet to overflow with an immoderate bowel movement, talking to the girl he...

The best animated movies are entertaining enough for kids while providing rewarding diversions for older viewers. This Netflix premiere from DreamWorks Animation hits just that sweet spot. Hilariously and movingly tapping into typical childhood anxieties, it’s infused with ample wit of both the visual and verbal variety for adults, the latter courtesy of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) in his return to feature-length animation, nine years after Anomalisa. Much like the streamer’s recent Nimona, Orion and the Dark proves the sort of sophisticated animated project that outshines many recent big-screen toons.

Based on the illustrated children’s book by Emma Yarlett, the story revolves around Orion (Jacob Tremblay, Room), a fifth-grader with an inordinate number of fears that he dutifully chronicles in a vividly illustrated sketchbook.

Many of them are typical for an early adolescent, from being afraid to talk to a classmate...

Take a look at more footage from "Orion and the Dark", the animated fantasy comedy feature, directed by Sean Charmatz, based on the book by Emma Yarlett, streaming February 2, 2024 on Netflix:

"....'Orion' seems a lot like your average school kid, shy and un-assuming. But underneath his seemingly normal exterior, Orion is a very anxious boy, 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'. 

"He needs a light everytime he's sleeping. So when the literal embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, the 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 grow closer, Orion...

Let’s get this out of the way right away. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is not on this list. Despite what was initially planned, the sequel to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will not be coming to theaters in March, or any time in the upcoming year.

However, the loss of one exciting film does not mean 2024 will be short of great animated movies. In its place will be cartoons to meet the needs of every type of moviegoer, from franchise continuations to adaptations of beloved works to new entries. Given the complex nature of animated films, many of these don’t yet have firm release dates.

Still, animations enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to this next year. Here are the big movies you need to watch out for…

Orion and The Dark (February 2)

If you’re just looking at the promotional material for Orion and the Dark, you...

Can a child overcome his fears? Netflix’s “Orion And The Dark” explores how the scariest things could actually help someone find happiness. The film revolves around a kid whose fearfulness has stifled his life. Everything changes after a new and surprising friend enters his life. Charlie Kaufman adapts Emma Yarlett’s book, with Sean Charmatz helming the project.

Jacob Tremblay and Paul Walter Hauser lend their voices to the main characters.

Continue reading ‘Orion And The Dark’ Trailer: This Charlie Kaufman-Written Netflix Animated Film Features Jacob Tremblay & Paul Walter Hauser at The Playlist.

After his uncredited studio work on Kung Fu Panda 2‘s script and his independent feature Anomalisa, Charlie Kaufman is expanding his animation resume. He’s scripted the new DreamWorks animation Orion and the Dark, which is directed by Sean Charmatz and arrives on Netflix in just a few weeks. With a voice cast featuring Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett, Colin Hanks, Natasia Demetriou, Golda Rosheuvel, Nat Faxon, Aparna Nancherla, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gugino, and, yes, even Werner Herzog, the first trailer has now arrived today.

Here’s the synopsis: “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...

Esoteric screenwriter Charlie Kaufman turns his hand to family filmmaking with Orion And The Dark. Here’s the trailer.

Charlie Kaufman is synonymous with the surreal. Whether it’s the astonishingly original plot of Being John Malkovich, or the novel structure of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Kaufman’s films aren’t easy to categorise. We described his most recent film, I’m Thinking Of Ending Things, as ‘a bit odd’.

In 2020, he penned his first novel, Antkind, a sprawling absurdist epic about a man who is slowly driven insane by the memory of a three month long film only he has seen, and attempts to convince the world of its existence.

One thing he’s not known for, it’s fair to say, is family films. However, his latest screenplay is the surprisingly friendly-looking Orion And The Dark, an animated film which lands on Netflix next month. The last time Kaufman dabbled in animation,...

Take a look at more footage from "Orion and the Dark", the animated fantasy comedy feature, directed by Sean Charmatz, based on the book by Emma Yarlett, streaming February 2, 2024 on Netflix:

"....'Orion' seems a lot like your average school kid, shy and un-assuming. But underneath his seemingly normal exterior, Orion is a very anxious boy, 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'. 

"He needs a light everytime he's sleeping. So when the literal embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, the 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 grow closer,...

Charlie Kaufman‘s work normally provides for some very dynamic and interesting visuals. However, he has only dipped his toe into an animated feature film only once before with the stop-motion animated movie Anomalisa. Now, the writer of such films as Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind looks to be trying his hand at a traditional family-friendly animated comedy with Orion and the Dark. Sean Charmatz is in the director’s chair. Netflix has just released the trailer.

The official synopsis from Netflix 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...

Paul Walter Hauser as Dark and Jacob Tremblay as Orion – DreamWorks Animation © 2023

We’re just weeks away from getting to watch the brand new DreamWorks Animation movie that features a script written by Charlie Kauffman. In anticipation of its release, Netflix has confirmed the full cast lineup for Orion and the Dark plus released a new trailer and stills.

Announced last year at the Annecy Film Festival, this will mark DreamWorks Animation’s second major Netflix Original movie for the streamer following Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans from Guillermo del Toro.

Based on the book by Emma Yarlett, the movie comes from director Sean Charmatz and is about a young elementary school kid who is afraid of everything, including bees, the ocean, clowns, and countless other things. Amongst the biggest things he’s afraid of is the dark, which comes alive and whisks Orion away on an adventure.

Here’s...

The latest trailer for Netflix and DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming animated film, Orion and the Dark, has Ike Barinholtz voicing the role of Light, Dark’s nemesis, as Orion, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, learns there’s nothing to be afraid of in the night.

“Everyday I bring brightness and hope to the world, and you bring the exact opposite,” Light tells Dark, voiced by Paul Walter Hauser, as their comic light versus darkness battle plays out while an anxious Orion confronts his greatest fears in life.

“Oh, whatever!” a gloomy Dark responds as his unlikely friendship with Orion grows as Tremblay’s character must shed his adolescent anxiety over much in life to overcome his worst fear: the dark. The moral of their journey together is stop letting fear control your life and embrace the joy of living.

Based on Emma Yarlett’s book and written by Being John Malkovich scribe Charlie Kaufman,...

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.