Netflix recently released Orion and the Dark, DreamWorks Animation’s latest production that marked Sean Charmatz’s directorial debut. This animated film, inspired by Emma Yarlett’s book, was penned by Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter and filmmaker best known for hits such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Anomalisa, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things. It features Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett, and Colin Hanks in the voice cast.
Orion and the Dark follows Orion, a very anxious boy who is afraid of just about everything. Among the long list of things that irrationally terrify him, darkness ranks comfortably at the top. But little does this young boy know that darkness is not that terrible, and he comes to realize it when it shows up in his room in the form of a giant, friendly creature, who invites him on an adventure through the night aimed at making him overcome all his fears.
Charmatz’s film has only been on Netflix for a short while, but it has been getting rave reviews for its original premise and encouraging messages that delighted both kids and adults. If you happen to be among those who loved Orion and the Dark, check out these 10 similar movies to watch next.
10 ParaNorman (2012)
In Laika’s 2012 stop-motion animated film, ParaNorman, Kodi Smit-McPhee voices Norman Babcock, a misunderstood young boy from a small town in Massachusetts with a rather peculiar ability: talking to the dead. This unique skill that caused his friends and family to cast him aside becomes critical to everyone when an ancient curse breaks out in the town, compelling the dead to rise from their graves like zombies.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Both ParaNorman and Orion and the Dark feature characters who are misunderstood by their peers: Norman, for his ability to communicate with the dead, and Orion, for his extensive list of irrational fears. In both films, they must overcome their fears and face extraordinary challenges in order to save everyone, while learning great lessons along the way. Stream on Starz
9 Hotel Transylvania (2012)
2012 marked the release of Hotel Transylvania, a film by Genndy Tartakovsky that kicked off one of the most popular animated franchises of recent times. It features Count Dracula, a vampire who owns Hotel Transylvania, the human-free resort that monsters like to vacation in. To celebrate his daughter Mavis’ birthday, Drac invites all of his friends to an impressive party, but things get turned upside down with the arrival of an unexpected and highly dangerous guest: a human.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Like Orion and the Dark, Hotel Transylvania revolves around fear and self-acceptance. In Tartakovsky’s film, Dracula constantly struggles with his own insecurities and his irrational fear of humans, two things that led him to become increasingly isolated over the years, thus depriving him of many important experiences. Rent on AppleTV
8 Coraline (2009)
Coraline
- Release Date
- February 5, 2009
- Director
- Henry Selick
Coraline is arguably the most important film in Laika’s history, and one of the most acclaimed stop-motion animated productions of all time. This Henry Selick film, starring Dakota Fanning, introduces Coraline, a young girl who, while exploring the house she has just moved into with her family, discovers an alternate universe where everything is funnier, even her hectic parents. But little does this girl know that this seemingly wonderful world harbors a sinister force that threatens to put an end to everything she knows.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Unlike Orion, Coraline comes across as a very brave young girl who has little to fear, which is why she reaches the Other World in the first place. However, as things get murkier and fears begin to surface, she, too, must face them in order to ensure the continuity of her world as she knows it, learning a great deal in the process. In addition, both productions depict universes that are both magical and mysterious with visual aesthetics that make them unique, and they are also adaptations of literary works. Stream on Max
7 Home (2015)
Home
- Release Date
- March 18, 2015
- Director
- Tim Johnson
Home hit theaters in 2015, with Tim Johnson serving as director and Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, and Jennifer Lopez leading the voice cast. This film, inspired by Adam Red’s book, The True Meaning of Smekday, follows a teenage girl and a clumsy alien, who roam the Earth searching for the girl’s mother after an alien race known as the Boov invaded the planet and relocated nearly all of its inhabitants.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Besides being a film adaptation of a book just like Orion and the Dark, Home is another DreamWorks Animation production. At the same time, its leads share a dynamic much like Orion and Dark: while their relationship starts off on the wrong foot, they eventually figure each other out and develop an endearing friendship. Rent on AppleTV
6 Turning Red (2022)
Turning Red
In this new Disney and Pixar collaboration, a 13-year-old girl named Meilin turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited.
- Release Date
- March 11, 2022
- Director
- Domee Shi
The 2022 film Turning Red marked Domee Shi’s feature film directorial debut after garnering critical and audience acclaim for her 2018 short film Bao. Making history as the first Pixar film directed by a woman, the production introduces Mei, a hilarious Chinese-Canadian teenager, whose life is flipped upside down upon inheriting a curse that turns her into a giant red panda every time she feels a strong emotion.
How It’s Like Orion and the Dark
In many ways, Mei is a lot like Coraline: she doesn’t suffer from the fears that cripple Orion’s life, nor is she afraid to throw herself into the unknown. That is, at least, until the curse kicks in. Then, just like the lead character in Orion and the Dark, Mei embarks on a journey of self-acceptance and personal growth that not only changes her life, but the lives of all those around her. Stream on Disney+
5 The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
2021 marked the premiere of The Mitchells vs. the Machines, the Netflix film directed by Mike Rianda that competed for Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards. This Netflix production, starring Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph and Rianda himself, follows the Mitchells, who embark on a road trip to take their eldest daughter to her first day of film school. But what this dysfunctional family may not expect is that, along the way, they’ll have to deal with a robot uprising that threatens to destroy the entire planet.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Possibly the biggest similarity between The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Orion and the Dark is that they both reflect on how important family is in the development of children. Both Katie Mitchell and Orion’s parents constantly attempt to put themselves in their children’s shoes to understand what they are going through, even if, at times, this proves extremely difficult. This behavior plays a vital role in helping the youngsters overcome their fears and achieve their goals. Stream on Netflix
4 Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Wreck-It Ralph is a Disney film released in 2012 that marked Rich Moore’s directorial debut. This production, packed with video game references, is set in an arcade, and follows Ralph, the giant-sized antagonist of one of the games who, weary of being perceived as a bad guy, sets out on a journey through all the other games on the premises in the hopes of becoming a hero and proving everyone wrong.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Wreck-It Ralph and Orion and the Dark have several things in common. Among them, it is worth noting that they both feature great adventures in which the heroes explore fantastic worlds. However, the main similarity between them is the personal circumstances of Dark and Ralph, two misunderstood creatures that many people consider dangerous, and the way this changes as their journey progresses. Stream on Disney+
3 Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Among Pixar’s most iconic films stands out Monsters, Inc., the 2001 production that marked Pete Docter’s directorial debut, becoming one of the most popular animated films in history. This film, set in Monstropolis, follows Sulley and Mike, two monsters and best friends who work in a scare factory that turns children’s screams into energy for the city. The unalterable day-to-day life of these characters is turned upside down when a little girl sneaks into the plant, triggering the fear of all the other monsters who mistakenly believe that kids are toxic.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Monsters, Inc. and Orion and the Dark have two major elements in common. For one, both productions revolve around facing fears in order to achieve personal growth. And for the other, the two films do a terrific job humanizing children’s worst nightmares. In this classic Pixar film, the monsters that scare kids at night are merely employees that, once you get to know them, prove to be hilarious, just as Dark is in Netflix’s latest film. Stream on Disney+
2 Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Rise of the Guardians is yet another DreamWorks Animation film that hit theaters in 2012, heavily inspired by William Joyce’s literary series The Guardians of Childhood. Featuring the voices of some of the industry’s most accomplished actors, the film follows Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman — a team known as The Guardians — whose mission is to protect children from darkness. But when a sinister spirit shows up to thwart their quest, they join forces with a young boy named Jack Frost to put an end to the threat once and for all.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
These two critically acclaimed DreamWorks films revolve around a few common themes such as fear and darkness, although the depiction of the latter differs greatly from one film to the other. Furthermore, they both feature a very diverse group of characters in charge of highly important tasks: in Rise of the Guardians, they are in charge of protecting children’s dreams, and in Orion and the Dark, Dark and the other entities of the night work hard to keep humans’ dreams in balance. Stream on Paramount+
1 Inside Out (2015)
Rounding out this list is Inside Out, a Pixar film released in 2015 that won, among many accolades, an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. This movie, directed by Pete Docter, features Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, the emotions in charge of keeping Riley’s life in order. Normally, Joy leads the group and restrains Sadness’ influence on the child, but things get complicated when her family’s relocation turns Riley’s life on its head, leading to an unprecedented clash of emotions.
How It’s like Orion and the Dark
Inside Out swept the film industry by featuring emotions as characters, earning worldwide acclaim for its original premise. Orion and the Dark, for its part, accomplishes something quite similar with the night entities, turning Sleep, Insomnia, Quiet, Unexplained Noises, Sweet Dreams and Dark into sentient creatures with distinct personalities that carry out crucial tasks for humanity. Stream on Disney+
