Back in August, I wrote about Taika Waititi’s much-delayed “Klara snd the Sun” still being in the editing room, but with a clear focus on a release next year.
Nineteen months since shooting wrapped on the film, ‘Klara’ is now finally in the can. It’s ready to go. The MPA has given it a PG-13 rating, which means post-production is finally done on the film.
Some had predicted ‘Klara’ might surface in 2024, but that never materialized. The same whispers suggested a 2025 release — nope. Now it looks like 2026 will be the year we get Waititi’s latest.
Dahvi Waller (“Mrs. America“) penned the original draft of the script, with Waititi, potentially, having rewritten some, if not, all of it. Below is the novel’s official synopsis (via Penguin Random House):
Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her.
Ishiguro and Waititi don’t quite gel in my books. On paper, it’s one of the weirder director/author partnerships in recent years. We’ll see how it turns out as post production seems to be continuing on it.
“Klara and the Sun” stars Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, and Natasha Lyonne. It’s a talented cast, and maybe they’ll be sent over to this coming January’s Sundance Film Festival for a world premiere, or Sony might wait it out — in my previous report I wrote about sources telling me a “summer 2026” release was most likely for the film.
Waititi has been on a bit of a cold streak; he struck out with “Thor: Love & Thunder” in 2022, and his last film, “Next Goal Wins,” also plagued with delays, was shot in 2019 and finally released in 2023, to very mixed reviews.
I’ve noticed increasing pushback from movie fans against Waititi; he seems to strike a nerve whenever his name is mentioned. It wasn’t always like that. His brand of cheeky comedy, heartfelt emotion, and quirky storytelling was once considered “hip.” Films like “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Hunter for the Wilder People,” and “Thor: Ragnarok” celebrated for their offbeat and irreverent humor.