Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun opens to harsh reviews; Ortega praised
File photo: CaseyJNewell (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Taika Waititi's film of Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun, starring Jenna Ortega, opened in US cinemas on 23 October 2026 to mostly negative reviews that still praised Ortega.
What Happened
Taika Waititi's film adaptation of Klara and the Sun, Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro's novel about an artificial friend built to keep a sick child company, opened in cinemas in the United States on Friday, 23 October 2026, after a premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 15 October. Jenna Ortega plays Klara, the solar-powered robot companion, with Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi and Natasha Lyonne in the cast. Sony Pictures is the distributor. Early reviews from major outlets have been largely negative about the film's mix of comedy and drama, while many critics singled out Ortega's performance as its strongest element.
Key Facts
- Film: Klara and the Sun, directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Dahvi Waller.
- Source: Kazuo Ishiguro's 2021 novel of the same name. Ishiguro won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017.
- Release: BFI London Film Festival on 15 October 2026; US cinemas from 23 October 2026, distributed by Sony Pictures.
- Cast: Jenna Ortega as Klara, with Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi and Natasha Lyonne.
- Reviews: The Hollywood Reporter called it the worst screen adaptation of an Ishiguro novel; Variety said the comedy undercuts the film's emotional core; Tom's Guide rated it 2 out of 5.
- Empire was more positive, describing it as tonally uneven but charming, with praise for Ortega.
Why It Matters
Klara and the Sun was one of the most anticipated literary adaptations of the year. The novel, Ishiguro's first after his Nobel Prize, is a quiet, sad story told through the eyes of Klara, an "Artificial Friend" bought to keep a lonely, ill teenager company. It asks what it means to love someone and whether a machine can understand or replace a person. Those questions have become more pressing as AI companions and chatbots enter everyday life, which gave the film a timely hook.
The choice of Waititi was always a gamble. He is best known for comic, offbeat films such as Jojo Rabbit, for which he won an Academy Award for adapted screenplay, and for Marvel's Thor films. Critics' main complaint is that his comic instincts do not suit Ishiguro's restrained tone. Several reviews say the jokes and visual flourishes break the novel's slow emotional build, so the ending does not land as it does on the page.
Ortega's role is the main point of agreement. Reviewers who disliked the film still credited her with giving Klara warmth and presence. For the actor, who rose to global fame with the Netflix series Wednesday, the film is a test of her move into adult dramatic roles, and her notices are better than the film's.
The poor reviews may affect the film's box office in its opening weekend in the US and could shape how it is released in other markets, including India, where a release date has not been confirmed in the reports reviewed.
| Outlet | Verdict (paraphrased) |
|---|---|
| The Hollywood Reporter | the worst screen adaptation of an Ishiguro novel |
| Variety | comedy undercuts the emotional core |
| Tom's Guide | 2 out of 5; Ortega cannot save it |
| Empire | tonally uneven but charming |
Impact
Short-term: Negative reviews usually weigh on a drama's opening weekend, especially one that depends on adult audiences. Fans of Ortega and of the novel may still turn out.
Long-term: The reception adds to a debate about how to adapt quiet literary fiction for the screen, and may influence how studios approach future Ishiguro adaptations and AI-themed dramas.
Who is affected: Cinema-goers deciding what to watch, readers of the novel, Sony Pictures, and the cast and director.
Key Takeaway
Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun opened in the US on 23 October 2026 to mostly poor reviews that faulted its comic tone, though critics broadly praised Jenna Ortega as Klara.
Questions and Answers
What are critics saying about Taika Waititi's Klara and the Sun?
Most major reviews are negative. The Hollywood Reporter called it the worst screen adaptation of an Ishiguro novel and Variety said its comedy undercuts the emotion, though Empire found it tonally uneven but charming.
When was Klara and the Sun released?
It premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on 15 October 2026 and opened in US cinemas on 23 October 2026, distributed by Sony Pictures.
Who plays Klara?
Jenna Ortega plays Klara, the robot companion, and many critics named her performance as the film's strongest element.
What is Klara and the Sun about?
Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's 2021 novel, it follows Klara, an artificial friend bought to keep a sick teenager company, and explores love, loneliness and whether a machine can understand a person.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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