Taika Waititi takes on an acclaimed sci-fi story with “Klara and the Sun,” his new film starring Jenna Ortega as a robot who brings companionship to lonely people in a dystopian world.
In the first look shown at CinemaCon, we see Jenna Ortega as Klara, an artificial friend frozen like a mannequin in a store that sells companions like her. As an older model, she has waited for years to meet a human who will take her home.
That happens when she meets a teen named Josie, who teaches her everything about the world, like how stairs work. But Josie’s mom doesn’t think Klara’s the right fit, and she tells Klara that if she slips up while she’s under warranty, she won’t hesitate to return her to the store…where she will be broken down for parts for newer models.
“Klara and the Sun” is an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed 2021 sci-fi novel of the same name. Several Ishiguro novels have been adapted before, including “The Remains of the Day” and “Never Let Me Go.” The author also picked up a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination at the Oscars for penning “Living,” a 2022 remake of Akira Kurosawa’s “Ikiru” starring Bill Nighy (who got a Best Actor nomination for the film) and directed by Oliver Hermanus.
The book follows Klara, a solar-powered “Artificial Friend” (or AF) who befriends a sick child in a dystopian future where children are educated entirely from home using digital tutors. Those who can afford it buy solar-powered AFs like Klara to help socialize their isolated children.
Joining Ortega in the cast are Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Simon Baker, Natasha Lyonne and Steve Buscemi. Dahvi Waller wrote the adapted screenplay for the film alongside Waititi.
“Klara and the Sun” is arguably Waititi’s first foray into pure science-fiction (though, you could argue “Thor: Ragnarok” is enough of a space odyssey to hold that title). It marks the filmmaker’s first feature since his 2023 sports dramedy, “Next Goal Wins.”
“Klara and the Sun” will be released in theaters by Sony Pictures on October 23.
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