Jenna Ortega Shifts from Horror to Sci-Fi Drama in 'Klara and the Sun'

Director Taika Waititi, globally acclaimed for blockbuster comedies like Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit, is breaking away from his signature style. His upcoming film, Klara and the Sun, moves into a completely new genre for the filmmaker. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s best-selling 2021 novel, entertainment magazine Vanity Fair recently unveiled the first look of the adaptation.

The movie follows Klara, a solar-powered artificial intelligence robot designed to serve as an "Artificial Friend." Popular actress Jenna Ortega takes on the title role. The plot centers on a mother who purchases Klara to act as a companion for her chronically ill daughter. The narrative explores how an artificial being perceives human relationships, love, loneliness, and faith.

Waititi admitted that he initially expected the project to be the easiest film of his career, planning to infuse it with his typical comedic touch.

"When I first started writing, I thought I would make it a typical 'Taika film' and fill it with silly robot jokes," Waititi shared. "But as I wrote, I realized that was ruining the core appeal of this beautiful book. So, I stepped outside my comfort zone to create a serious drama. This is likely the most dramatic film of my career."

Unlike typical flashier science fiction productions, the film presents a colorful, somewhat nostalgic future. In this world, the internet has largely vanished from daily life, and society appears to be moving backward rather than forward, even as AI grows deeply intertwined with human emotions.

Klara and the Sun is scheduled to hit theaters on October 23, 2025. Industry insiders expect the film to make its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival ahead of its wide theatrical release.