In This Article
- The Cast and What the Story Involves
- How the Production Came Together
- What to Watch For
Sony Pictures has locked in an October 23, 2026, theatrical release date for Klara and the Sun, the film adaptation of Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro's 2021 dystopian science fiction novel, directed by Taika Waititi and starring Jenna Ortega, according to Wikipedia's production record for the film. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the release date and noted that the studio revealed the theatrical window publicly. The film will be distributed through Sony's TriStar Pictures label.
The Cast and What the Story Involves
Ortega leads the film as Klara, described by Wikipedia as a solar-powered robot whose purpose is to ease the loneliness of the humans around her — a premise rooted in Ishiguro's novel, which follows an Artificial Friend navigating questions of consciousness, devotion, and sacrifice. Amy Adams plays Chrissie, the mother of a teenager named Josie, who is portrayed by newcomer Mia Tharia. Aran Murphy plays Rick, Josie's best friend and love interest. Natasha Lyonne and Steve Buscemi also appear in the ensemble, with Buscemi's casting confirmed in August 2024 per Wikipedia. Simon Baker was cast as Paul, Josie's father, but Wikipedia notes that his scenes were ultimately cut from the film — a detail Baker discussed in an April 2026 interview with Cultured magazine. Waititi co-wrote the screenplay with Dahvi Waller. For an assessment of the Ishiguro novel the film is based on, see our book review.
How the Production Came Together
The road to production began in July 2020, when Sony's 3000 Pictures acquired the screen rights to Ishiguro's novel, with producer David Heyman's Heyday Films attached, according to Wikipedia. Waller was brought on to write the script in March 2021, with Ishiguro himself set to serve as executive producer. Waititi entered negotiations to direct in May 2023 and was formally confirmed in January 2024, the same month Ortega entered talks for the lead role. Principal photography began in January 2024 under the working title Tears and Rain, with production at Silverlight Studios in Wānaka, New Zealand, followed by additional shooting in Auckland in early April of that year, per Wikipedia. Screen Daily reported that the film was produced by Garrett Basch alongside Heyman for Heyday Films. Adam Gough and Tom Eagles are credited as editors.
What to Watch For
The Wrap covered footage from CinemaCon 2026, where Waititi presented the film to exhibitors, marking one of the project's first public-facing promotional moments. Penguin Random House has updated marketing for the novel to reflect the coming release, flagging the Waititi-Ortega-Adams production prominently on the book's listing. With the October 23, 2026 date now set and a trailer having screened at CinemaCon, the film's full marketing campaign is expected to build toward what The Hollywood Reporter described as a major theatrical release from Sony.