• Taika Waititi's new movie Klara and the Sun has a first-look trailer
• It teases Jenna Ortega as the titular AI companion, playing what's called an Artificial Friend
• Klara and the Sun arrives in theaters on October 23, 2026

Klara and The Sun got its first trailer recently, and the new movie quickly grabbed my attention. Even though stories of AI companions are everywhere, this one has done a lot to stand out from the crowd.

Before we get into that, here's a quick synopsis. Taika Waititi's Klara and The Sun is an adaptation of the novel of the same name, centering around an Artificial Friend (Jenna Ortega) and the human she was bought for, Josie (Mia Tharia).

Take a look at the trailer below ahead of the movie's release on October 23, 2026.

Why I'm excited for Klara and The Sun

Stories about AI companions are hardly new, and you'd be forgiven for growing a little tired of them. Whether it's sci-fi classics like A.I. Artificial Intelligence or horrors like Companion, lifelike androids are nothing new.

But I quickly found myself interested in Klara and the Sun after seeing the trailer and reading up on it. The original novel by Kazuo Ishiguro explores a dystopian world where children are genetically engineered for enhanced academic ability.

There's plenty of downsides to this, including social isolation. Children learn at home through on-screen tutors so they spend a lot of time stuck indoors. Enter the Artificial Friends, companions that can be purchased for the home where they'll keep children company without needing to be cared for like a pet would.

It's a bleak existence, but there's also something hopeful about Klara and the Sun. The trailer teases an unlikely bond between the titular AI companion and Josie, her human friend.

Outside of the interesting premise I'm also impressed by the cast. Supporting roles are played by Amy Adams, Natasha Lyonne, and Steve Buscemi, so we have some great talent attached to this.

I'm really excited to dive deeper into this world, especially since I have enjoyed Waititi's previous work such as Jojo Rabbit. I'm hoping that Klara and the Sun is just as good.

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Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd.