Taika Waititi Dismisses ‘Klara and the Sun’ Critics as Out of Touch
WHO:
Deadline - Director Taika Waititi defended his film *Klara and the Sun* and criticized reviewers who gave it negative reviews.
Variety - Waititi called critics “irrelevant,” “sad lost souls,” “out of touch” and “obsolete,” and said he listens to audiences.
The Hollywood Reporter - Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams star in *Klara and the Sun*.
The Hollywood Reporter - The film is adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel of the same name.
WHAT:
Gizmodo - Sony scaled back the film’s theatrical rollout.
Gizmodo - Spanish outlet Hobby Consolas reported that the film’s release in Spain was cancelled.
Gizmodo - The film stars Mia Tharia in addition to Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams.
Gizmodo - *Jojo Rabbit* won 42 awards, including an Oscar for Waititi’s screenplay.
Gizmodo - Waititi’s films *Next Goal Wins* and *Thor: Love and Thunder* received split responses.
Deadline - Waititi highlighted *Klara and the Sun*’s 78% Rotten Tomatoes audience score; Deadline reported it had since fallen to 73%.
Variety - Waititi’s Instagram post showed a 78% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, compared with a 28% critics score. The critics score was described as the lowest yet for the director of *Jojo Rabbit*.
The Hollywood Reporter - Waititi wrote: “I haven’t read a review of anything aimed at me or my peers in almost 15 years. But I do listen to the people.”
The Hollywood Reporter - Waititi also wrote: “So this Halloween, let’s spare a thought for those sad lost souls who couldn’t achieve their dreams of becoming artists, and thus became critics. The same people who also hated Jojo Rabbit. Irrelevant. Out of touch. Obsolete. In the bin.”
The Hollywood Reporter - *Klara and the Sun* earned an estimated $725,000 in its opening weekend, debuted outside the top 10, and had grossed approximately $1.7 million worldwide as of publication.
WHERE:
Gizmodo - *Klara and the Sun* was released alongside *Wildwood* and *Clayface*.
Variety - Waititi shared his defense of the film on social media.
The Hollywood Reporter - The film opened in 880 North American theaters.
The Hollywood Reporter - Waititi discussed artificial intelligence with The Hollywood Reporter at the film’s New York premiere.
WHEN:
Gizmodo - The film’s Spain release was reported cancelled; the article gives no calendar date for the cancellation.
Deadline - Waititi posted his comments on Saturday.
The Hollywood Reporter - The film opened in theaters the week before the article was published.
WHY:
Variety - Waititi defended the film amid poor reviews and weak box-office numbers.
The Hollywood Reporter - Waititi said AI should be used as a tool by humans, not as a replacement for them: “I don’t want to replace humans. I want to work with them.”
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - The film is set in a dystopian future and follows Klara, an obsolete companion android who tries to bond with her new owner, Josie, a young girl dealing with an illness.
The Hollywood Reporter - Waititi said AI use in the film industry was “probably inevitable,” while expressing support for humans working with it as a tool.
(UPDATED November 1, 2026 19:02 UTC)
Taika Waititi called critics out of touch while defending *Klara and the Sun* against poor reviews. The film, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams, has struggled at theaters. Waititi highlighted its audience score, saying he listens to viewers rather than critics.
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(UPDATED November 1, 2026 10:01 UTC)
Taika Waititi defended *Klara and the Sun*, criticizing reviewers after the film’s weak opening. He highlighted a 78% audience score, compared with just 28% from critics. Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams star in the adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel.