Waititi Slams Critics Over Klara and the Sun
The director of Klara and the Sun lashed out at film critics after the movie's reviews and box office results drew attention.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Science Fiction
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Taika Waititi posted a response on Instagram on Saturday criticizing film critics who reviewed Klara and the Sun, which was released in the United States the weekend before October 31, 2026. Sony Pictures Releasing reportedly scaled back the film's international release.
Why it matters
The film, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams, has drawn a sharp split between critics and audiences, a gap that can shape how a movie performs at the box office. The episode also highlights ongoing tension between filmmakers and the critics who review their work.
Rotten Tomatoes shows a 26% critic rating against 75% audience approval for Klara and the Sun. The film has earned $1.067 million domestically at an average of $823 per theater, and the source does not say how the international rollout will be affected.
The players
Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi is a New Zealand filmmaker known for directing Jojo Rabbit and other acclaimed films.
Sony Pictures Releasing
Sony Pictures Releasing is the distribution arm of Sony Pictures that handles theatrical releases of its films.
William Bibbiani
William Bibbiani is a film critic who reviewed Klara and the Sun for TheWrap.
The details
Waititi responded through an Instagram post, calling critics irrelevant, out of touch, and obsolete, and referenced critics who disliked his earlier film Jojo Rabbit. William Bibbiani reviewed the film for TheWrap, one of the critical voices in the reviews that prompted the response.
Timeline
Last weekend before October 31, 2026: Klara and the Sun opens in U.S. theaters.
Saturday, October 31, 2026: Waititi posts his response to critics on Instagram.
Legal Context
Waititi's post explicitly invokes critics who disliked Jojo Rabbit, placing the Klara and the Sun reaction in a pattern of his public disputes with reviewers. The current split between a 26% critic rating and 75% audience approval gives that pattern a fresh data point.
Moviegoers in the United States can see Klara and the Sun in theaters now, and the film has drawn a wide gap between critic and audience ratings. Viewers deciding whether to attend can weigh the 75% audience approval against the 26% critic score.
The takeaway
Critic and audience reactions to Klara and the Sun diverge sharply, so readers weighing whether to see it should look at both sets of ratings. The director's public response shows how heated these disputes between filmmakers and reviewers can become.
Further reading
For more on the film genre at the center of this release, see Science Fiction.
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