Jenna Ortega is trading the gothic horror vibes of Wednesday for sunny open fields in the first Klara and the Sun image.
Klara and the Sun is a dystopian science fiction movie directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Dahvi Waller. Based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro, the movie follows Klara (Ortega), a robot whose purpose is to help make the humans she lives with less lonely. In addition to Ortega’s leading role, the movie also stars Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Aran Murphy, Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi, Harry Greenwood, and Sophia Bryant-Taukiri.
Ahead of the film’s October 23, 2026 release, Vanity Fair has unveiled the first image for Waititi’s Klara and the Sun adaptation. The still sees Ortega’s titular character, a robot living in a dystopian future, running through an open farm plain, showcasing her character’s unique wardrobe and hair design. The bright backdrop elevates the happy feelings the image wants to evoke, while the protagonist’s lighter outfit is a far cry from Ortega’s well-known Wednesday wardrobe. Check out the image below:
In addition to the main image of Ortega running through a field, two other images were released showcasing a behind-the-scenes look at Klara and the Sun‘s production. One shows Ortega’s character dressed in a more muted, gray outfit standing next to Amy Adams’ Chrissie, who is in a dark blue dress with her hair up. It appears the two are having a conversation, though what it’s about remains to be seen. Another shows a closer look at Ortega filming, pointing a camera at Waititi while the pair are on set together. See these images here:
The images tease a light tone to the movie that accentuates Klara’s mission to help the people she’s with. However, the simplicity of the story will get more complex as the dystopian sci-fi movie continues to explore various themes tied to the family Ortega’s character is meant to be assisting. This includes plenty of ideas surrounding the world it’s building, alongside Klara’s true place in it as helpful artificial intelligence. These ideas come out in the images, which showcase a vibrancy the movie will build upon with its forthcoming story.
Klara and the Sun is just one of two major sci-fi movies Ortega is starring in expected to arrive later this year. She’s also leading opposite Glen Powell in The Great Beyond, a new movie from J.J. Abrams and the filmmaker’s first directorial outing since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. She’s also continuing to film Wednesday season 3, which is continuing to see success on Netflix. But her new sci-fi movie will showcase her acting range while delivering a powerful tale.
With the movie set for release in just a few short months, it won’t be long until Klara and the Sun reveals more about its AI-driven dystopian future and how it compares to Ishiguro’s original novel. The images offer just a taste of what the film will have to offer, indicative of how idyllic yet complex the future it showcases is going to be.
- Release Date
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October 23, 2026
- Writers
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Dahvi Waller
- Producers
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David Heyman