Original Coverage & Source Attribution: movieweb.com
Jenna Ortega is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable young stars, thanks to her appearances in projects such as Wednesday, Scream, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. However, her latest big-screen outing has struggled to translate that popularity into ticket sales. Despite its beloved source material and an Oscar-winning director, the dystopian sci-fi film had an unfavorable yet record-breaking opening weekend.
The movie arrived in theaters on October 23 following a quiet promotional campaign and an unfavorable early critical reception. Sony Pictures also scaled back its theatrical rollout, limiting the film to fewer than 1,000 locations. That decision was followed by an underwhelming domestic debut, with the adaptation failing to crack the weekend’s top 10 despite its recognizable leading star.
According to Box Office Mojo, Klara and the Sun earned approximately $725,000 across 880 domestic theaters during its opening weekend, placing 14th overall. That translates to an average of just $823 per theater, a disappointing result for a production with a reported $20 million budget. It also marks the lowest opening average for a Jenna Ortega-led wide release and a new low for director Taika Waititi.
The film follows Klara (Ortega), an Artificial Friend who believes the sun is a god-like figure and can bring goodness to the world. After being purchased, she forms a close relationship with Josie, a sickly teenager with a complicated family.
The adaptation hasn’t impressed critics. As of writing, its Rotten Tomatoes score stands at just 24%, with reviewers taking issue with Waititi’s more comedic handling of the novel’s deeper themes. This disappointing reception only adds to the financial challenges facing the film’s release.
Klara and the Sun‘s record-breaking opening is notable considering Ortega’s previous theatrical successes. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice debuted with more than $110 million domestically in 2024, while her appearances in the Scream franchise introduced her to an even wider audience. However, those films benefited from established franchises and recognizable characters. Klara and the Sun faces a different challenge as a literary adaptation without the same mainstream appeal.
The film’s performance also falls below early industry expectations. Before its release, Boxoffice Pro projected a domestic opening for Klara and the Sun between $6 million and $10 million, a range it missed by a substantial margin.
The combination of weak reviews, a reduced theatrical footprint, and limited audience turnout produced a difficult opening for Sony’s latest sci-fi adaptation. The result sheds light on the limitations of star power when a movie is incapable of generating enthusiasm beyond its limited existing audience.
- Release Date
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October 23, 2026
- Runtime
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116 minutes
