Klara and the Sun has arrived in US theaters courtesy of Columbia Pictures, the Sony label, just a week after its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. The film, directed by Taika Waititi from a screenplay he co-wrote with Dahvi Waller, adapts the eponymous novel by Kazuo Ishiguro published in 2021.
The story follows Klara, an Artificial Friend purchased as a companion for an ill teenager. Jenna Ortega plays Klara, while Mia Tharia plays Josie, the young protagonist, and Amy Adams portrays her mother. Steve Buscemi and Natasha Lyonne round out the main cast.
For fans of Jenna Ortega, this film arrives shortly after the actress finished filming the third season of Wednesday last month, making it another prominent project in her recent career.
As it is a Sony Pictures release, it is already known in advance which streaming platform it will land on in the United States: Netflix. The big question, for now, is exactly when that will happen.
A Complicated Reception at the Box Office and with Critics
The journey of Klara and the Sun has not been easy. Early reactions following its time in London were mostly negative, and the film currently sits at around 20-25% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a score of 30 on Metacritic.
Given this landscape, Sony decided to significantly reduce its theatrical rollout, going from the 1,900 theaters initially planned to about 850. Opening weekend projections point to about $2 million in revenue, against an estimated budget of $20 million.
How the Agreement Between Sony and Netflix Works
Since 2022, Netflix has been the primary streaming home for Sony Pictures theatrical releases in the United States. Films arrive on the platform once the theatrical and digital rental windows have concluded, and they remain on Netflix for 18 months before moving to Disney+ and Hulu.
As a 2026 release, Klara and the Sun falls under this existing agreement with the United States, and not under the global agreement announced in January, which will only apply to films released in theaters starting in 2027.
When Will Klara and the Sun Arrive on Netflix in the United States?
At the moment, there is no confirmed date from Netflix or Sony. What follows is an estimate based on how the company has managed its recent releases, not an official date.
Historically, the usual window between the theatrical release and the arrival on Netflix has been about 120 days. This was the case with Karate Kid: Legends, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, and GOAT. Applying that timeframe from October 23, the resulting date would be Saturday, February 20, 2027.
However, Sony has been narrowing that margin in several of its recent releases, especially those that did not perform well at the box office: Caught Stealing (which grossed over $30 million) arrived on Netflix in 92 days; Anaconda did so in 90 days despite being released on Christmas Day; and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple took only 74 days, with just 32 days between its theatrical release and its arrival on digital format.
If those shorter timeframes are applied to Klara and the Sun, the resulting window would range from early to late January 2027. Given the cut in the number of theaters, the most likely hypothesis points to a January release, leaving February 20 as a backup date if Sony decides to follow the standard 120-day calendar.
All in all, the most reasonable forecast points to late January 2027, within a broader range that would go from January to February of that same year.
Signs to Watch
Sony has not yet announced the digital rental (PVOD) date for the film. Considering that its latest releases have reached that format between 30 and 45 days after their theatrical run, that window could be between late November and early December.
On the other hand, Netflix usually confirms the dates for Sony releases only two or three weeks in advance, so a January arrival would likely be announced just at the beginning of that month.
What About the UK, Canada, and Other Countries?
The international situation is more complex. The current agreement grants Netflix the first release window in the United States and some other territories. India and parts of Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, usually receive Sony films at the same time as the United States, as does Germany.
The UK and Canada follow a different logic. In both countries, the first streaming window for Sony belongs to other local platforms: Sky in the UK and Crave in Canada. Netflix only accesses those films in a second window, which in recent examples has arrived between 18 months and two years later. This would place a possible arrival on Netflix in those countries sometime in 2028. Australia and much of Europe follow a similar pattern.
The global agreement announced in January will eventually unify these windows, but its implementation will be carried out territory by territory until early 2029, so a 2026 release like this one is unlikely to benefit from that change.
Frequently Asked Questions About Klara and the Sun on Netflix
When is Klara and the Sun released on Netflix in the United States?
There is still no official date confirmed by Netflix or Sony. Based on the usual pattern of recent Sony releases, the arrival could occur between January and February 2027, with late January being the most likely estimate.
Who stars in Klara and the Sun?
Jenna Ortega plays Klara, the lead Artificial Friend. Mia Tharia plays Josie, the teenager she accompanies, and Amy Adams plays Josie's mother. Steve Buscemi and Natasha Lyonne round out the main cast.
What is Klara and the Sun based on?
The film adapts the novel Klara and the Sun, published by Kazuo Ishiguro in 2021. It is directed by Taika Waititi, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Dahvi Waller.
Will Klara and the Sun arrive on Netflix in the UK and Canada at the same time as in the US?
Not necessarily. In the UK and Canada, the first streaming window for Sony films belongs to other platforms (Sky and Crave, respectively), so Netflix could receive the film in those territories around 2028, according to the pattern followed with previous titles.
Why does Netflix release Sony films in the United States?
Since 2022, Netflix has maintained an agreement with Sony Pictures to be the first streaming platform to receive its theatrical releases in the United States, once the theatrical and digital rental windows have concluded, remaining in the catalog for 18 months.
