Taika Waiтιтi was, once, one of the most celebrated directors working today. Hailing from New Zealand, the director’s early work included Eagle vs. Shark and Boy. Both of these films are considered great indie works of their era.

In the mid-2010s, Waiтιтi went on to direct two projects that would give him more significant international clout. These were What We Do in the Shadows in 2014 and Hunt for the Wilderpeople in 2016. The former would go on to be adapted into a TV show of the same name.

As Waiтιтi’s international reputation grew, so did the budget and scale of his projects. After Wilderpeople, he directed an MCU film with Thor: Ragnarok, which was considered one of the best superhero movies of its decade. He also wrote and directed Jojo Rabbit in 2019, which earned him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Perhaps due to the sheer abundance of work coming his way, Waiтιтi has unfortunately taken a downturn in more recent years. Despite the love for his first Thor movie, Thor: Love and Thunder disappointed audiences, and 2023’s Next Goal Wins was considered to be his lowest-rated film in years.

This has put Waiтιтi’s career in an interesting spot. His work is still celebrated, but his reputation is far from what it used to be. That said, a movie coming out later this year could turn things around for the director.

Klara And The Sun Can Bring Back The Best Parts Of Taika Waiтιтi’s Style

And Avoid Some Of His Worst Tendencies

Waiтιтi’s next directorial project is Klara and the Sun. The movie is a sci-fi drama about a robot girl who was created to prevent loneliness and is on a quest to save a heartbroken family. The film will adapt a book written by the acclaimed novelist Kazuo Ishiguro. The film stars Jenna Ortega in the lead role of Klara. The supporting cast includes Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi, Amy Adams, and Simon Baker.

Ishiguro’s writing is notably emotional and will make for good material for Waiтιтi to adapt. As evidenced by Hunt for the Wilderpeople and more, the Oscar-winning director is at his best when he leans in on melancholic moments more so than he had the chance to in something like Next Goal Wins.

This is not to say that Waiтιтi is unfunny. Given the right material, he can provide the humor. Even his darkest material, Jojo Rabbit, has some hysterically funny moments. However, the Boy director can brilliantly capture more introspective moments, making Klara and the Sun a promising pick.

Avoiding some of Waiтιтi’s overly comedy-focused work can be a great opportunity for him to turn his career back around. He still has a devoted following, but with some misses, he does need a good film to win back some audiences. The said film could end up being Klara and the Sun.