Summer might be the traditional time for blockbusters, but this weekend is shaping up to be a surprisingly fierce showdown among three major releases from very different corners of the industry. Taika Waititi is back in theaters with his adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's acclaimed novel, Klara and the Sun, starring Jenna Ortega. It's not the only literary adaptation hitting the big screen, as Laika finally unveils its long-awaited stop-motion fantasy, Wildwood, based on the 2011 children's book by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. And looming over both is the latest from DC, James Watkins' Clayface, which is looking to capitalize on the Halloween season.
Heading into the weekend, the odds are firmly in the Batman villain's favor. With its creepy and buzz-worthy marketing, the promise of a tragic and horrifying story penned by Mike Flanagan, and the Halloween timing, Clayface got off to a strong start with $3.5 million in Thursday previews. Projections suggest the film will take in $45 million to $55 million globally in its opening, which should be more than enough to put a smile on that experimentally altered face, especially given its leaner budget. The supervillain origin story also stars Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan. Its competitors, however, aren't expected to go toe-to-toe with that effort.
Despite Laika's track record of creating breathtaking stop-motion magic from Coraline to Kubo and the Two Strings, Wildwood is projected to land closer to the $6-to-8 million mark domestically. That would be a massively disappointing start for the fantasy, given its reported $100 million budget. Word of mouth has been remarkably positive so far, with critics giving it a Certified Fresh 100% on Rotten Tomatoes through 99 reviews, while audiences sit at an equally fantastic 98%. There's been less positivity, however, surrounding Klara and the Sun, which sits at a 24% score from reviewers and is only projected to make around $2 million this weekend.
Both are instead expected to be overtaken by a surprise contender in its second weekend — the Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim team-up Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything. After a head-turning $15.6 million debut last weekend, it's projecting in the $20-to-25 million range domestically as it opens in more theaters, putting it in position to go blow-for-blow with Clayface.
What Are 'Klara and the Sun' and 'Wildwood' About?
In Klara and the Sun, Ortega plays the titular Artificial Friend, designed to help combat loneliness in a sci-fi dystopia where genetic enhancement has divided people more than ever. She finds her perfect home upon meeting Josie (Mia Tharia), a kindred spirit who sees something special in her, even if she is an older, outdated model. Although Josie and her mother (Amy Adams) share a difficult relationship racked by tragedy, their new companion's innocent, optimistic approach to the world slowly begins to break through and bring much-needed light into their lives. Waititi both wrote and directed, with Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi, and Aran Murphy among the supporting cast. For more on Ortega's career, check out our analysis of her brutal theatrical debut.
The Travis Knight-directed Wildwood, meanwhile, follows teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) into the dangerous, breathtaking, and fantastically alive woods just outside of Portland to find her baby brother after he's kidnapped by crows. Joined by her classmate Curtis (Jacob Tremblay), she finds an entire other world waiting within the trees, one that's on the brink of war among its many fantastical inhabitants. At the center is Alexandra (Carey Mulligan), a mysterious woman haunted by the death of her son who would go to dangerous lengths to bring him back. A proudly handmade feature down to the finest details, it also stars, among many others, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Amandla Stenberg, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Maya Erskine, and Charlie Day.
As the weekend unfolds, it will be interesting to see if Clayface can maintain its lead, or if the positive word of mouth for Wildwood can help it overcome its slow start. For those looking for more spooky season entertainment, check out our list of horror films born from books or our roundup of modern horror's finest. And if you're in the mood for a different kind of scare, From Season 1-3 is now on Netflix.
Klara and the Sun, Wildwood, and Clayface are now in theaters. Stay tuned here at ShowtimeSpot for more as their runs on the big screen unfold.
