No one captures childhood wonder quite like Taika Waititi, the Oscar-winning director has just unveiled his latest work on the Coca-Cola 2020 Christmas advertisement.
Without giving too much away, the Jojo Rabbit director has helmed a two-minute commercial that follows the story of a father trying to get his daughter’s letter to the North Pole in time for Christmas. It’s rare to see Waititi lean so heavily into sincerity without his signature silliness, but it’s a total joy.
Check out Coca-Cola Christmas Commercial 2020 directed by Taika Waititi:
This isn’t the first time Waititi has cut his teeth as a creative director. Back in 2013, he directed a public service announcement video about driving under the influence of marijuana. Three tamariki — including the exceptional Hunt for the Wilderpeople star Julian Denninson — impersonate their dads’ driving home stoned. It’s quietly heartbreaking.
Check out Blazed — Drug Driving in Aoteroa
Back in May, it was confirmed that Taika Waititi will direct and co-write a new Star Wars film. The as-yet-untitled feature marks the first major Star Wars film since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. Waititi previously directed the first season finale episode of The Mandalorian.
Taika Waititi is also in the thick of directing his new film, Next Goal Wins. Based on the documentary of the same name, the film will follow the story of a soccer coach sent to America Samoa to coach the local team for the World Cup in 2001. The film will star Michael Fassbender, Elisabeth Moss and Armie Hammer.
Details about the project are few and far between, though Armie Harmer recently sat down with Collider to share the skinny on the forthcoming film.
“[Waititi’s] phenomenally talented. He’s almost too talented for his own good,” mused Hammer. “[Next Goal Wins is] the story of a coach — played hilariously and perfectly by Michael Fassbender — who goes, kind of as a dead-end job, just to kind of get rid of him, [is sent] down to American Samoa to coach a soccer team there and it’s about what happens to this coach goes down to Samoa to coach a soccer team.
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“It’s hilarious and it’s fun and it’s heartfelt and there are things in it that are really touching. Like all of Taika’s films. Like Hunt for the Wilderpeople. That movie is funny and touching and you’ll cry and laugh in the same film. That’s very Taika. When he wants to do that, that’s what he’s gonna do.”
