Before diving back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Taika Waititi has taken time to make one of the comedy dramas which helped make his career. His latest is Jojo Rabbit, which finds a young man coming of age in a time of hatred and suspicion... And with Hitler brought to satirical life by Waititi himself. The first trailer is online via Waititi's Twitter account, and showcases his typically offbeat style.
The film finds Waititi here adapting Christine Leunens’ novel Caging Skies, and follows a lonely German boy named Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler, Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.
It's the sort of subject that could ignite a wildfire of criticism on both sides of the political spectrum, but Waititi knows what he's doing and the satirical elements are clear.
Rebel Wilson, Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen and Stephen Merchant are in the cast, and the film has just been announced as a selection for this year's Toronto International Film Festival in September, ahead of a 3 January release in the UK (following its 18 October debut in the US).