Visionary writer and director Taika Waititi is the creative force behind the new Coca-Cola Christmas commercial, and man, we hope you asked for a box of tissues this year because you’re gonna need them. The two minute spot features an oil worker who finds himself locked into an unyielding quest to deliver his daugther’s letter to Santa. While the ad doesn’t feature the CGI wizardry and outlandish humor of Waititis’s Thor Ragnarok, the emotional journey will hit you harder than the God of Thunder’s hammer when it reaches its surprise ending.
In a sign of these pandemic times, Coca-Cola also included a special message on YouTube that encourages everyone to embrace the spirit of the holidays by reaching out to friends and family however you can:
This Christmas, give something only you can give.
Be it in person, over an awkward video call, or just a quick message, making time for the ones you love is what makes Christmas truly the most special time of year, no matter how you do it.
Wherever you are, we hope you have a good one.
Merry Christmas
The Christmas commercial is an unexpected treat from Waititi who’s had a very busy schedule. He’s been showing off his acting chops on The Mandalorian and upcoming roles in The Suicide Squad and Free Guy. He’s also about to start production on Thor: Love and Thunder, and shortly after that, he’ll be delivering a new Star Wars movie for Disney. That film will have the daunting task of kicking off a new era in Star Wars following the conclusion of The Skywalker Saga in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. Like we said, the guy has a full plate, so we have no idea how Taika found the time to deliver what’s essentially a short film for Coca-Cola, but he sure as hell pulled it off.