Clika

Clika
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMichael Greene
Screenplay by
  • Michael Greene
  • Jimmy Humilde
  • Sean McBride
Produced byJimmy Humilde
Starring
Cinematography
  • Ski-ter Jones
  • Jeffrey Carolan
Edited by
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • January 20, 2026 (2026-01-20) (TCL Chinese Theater)
  • January 23, 2026 (2026-01-23) (United States)
Running time
83 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$3 million

Clika is a 2026 American drama film written and directed by Michael Greene and co-written by Jimmy Humilde and Sean McBride. It stars Jay Dee, Cristian Gutierrez, Daniel Lopez, Laura Lopez, Nana Ponceleon, OhGeesy, Uziel Pantoja, Josh Benitez, Francine Sena, Percy Miller, Peter Greene, and Eric Roberts.

Clika premiered at the TCL Chinese Theater on January 20, 2026, and was released in the United States on January 23, by Columbia Pictures through Sony Pictures Releasing. The film received negative reviews from critics and grossed $3 million.

Premise

"A small town musician pushes to carve out a place for himself in the new wave of Mexican-American music after a clip of him performing one of his songs goes viral."[2]

Cast

Production

In March 2025, it was announced that Clika was directed by Michael Greene and written by Greene, Jimmy Humilde, and Sean McBride.[3] Filming took place in Yuba City on 2023,[4] with Ski-ter Jones and Jeffrey Carolan serving as the cinematographer.[5][6][7] Tess Karmann and Maryann Brandon edited the film, with the latter being added by Sony to work on the film.[8] The film took inspirations of Friday, 8 Mile, and Boyz in the Hood.[9]

Release

Clika premiered at the TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles on January 20, 2026,[10] and was released in the United States on January 23.[11] It was originally scheduled to release in the United States on August 15, 2025. However, it was later silently removed from the schedule for unknown reasons.[3]

Reception

Box office

As of February 16, 2026, Clika has grossed $3 million in the United States and Canada.[12][2]

Clika was released alongside Mercy, Return to Silent Hill, and wide releases of Arco and H Is for Hawk. The film opened in 522 theaters, and grossed $1.26 million on its opening weekend.[13]

Critical reception

Clika received negative reviews from critics.[14] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 10% of 10 critics' reviews are positive.[15]

Brandon Yu of The New York Times wrote "What glaringly sheds in its performances and direction is some of the sturdiness of a more traditional Hollywood production. But that also matters less in a movie like this, one clearly made, with love and belief, by and for the people it centers".[16]

Monica Castillo of RogerEbert.com criticized the "electricity and excitement" of the film.[17]

Katie Walsh of The Seattle Times criticized the clichés, dialogue and narration of the film, as well as the plot points, and wrote that the emotional stakes aren't legible.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Clika [14A]". British Columbia Film Classification Office | Consumer Protection BC. January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Clika". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 15, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (March 5, 2025). "Mexico's Rancho Humilde, Sony Pictures and Sony Music Latin Pact for 'Clika' Theatrical Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  4. ^ Mier, Tomás (October 9, 2025). "Jay Dee Chases the American Dream (and Stardom) in 'Clika' Trailer". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 10, 2025. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
  5. ^ "Congratulations". Instagram. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  6. ^ "About". Everyone Can Eat. Archived from the original on April 19, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  7. ^ "Clika". Jeffrey Carolan. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  8. ^ Violette, Brandon (January 22, 2026). From Script to Screen: Making CLIKA. Retrieved January 22, 2026 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Flores, Andrea (January 23, 2026). "In new movie 'Clika', corrido singer Jay Dee takes his true story to Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  10. ^ Danhauer, Whitney (January 21, 2026). "Eric Roberts Steps Out at 'Clika' Premiere After Years of Family Tension". Parade. Archived from the original on January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  11. ^ "Theatrical Release Schedule Changes for the Week Ending November 16, 2025". The Numbers. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
  12. ^ "Clika (2026) - Box Office and Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on February 2, 2026. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  13. ^ "January 23-25 Domestic Weekend for 'Clika'". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  14. ^ Flores, Andrea (January 27, 2026). "'Clika' was poorly reviewed. Producer Jimmy Humilde did not take it well". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 29, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  15. ^ "Clika". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  16. ^ Yu, Brandon (January 22, 2026). "'Clika' Review: Dreaming of the Stage". The New York Times. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  17. ^ Castillo, Monica (January 23, 2026). "Clika movie review: JayDee raps to riches drama has no bars". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  18. ^ Walsh, Katie (January 23, 2026). "'Clika' can't find the cinematic beat | Review". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2026. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
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