Klaatu

Klaatu is primarily known as a fictional extraterrestrial character from The Day the Earth Stood Still. In the 1951 film, Klaatu arrives on Earth with a powerful robot named Gort to issue a warning about humanity’s violent tendencies and the threat of atomic weapons. He can assume human form during his visit, engages with scientists such as Dr. Helen Benson and Professor Barnhardt, and is ultimately killed by a human guard. Gort is activated to defend Earth, but Klaatu’s message persists, and his final act is to depart in his spaceship, leaving behind a warning that humanity will be judged if it does not change course. The phrase Klaatu barada nikto, spoken to Gort, has become a culturally enduring reference.

A 2008 remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still reimagined the premise for a modern audience, with Klaatu again arriving to assess humanity and respond to a planetary danger. While the details differ from the original, the core idea of an advanced visitor evaluating human civilization remains central, and the story emphasizes themes of ecological responsibility and global cooperation.

Klaatu is also the name of a Canadian progressive rock band formed in the 1970s in Toronto. The group, whose members included John Woloschuk, Dee Long, and Terry Draper, released several albums and gained attention for the track Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft, later famously covered by The Carpenters. The band was the subject of widespread industry speculation in the 1970s that Klaatu might be The Beatles under an assumed name, a rumor the members consistently denied.