LAIKA is heading someplace darker with Wildwood, its newest stop-motion journey that swaps acquainted fairy-tale sweetness for a mysterious forest full of speaking animals, harmful factions, and supernatural forces. Directed by Travis Knight, the filmmaker behind Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee, the movie relies on Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’ acclaimed novel.
With a large voice solid and a PG-13 score, Wildwood is shaping as much as be a fantasy journey which will attraction to extra than simply youthful viewers.
What’s Wildwood about?
The journey begins when Prue McKeel’s child brother is kidnapped by a homicide of crows and carried past the boundaries of Portland, Oregon, into the mysterious Impassable Wilderness. Naturally, Prue is not about to take a seat round and look ahead to him to return again.
She ventures into the forbidden forest together with her classmate Curtis Mehlberg, who could also be hapless however is loyal sufficient to comply with her into the unknown. As soon as inside, the pair uncover a hidden world populated by speaking animals, bandits, mystics and highly effective figures battling for management of Wildwood.
Credit score: Laika
Credit score: Laika
What begins as a simple rescue mission quickly turns into one thing a lot larger. Prue and Curtis discover themselves caught in a battle threatening your complete wilderness, forcing Prue to uncover the forest’s secrets and techniques whereas discovering a energy she didn’t know she possessed.
And contemplating the movie has earned a PG-13 score for sturdy fantasy violence, bloody pictures, thematic materials, temporary partial nudity, language, and suicide-related materials, this isn’t precisely a bedtime-story model of an enchanted forest.
Who stars in Wildwood?
If the darkish fantasy world shouldn’t be sufficient to seize consideration, the voice solid definitely is perhaps. Wildwood options a powerful ensemble led by Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Prue McKeel and Jacob Tremblay as Curtis Mehlberg.
The solid additionally consists of Carey Mulligan as Alexandra, Mahershala Ali as Brendan, Angela Bassett because the Basic, and Awkwafina as Septima. Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant are additionally a part of the voice solid.
Credit score: Laika
Credit score: Laika
Behind the digital camera, Travis Knight directs and produces, whereas Chris Butler serves as screenwriter. Knight is not any stranger to formidable stop-motion storytelling, having beforehand directed Kubo and the Two Strings, whereas LAIKA can be the studio behind Coraline, ParaNorman and The Lacking Hyperlink.
When does Wildwood come out?
The look ahead to LAIKA’s newest fantasy journey is nearly over. Wildwood is scheduled to reach completely in theaters on October 23, 2026, with Fathom Leisure dealing with its U.S. theatrical launch. Tickets are already on sale, with choose screenings additionally out there in codecs together with 4DX, D-BOX, and Dolby Cinema.
Credit score: Laika
Credit score: Laika
The movie runs for round two hours and 12 minutes, making it one in every of LAIKA’s extra expansive adventures but. With its handcrafted animation, monumental voice solid, and surprisingly mature PG-13 score, Wildwood is able to take audiences someplace that appears magical however positively shouldn’t be protected, similar to many different reveals.
Are you excited for Wildwood? Tell us within the feedback.
