LAIKA announces Wildwood, a major stop-motion fantasy film

LAIKA is preparing to release Wildwood, a stop-motion animated fantasy film directed by President and CEO Travis Knight. Based on the 2011 novel by Colin Meloy, the project marks the studio’s first feature film since 2019 and its first to receive a PG-13 rating.

Set in a reimagined version of Portland, Oregon, the story follows Prue McKeel and her classmate Curtis Mehlberg as they enter the “Impassable Wilderness” to rescue Prue’s infant brother from a group of sinister crows. The production has been a massive undertaking, spanning 16 years and involving 2,800 shots—double the typical number for a LAIKA film. To manage the scale, the studio expanded its VFX team from 90 to 300 members.

The film features a large voice cast, including Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, and Charlie Day. The musical score is composed by Academy Award-winner Dario Marianelli.