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Laika Studios Wildwood film release

Overview

Laika Studios has released its sixth feature film, the stop-motion animated fantasy Wildwood. Directed and produced by Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler, the film is based on the novel by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis. The story follows Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and her classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay) as they enter the mystical Impassable Wilderness to rescue Prue’s brother from a murder of crows.

The production is noted for its immense scale, involving a 16-year development period, 132 minutes of runtime, 132 handcrafted sets, and approximately 142,000 3D-printed faces. This project marks a significant shift for the Portland-based studio, as it is their first film to receive a PG-13 rating from the MPA due to fantasy violence, thematic elements, and mature imagery.

Critical reception has been highly positive, with the film maintaining a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and a 98% audience score. Reviewers have described it as a technical masterpiece and a visually stunning achievement, with some comparing its depth and scale to works such as Princess Mononoke and Narnia. The Telegraph called it “the most beautiful stop-motion film ever made.”

Following its release, Wildwood has shown strong commercial momentum. The film earned $4.3 million on its opening Friday, which included $1 million from Thursday night previews. This performance suggests an estimated three-day opening weekend between $11 million and $14 million, outperforming the opening day of the studio’s 2019 release, ‘Missing Link’, which earned $1.6 million. Recent reports confirm a North American opening of roughly $11.8 million. While the film earned an A CinemaScore and received significant critical praise, its estimated $100 million production budget has raised questions regarding its ability to reach profitability.

Entities

Travis Knight · Colin Meloy · Laika · Wildwood · Portland

Timeline

  1. [CULTURE] 20 sources
    LAIKA releases Wildwood, its most ambitious stop-motion film

    LAIKA's Wildwood, a massive stop-motion fantasy film directed by Travis Knight, has debuted to critical acclaim but faces high financial stakes due to its $100 million production budget.

  2. [CULTURE] 28 sources
    LAIKA Studios releases Wildwood, an ambitious stop-motion epic

    LAIKA Studios' Wildwood, a 16-year stop-motion project directed by Travis Knight, debuts to critical acclaim as a visually stunning and mature PG-13 fantasy epic.

  3. [CULTURE] 10 sources
    Laika studio releases stop-motion epic Wildwood

    Laika's new stop-motion film ‘Wildwood’ has debuted to critical acclaim, earning near-perfect scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

  4. [CULTURE] 6 sources
    Laika studio premieres stop-motion fantasy epic Wildwood

    Laika’s new stop-motion fantasy film, Wildwood, premiered at the 2026 London Film Festival, featuring a massive 3,000-character battle sequence and technical animation innovations.

  5. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    The Decemberists and Dario Marianelli announce ‘Wildwood’ soundtrack

    The soundtrack for LAIKA’s stop-motion film ‘Wildwood’ will release October 23, featuring music by Dario Marianelli and three new songs from The Decemberists.

  6. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Wildwood director Travis Knight discusses 16-year production at London premiere

    Director Travis Knight celebrated the 16-year journey of Laika’s stop-motion film ‘Wildwood’ at its BFI London Film Festival premiere.

  7. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Laika releases new trailer for stop-motion film Wildwood

    Laika has released a new trailer for the stop-motion film ‘Wildwood,’ directed by Travis Knight, which is set to premiere in Brazil in October 2026.

  8. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Laika’s Wildwood emerges as frontrunner in Best Animated Feature Oscar race

    The Oscar race for Best Animated Feature features a clash between independent studio Laika’s Wildwood and major franchise entries like Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5.

  9. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    LAIKA reveals ‘Wildwood’ production details at TIFF

    LAIKA showcased exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of its upcoming stop-motion film ‘Wildwood’ at the Toronto International Film Festival, highlighting the animation process and voice performances.

  10. [CULTURE] 3 sources
    Laika’s Wildwood to open Alice nella Città festival in Rome

    Laika’s stop-motion film “Wildwood – I segreti del bosco proibito” will open the 24th Alice nella Città festival in Rome on October 14 as a special out-of-competition event.

  11. [CULTURE] 12 sources
    LAIKA releases final trailer for Wildwood as ticket sales begin

    LAIKA has released the final trailer for its stop-motion fantasy film “Wildwood.” Tickets are now on sale ahead of its October 23, 2026, theatrical release.

  12. [CULTURE] 9 sources
    Laika’s ‘Wildwood’ to open 40th annual AFI Fest

    Laika’s stop-motion film ‘Wildwood,’ directed by Travis Knight, will make its U.S. premiere as the opening night selection for the 40th annual AFI Fest on October 21.

  13. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Laika announces first animated feature film in seven years

    Laika announces ‘Wildwood’, its first stop-motion animated feature film since 2019, set for release on October 23, 2026.

  14. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    LAIKA unveils trailer for Wildwood stop-motion film

    LAIKA has unveiled the trailer for Wildwood, an ambitious stop-motion fantasy film directed by Travis Knight, set for a theatrical release in October 2026.

  15. [CULTURE] 20 sources
    Laika Studios unveils trailer for ambitious stop-motion film Wildwood

    Laika Studios has unveiled trailers for Wildwood, its most ambitious stop-motion film to date. Directed by Travis Knight, the fantasy epic is set for release on October 23, 2026.

Sources

80.lv · albator.com.fr · animationscoop.com · animationxpress.com · archynewsy.com · artsfuse.org · askanews.it · awardsradar.com · batman-univers.fr · bestmovie.it · buzzwebzine.fr · ca.sports.yahoo.com · canyon-news.com · cinemablend.com · cinemascomics.com · cinemaserietv.it · cinematografo.it · close-upfilm.co.uk · comicbasics.com · comingsoon.net · culturacolectiva.com · dailyiowan.com · darksidecinema.it · dazeddigital.com · deadline.com · dete.gr · ecranlarge.com · empireonline.com · ep01.epimg.net · ertnews.gr · eulaliemagazine.com · eveningreport.nz · excelsior.com.mx · filmhounds.co.uk · filmtotaal.nl · findacode.com · flickeringmyth.com · forbesliberia.com · fuckingyoung.es · gamereactor.es · gamereactor.eu · gamestar.de · geektyrant.com · giornalelora.it · gizmodo.com · goldderby.com · heyuguys.com · hipertextual.com

This summary has been updated 20 times: see revision history