Laika breaks its cinematic silence after seven years without releasing a film. Since Missing Link in 2019, the studio behind Coraline, ParaNorman, and Kubo and the Two Strings had stayed away from theaters while animation underwent a complete transformation. Now, it returns with Wildwood, its largest project to date, released on October 23, 2026.
The significance of this release is substantial: it is a highly anticipated return for a studio that champions handcrafted stop-motion in an industry dominated by digital animation. Furthermore, it marks Travis Knight's return to the director's chair a decade after Kubo.
A forest hiding an entire war
The story begins in Portland, where Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) lives with her parents under a strict rule: never let her little brother Mac near the Impassable Wilderness near the city. Everything changes when a flock of crows kidnaps the baby and disappears into that forbidden zone.
Together with Curtis, a classmate and role-playing game enthusiast voiced by Jacob Tremblay, Prue crosses the border into a hidden world where humans and animals coexist, different factions fight for power, and a governor named Alexandra, played by Carey Mulligan, seems to be linked to Mac's disappearance.
The structure recalls great children's fantasy tales, with echoes of The Chronicles of Narnia, Tolkien, and Labyrinth, although Travis Knight manages to give that universe its own identity rather than simply citing references.
A technical scale never before seen at Laika
The visual aspect of Wildwood is one of its greatest achievements. The film uses more than a hundred sets and hundreds of puppets, combining physical animation with digital integration so refined that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish where the handcrafted work ends.
Portland is recreated with numerous recognizable details, while the forest expands the visual scale even further. The cinematography, by Caleb Deschanel, brings cinematic depth to sets that function as real spaces rather than simple models photographed up close.
A darker fantasy than expected
Despite its family-friendly appearance, Wildwood does not shy away from harsh themes. The film includes death, betrayal, loss, and explicit violence that is unusual in an animated production aimed at a broad audience.
The character of Alexandra is built around a personal tragedy that explains, without fully justifying, her decisions. The film thus connects with ideas about grief, manipulation, and the difficulty of accepting irreparable losses, in a vein reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke.
An extensive and well-integrated voice cast
The voice cast is large and varied. In addition to Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay, the film features Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali as Brendan, the Bandit King, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Richard E. Grant, Jemaine Clement, Tom Waits, Blythe Danner, and Tantoo Cardinal, among others.
None of the performers treat the material with irony, which helps the world of Wildwood function without falling into self-aware humor.
Too many plotlines for a single film
The main weakness of Wildwood arises precisely from its ambition. At just over two hours long, the film accumulates political factions, flashbacks, community conflicts, and a war that progresses in parallel to the search for Mac.
Some elements, such as the story of the bandits or Prue's connection to the forest, are resolved in a rush. Themes like fanaticism, social differences, or community do not always receive the same development in a world so rich that it seems to demand more time than the film grants it.
Sequences that push the limits of stop-motion
The major action scenes are, arguably, the most memorable parts of Wildwood. A chase involving birds exhibits a sense of speed unusual in stop-motion, while the final battle reaches a magnitude comparable to productions like The Lord of the Rings.
Despite the spectacle, the film retains its handcrafted detail: small gestures, physical textures, and expressions achieved frame by frame coexist with large-scale crowd movements, representing Travis Knight's greatest technical achievement to date.
A return that compensates for its excesses
Wildwood does not have the simplicity of Coraline or the emotional precision of Kubo, but its enormous personality ends up prevailing over its narrative imbalances. The technical work is always at the service of recognizable emotions: the fear of losing someone, the need to belong, and the difficulty of accepting what cannot be changed.
In a context dominated by digital animation, Laika asserts with Wildwood the value of the manual labor behind every shot, in a return that, despite its excesses, confirms why the studio was still needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Wildwood released?
Wildwood was released on October 23, 2026.
Who directs Wildwood?
The film is directed by Travis Knight, who also directed Kubo and the Two Strings.
How long is Wildwood?
The film's runtime is 132 minutes.
Who are the main voice actors in Wildwood?
The main voices include Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Prue, Jacob Tremblay as Curtis, and Carey Mulligan as Alexandra, along with Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, and Charlie Day, among others.
What is Wildwood about?
The story follows Prue McKeel, who enters the Impassable Wilderness with her classmate Curtis after her little brother is kidnapped by a flock of crows, discovering a hidden world of talking animals and warring factions.
Is Wildwood suitable for young children?
Although it stars children and animals, the film includes themes of death, violence, and grief that are unusual in family productions, so it may be intense for younger viewers.
How many years had it been since Laika released a film?
Laika had not released a film for seven years since Missing Link, released in 2019.
