Laika's 'Wildwood' premiered in theaters on October 23, 2026, following its world premiere at the London Film Festival. The film, directed by Travis Knight, is based on Colin Meloy's 2011 novel and features stop-motion animation with over 1,155 days of production, including 715 miles of brass wire and 142,000 face models.
Critical reception varied, with some praising its technical achievements and others critiquing its storytelling. TheWrap and The Hollywood Reporter highlighted the film's 'astonishing' animation and emotional depth, while IndieWire described it as 'the least enchanting' of Laika's films despite its 'stunning' visuals.
The plot follows Prue (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), a teenager who ventures into a magical forest to rescue her kidnapped brother, encountering talking animals, a grief-stricken dowager governess (Carey Mulligan), and a cast of fantastical characters. Deadline noted the film's 'visually stunning' stop-motion and its focus on 'grief, courage, and triumph.'
Several reviews acknowledged the film's ambition, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it 'the longest stop-motion movie' and 'a technical and emotional triumph,' while IndieWire criticized its 'ordinariness of its storytelling' despite its 'mind-boggling visual smorgasbord.'