Wildwood Trailer: Laika's New Stop-Motion Adventure Is Going To Make You Cry

by · /Film

Back in 2011, Colin Meloy of the indie rock/baroque pop band The Decemberists released a fantasy novel called "Wildwood," featuring illustrations by his wife, Carson Ellis. Telling the story of two seventh graders who are drawn into a hidden, magical forest in an attempt to rescue Prue's baby brother after he was kidnapped by crows, the book was inspired by classic fantasy novels and traditional folk tales. It became a New York Times Bestseller, and fans instantly fell in love with the incorporation of evergreen coming-of-age struggles set against the backdrop of traditional motifs, infused with modern whimsy and a deep, abiding love for Portland, Oregon.

Just weeks after the book's release, Laika — the stop-motion studio behind beloved films like "Coraline," "ParaNorman," and "Kubo and the Two Strings" — optioned the novel for a stop-motion animated feature film. It quickly became one of the most anticipated animated films, but stop-motion takes time, and there wasn't any further movement (publicly available at least) until 2021 when it was announced that Travis Knight ("Kubo and the Two Strings," "Bumblebee," "Masters of the Universe") would be directing the film with Arianne Sutner producing, and Chris Butler writing the screenplay. All signs indicated that "Wildwood" would be Laika's most ambitious project yet, and now that we've gotten our first glimpse at the teaser trailer, those wild, wonderful animators have pulled it off.

Wildwood looks truly exceptional

Laika

"It's a story in the grand tradition of Tolkien, as big as 'Lord of the Rings' with a wonderful contemporary quality as well. Nothing of its kind has been attempted in our medium," director Travis Knight said back in 2022. "You have these epic scenes alongside very nuanced character moments, which are the two hardest things to do in stop-motion. It's exciting to imagine how this might all come together." While this may have sounded hyperbolic a few years ago, seeing the first look at "Wildwood" solidifies that Knight was not exaggerating. The tangible, fantastical world of "Wildwood" is already breathtaking, and the added line that the film is "from the hands" that brought us "Coraline" is one of my new favorite middle fingers from artists raging against the constant threat of AI.

"Wildwood" tells the story of Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and her classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), our lead characters, who are drawn into a hidden magical forest near Portland in an attempt to save Prue's kidnapped infant brother Mac from the crows, who are led by a mysterious woman named Alexandra. As is tradition with all of Laika's films, "Wildwood" also boasts an incredible ensemble voice cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Jemaine Clement, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, and Richard E. Grant.

Per the film's official website, Laika describes the story as "a tale of love, loss, sacrifice, and secrets, and of the magic you can find on your doorstep, if you're willing to look for it." Consider us ready to go on this adventure with them.

"Wildwood" is due in theaters on October 23, 2026.