Laika Studios Unveils Behind-the-Scenes Magic of 'Wildwood' Ahead of October 2026 Release

Color us officially intrigued by Wildwood, director Travis Knight’s forthcoming stop-motion animated fantasy film. Laika Studios released an extended teaser back in May, which has racked up nearly 90 million views. A full trailer is likely coming, but in the meantime, the studio has released a fascinating behind-the-scenes featurette showcasing how the animation team built out the elaborate fantasy world piece by piece. (Some spoilers for the 2011 novel below.) The film is an adaptation of the 2011 novel by Colin Meloy—frontman of indie folk rock band The Decemberists—and his wife, illustrator Carson Ellis. Meloy and Ellis live in Portland, Oregon, right by Forest Park, where they often hike the trails. In Wildwood, they transformed that local landmark into a magical hidden world filled with talking animals and lurking threats, only accessible to people of The Wood—and select Outsider “half-breeds.” Twelve-year-old Prue McKee discovers the forest while out walking with her baby brother, Mac. A murder of crows swoops down and carries him away, and Prue discovers the Wilderness while hunting for him. Her schoolmate, Curtis Mehlberg, follows her, and both are able to enter that magical world. Fantastical adventures ensue as the pair encounter a mysterious woman, Alexandra, who has lost her son, along with coyotes, bandits, and some pretty big secrets. Knight is CEO of Laika Studios, which optioned the film rights for the novel shortly after publication. It’s a natural fit, given that Laika and Knight also produced 2016’s lovely Oscar-nominated animated film Kubo and the Two Strings. (Knight’s live-action films include Bumblebee and this year’s Masters of the Universe.) They do old-school stop-motion animation, which is what makes the behind-the-scenes featurette such a great marketing ploy. Who wouldn’t be interested in seeing all the painstaking, handcrafted sets and figurines slowly come to life? Peyton Elizabeth Lee voices Prue, while Jacob Tremblay voices Curtis and Carey Mulligan voices Alexandra. The cast also includes Angela Bassett as a giant golden eagle called the General, Jake Johnson and Maya Erskine as Prue’s parents, and Arthur Knight as her baby brother, Mac. In addition, Mahershala Ali, Jemaine Clement, Awkwafina, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Tantoo Cardinal, Richard E. Grant, Rob Delaney, Marc Evan Jackson, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Blythe Danner, and Len Cariou will voice as-yet-undisclosed roles. Wildwood hits theaters on October 23, 2026.