Over the past two decades, Laika has made a name for itself as one of the best animation studios working in stop-motion movies. The Portland, Oregon-based outfit launched with 2009’s Coraline, and has since followed that up with ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), and Missing Link (2019). Now, Laika is back with the first teaser trailer for Wildwood, which blends the studio’s breathtaking handcrafted aesthetic with a wild adventure straight out of a Studio Ghibli movie.
Written by Chris Butler and directed by Travis Knight (the duo behind Kubo and the Two Strings and the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe), Wildwood begins its story in a modern world like our own before transporting audiences into a dark, fantasy realm. With its young female protagonist forced onto an adventure to save her family, the story feels like a new spin on Spirited Away. Here’s the official synopsis from Laika:
After her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows, headstrong teenager Prue McKeel launches a desperate rescue mission into the Impassable Wilderness—an enchanted forest hidden just beyond Portland, Oregon. Joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg, Prue navigates a world of talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition. As the pair is drawn into a conflict threatening the balance of the forest itself, Prue must discover strength and belief she never knew she possessed. If she hopes to save her brother and protect Wildwood’s fragile future, she will have to risk everything. Wildwood is a sweeping adventure about love, sacrifice, and the magic that reveals itself when we dare to look beyond the familiar.
Wildwood‘s sprawling voice-cast includes Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Arthur Knight, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Tantoo Cardinal, Rob Delaney, Jemaine Clement, Marc Evan Jackson, Len Cariou, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Angela Bassett, and Mahershala Ali.
Notably, Laika is also pivoting away from a usual theatrical release with Wildwood, while still debuting the film in theaters rather than on streaming. Instead, the film will be distributed by Fathom Entertainment, which specializes in “eventized” cinema. You can read more about what that means here.
Wildwood releases in theaters on Oct. 23, 2026. In the meantime, you can always read the original book, which was written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis.
