LAIKA Unveils New ‘Wildwood’ Teaser Ahead of Full Trailer Release Tomorrow

Stop-motion animation has become a rare gem in theaters, making each new project from LAIKA a significant event. The Oregon-based studio, known for classics like ‘Coraline’ and ‘ParaNorman’, has been quietly working on what could be its most ambitious project yet.

As ‘Wildwood’ approaches its theatrical release, excitement is palpable. The film has been in development since 2011, with production officially confirmed in 2021, giving fans over a decade to speculate on LAIKA’s next stop-motion masterpiece.

A brand-new teaser has just dropped, providing fans with a glimpse into the film’s lush forest world ahead of the full trailer set to release tomorrow. The teaser features sweeping, atmospheric visuals of the film’s primary setting, continuing LAIKA’s legacy of hand-crafted storytelling that began with ‘Coraline’.

Directed by LAIKA CEO Travis Knight and based on a screenplay by longtime collaborator Chris Butler, ‘Wildwood’ adapts the novel series by Colin Meloy, the lead singer of The Decemberists, with illustrations by Carson Ellis. The story follows Prue McKeel, voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, as she ventures into the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest near Portland, Oregon, to rescue her baby brother after he’s taken by a murder of crows.

Joining Prue on her adventure is her classmate Curtis Mehlberg, voiced by Jacob Tremblay. Together, they navigate a hidden realm filled with talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition. Their journey leads them into a larger conflict that threatens the balance of the entire forest, pushing Prue to uncover courage she never knew she possessed.

The film boasts an impressive voice cast, including Carey Mulligan, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Angela Bassett, and Mahershala Ali. LAIKA has touted ‘Wildwood’ as its most ambitious project yet, featuring 136 unique locations, 231 practical puppets, and 54 hero characters brought to life through the studio’s meticulous frame-by-frame animation process.

Six-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel also contributed to the film, enhancing its visual appeal as it garners attention for its scale and craftsmanship. Throughout 2026, LAIKA has been steadily releasing marketing materials, including character reveals and behind-the-scenes featurettes, to build excitement ahead of the film’s release.

‘Wildwood’ marks LAIKA’s first stop-motion feature since 2019’s ‘Missing Link’, continuing a legacy that includes five Oscar-nominated films since ‘Coraline’ in 2009. The studio has adopted a unique approach to distributing the film, collaborating with Fathom Entertainment for its U.S. theatrical release and FilmNation Entertainment for international sales.

LAIKA’s chief marketing and operations officer, Dave Burke, described this strategy as a reflection of the studio’s desire to forge its own path rather than relying on a traditional major studio partner. This approach aligns with LAIKA’s identity as an independent animation studio that embraces innovation, even as it aims for the widest possible theatrical release for its most ambitious film to date.

‘Wildwood’ is set to hit theaters nationwide on October 23. With the full trailer arriving tomorrow and the film’s release date just weeks away, anticipation continues to build for what LAIKA has called a true cinematic event over a decade in the making.

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