Laika Releases Stop-Motion Fantasy Film Wildwood — SkimNews
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- Laika releases Wildwood, a stop-motion animated fantasy film directed by Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler, adapting the novel by Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy.
- Travis Knight directs Wildwood in Laika’s signature stop-motion style, emphasizing tactile animation over digital effects, with a visual approach reminiscent of the studio’s earlier work like Coraline.
- Peyton Elizabeth Lee voices Prue, a 12-year-old girl who ventures into the mystical Wildwood forest after her baby brother Mac is abducted by a murder of crows.
- Jacob Tremblay voices Curtis, Prue’s classmate and reluctant companion, who joins her in navigating the enchanted forest populated by talking animals and hidden human factions.
- Carey Mulligan voices the dowager governess, an antagonist driven by grief and a tragic past, who commands a redcoat army of coyotes and opposes the protagonists.
- Mahershala Ali voices Brendan, the bandit leader and freedom fighter in the Wildwood, who becomes a key figure in the resistance against the governess’s rule.
- Portland, Oregon serves as both the real-world setting and thematic backdrop, with the film affectionately satirizing its hipster culture while mythologizing the nearby forest as a portal to a hidden magical realm.
Why it matters: Laika’s continued investment in stop-motion animation preserves a niche but artistically distinct filmmaking tradition, offering families an alternative to mainstream CGI-heavy releases while showcasing voice talent and literary adaptation in children’s fantasy storytelling.
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