While AI-generated shortcuts and animated sequels continue to seep into the Hollywood pipeline, the stop-motion artisans at Laika Studios are creating genuine movie magic with their latest feature, Wildwood, an adaptation of the 2011 children’s fantasy novel by The Decemberists‘ Colin Meloy with illustrations by Carson Ellis. Laika is currently hard at work putting the finishing touches on its latest hand-crafted epic, and today, the studio shared a new poster for the film set to debut in theaters on October 23, 2026.
Welcome to Wildwood
According to the official synopsis: “After a murder of crows abducts her baby brother, headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) 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 (Jacob Tremblay), 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 the 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.”
From Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning LAIKA, Wildwood is a sweeping adventure about love, sacrifice, and the magic that reveals itself when we dare to look beyond the familiar. Travis Knight directs Wildwood from a screenplay by Chris Butler (ParaNorman, Missing Link), with an all-star cast joining Lee and Tremblay for an unforgettable adventure, including Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Tom Waits, Richard E. Grant, Amandla Stenberg, Tantoo Cardinal, Len Cariou, and Marc Evan Jackson.
The visuals of Wildwood are beyond compare
The new Wildwood poster features the film’s protagonist, Prue McKeel, biking away from the insidious Alexandra, a mysterious figure trapped in Wildwood with wicked plans for the young girl’s baby brother. If you watch the teaser trailer for Wildwood, you’ll see the film recreates iconic locations throughout Portland, Oregon, making it a stop-motion time capsule of the city’s weird and wonderful personality.
I’ve read Wildwood on two separate occasions, and it’s one of the most enigmatic books of the past several decades. Meloy’s tale harkens back to movies like Labyrinth and Return to Oz, with stunning environments and honest-to-goodness coming-of-age storytelling that stays with you.
Check out the new poster below, and look forward to more from us about this incredible-looking film in the weeks to come!
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed