LAIKA’s sixth stop-motion feature arrives in UK cinemas on October 23, 2026
Black Bear UK has released the final trailer for Wildwood, LAIKA’s upcoming stop-motion fantasy feature, offering a closer look at teenager Prue McKeel’s journey into the mysterious world of Wildwood.
Directed and produced by Travis Knight (Masters of the Universe, Kubo and the Two Strings) and written by Chris Butler (Masters of the Universe, ParaNorman), Wildwood will be released in UK cinemas on October 23, 2026. The film will first have its world premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 11, 2026.
The story follows Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), a headstrong teenager whose baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows. Determined to bring him home, Prue enters the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest hidden beyond Portland, Oregon.
She is joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay). Together, they encounter a world populated by talking animals, bandits and powerful figures shaped by grief and ambition. As Prue and Curtis become caught up in a conflict that threatens the balance of the forest, Prue must find a way to rescue her brother while facing forces that could shape the future of Wildwood.
Based on the acclaimed novel by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis, Wildwood brings the story to the screen through LAIKA’s distinctive stop-motion filmmaking. The film’s characters, environments and detailed sets are physically crafted and animated by hand, frame by frame.
The voice cast includes Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Prue McKeel and Jacob Tremblay as Curtis Mehlberg, alongside Academy Award® nominee Carey Mulligan (Shame), Academy Award® winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Academy Award® nominee and Emmy Award® winner Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians), Jake Johnson (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Charlie Day (The Super Mario Galaxy Movie), Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Jemaine Clement (Avatar: Fire and Ash), Maya Erskine (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon), Tom Waits (Seven Psychopaths) and Academy Award® nominee Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?).
Wildwood opens in UK cinemas on October 23, 2026, following its world premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 11, 2026.