Wildwoodis set to be the latest film from Laika studios and there’s been some exciting news about the cast, story, and more. Laika has been responsible for some of thebest animated movies in recent years, specializing in stop-motion. Laika movies tend to be meticulously designed, perfectly animated, and feature stories that resonate with older viewers as well as they do with younger ones. This niche art style means Laika films are not always box office smashes, but each one has received its fair share of critical acclaim.
Dark family movies likeCoraline; epic, mystical adventures likeKubo and the Two Strings; and heartwarming comedies likeThe Missing Linkmake up just a part of the wide spectrum of Laika movies. The difficulty of stop-motion and the size of the studio means a Laika film only comes out every few years, and any announcement about one naturally causes a stir in Hollywood.Their upcoming feature filmWildwoodhas been announced and there’s been a lot of exciting newsregarding their next stop-motion production.
Wildwood Latest News
Laika Released A Teaser Trailer
The latest news forWildwoodcame on July 18, 2025, with the release of a teaser trailer forWildwoodwhich includes shots of previous Laika movies (viaEmpire).
Wildwood Is Confirmed
The Novel Was Optioned By Laika In 2011
Wildwoodthe novel debuted in September 2011, written by Decemberists' lead singer Colin Meloy and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis. A few weeks later, Laika optioned the book for a stop-motion movie (viaVariety). There was no more news about the film until September 2021, when Laika announcedWildwoodas its next feature film, with Laika CEO, Travis Knight set to direct (viaDeadline).
Wildwood Cast
The Ensemble Voice Cast Has Been Revealed
The large ensemble voice cast forWildwoodwas announced in August 2022 (viaDeadline). The cast list includes Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant. Some character names have been revealed including Prue McKeel, Mac McKeel, Alexandra, and Curtis, butit has not been revealed who will be voicing who.
Wildwood Story Details
A Young Girl And Her Friend Are Dragged Into A Magical Adventure
Wildwoodis expected to follow the same storyline as the novel. In it, a young girl, Prue McKeel, and her best friend Curtis are drawn into a hidden magical forest after Prue’s younger brother, Mac, is kidnapped by a murder of crows, who are led by the mysterious Alexandra. Talking animals, bandits, and more inhabit the forest, indicatingWildwoodmight have the same frightening tone asCoralinebut with more magic and fantasy adventure.
Wildwood Trailer
The Teaser Trailer Includes Scenes From Other Laika Movies
TheWildwoodteaser trailer dropped on June 15, 2025, and begins with some scenes from past Laika movies intercut with dark, foreboding footage of the forest inWildwood. Golden-eyed wolves, bears, barbarians, and owls look at the screen as a Jake Johnson voice-over says,
“There are places in the world that people were never meant to go.”
People may not be meant to go there, but it’s a trailer that’s going to inspire a lot to visitWildwoodanyway.
Travis Knight Says Wildwood Is Laika’s Most Ambitious Film Yet
Wildwood Has Epic Set Pieces
According to Travis Knight,Wildwoodis set to be the studio’s most ambitious film yet(viaEmpire). He said about the film,
“[Wildwood is] the hardest thing we have ever done… A huge part of the reason it’s taken us so long to bring this to life cinematically is that it’s incredibly ambitious… There’s all these elements that are really challenging to do in stop-motion.”
Epic battles, aerial sequences, and some intricately designed characters mean that Laika has had to pull out all the stops forWildwood.
Wildwood
Cast
Wildwood follows a young woman fleeing her mother and hired killers. She inadvertently arrives in a small town where she is mistaken for a local girl who disappeared mysteriously years ago, entangling her in the town’s hidden secrets.
