LAIKA’s critically-acclaimed list of feature films speaks for itself. Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, Paranorman, The Boxtrolls, and Missing Link are all proof why there will always be a place for great stop-motion animation in theaters. But if there were any remaining doubt, the new trailer for the studio’s next big screen outing would put that to rest and more. Because this latest look at Wildwood is one of the most gorgeous and moving trailers we have ever seen.
…..My goodness. That’s as good as it gets. That is a perfectly cut promo that completely sells this movie as an absolute must-see. It’s emotional, powerful, and brimming with teases about the fantastical journey that awaits. The fact that it will all be told with world-class stop-motion animation only makes it even more incredible.
Obviously this trailer is more promotion than we need, but the film’s official synopsis also provides an alluring tease of what awaits. From LAIKA:
From the makers of Coraline, Wildwood is a sweeping, darkly magical adventure about a young girl who ventures into a dangerous hidden forest to rescue her brother – an odyssey shaped by love, power, and the courage to confront the unknown.
Wildwood comes from the team behind both Masters of the Universe and Kubo and the Two Strings, director Travis Knight and writer Chris Butler. It also stars an embarrassment of riches. The film features: Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Arthur Knight, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Tantoo Cardinal, Rob Delaney, Jemaine Clement, Marc Evan Jackson, Len Cariou, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Angela Bassett, and Mahershala Ali. That cast is also worthy of a “my goodness.”
It’s hard for any movie to live up to a trailer this good. But considering what we’ve seen from LAIKA before, we expect Wildwood to live up to its own expectations. And we’ll find out for sure when it comes to theaters on October 23, 2026.