Laika's 'Wildwood' Opens to Perfect Reviews — and Fears of a Box-Office Flop

Laika Studios' Wildwood, directed by Travis Knight and released in US theatres on October 23, 2026, has arrived to rapturous critical acclaim — a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85 on Metacritic — yet faces grim commercial prospects. The film, based on Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis's 2011 novel, follows a girl named Prue who ventures into a mysterious enchanted forest to rescue her kidnapped baby brother, with a voice cast including Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, and Angela Bassett. At 132 minutes, it is the longest stop-motion animated feature ever made. The production required 16 years, 136 sets, and 231 hand-crafted puppets. Despite its artistic ambitions and Oscar-frontrunner status for Best Animated Feature, the film is tracking for a domestic opening of only $6–8 million against a budget north of $100 million, positioning it as one of the year's largest commercial disappointments. Analysts point to its PG-13 rating — which limits the family audience — and public unfamiliarity with the source novel as key factors. Laika is backed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight's fortune and has long operated as a passion project rather than a profit-driven studio, suggesting the financial shortfall, while stark, may not threaten the company's future.