Wildwood Film Discussion - Laika

[FoxTail]

WILDWOOD

This movie looks absolutely incredible. It is made independently by Oregon's Liaka Studio and the film takes place in the Pacific Northwest, ALL stop motion! It looks like a beautiful mix of fantasy and realism that you really don't see anymore in films. It looks haunting and whimsical at the same time. A true love letter to fairy tales, fantasy, and the Pacific Northwest in general. It adds that mysticism that has really been played off on the region for years now, especially with all those vampire movies. The film has a tone we don't often see, as this is clearly not just made for kids entertainment.The release date is October 23, 2026.

Here is the official trailer.

SYNOPSIS:

"Prue McKeel and her classmate Curtis Mehlberg are drawn into a hidden magical forest near Portland in an attempt to save Prue's kidnapped infant brother Mac from the crows, who are led by a mysterious woman named Alexandra."

"Wildwood is a tale of love, loss,
sacrifice, and secrets, and of the magic
you can find on your doorstep, if you’re
willing to look for it."

Wildwood Official Website
Film's Wikipedia Page

[RainySunshine]

That is an ominous film. They had a tone and they did it beautifully.  It captures the beauty of the region, but has a cold, wet, mysteriousness to it.

[MasterXtreme]

This looks like an incredible movie. It’s all clay-mation/stop motion. It is made by Laika Studios in Portland, Oregon. An independent film studio who have made some movies over the years.  They’ve spent 7 years working on this. They don’t work with any of the big studios and do it all themselves. You can tell it’s a passion project. It’s a wonder they are even still around. Since when have you seen a “kids” film with a trailer that isn’t just mindless silliness.

Visually, THIS is what artistry in films looks like and it’s something that has been completely forgotten with the use of CGI, green screens, and soon ai generation.

[Anyponedrawn]

Wow. How many times were people crying in that trailer? Looks incredible. Maybe the first Laika film that actually interests me.