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Laika Unveils First Trailer for Stop-Motion Film Wildwood at Cannes
Laika studio presented the initial teaser trailer for its long-awaited feature Wildwood during a Cannes press event. The film, based on the book by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, follows two children entering a magical forest to rescue a kidnapped sibling. It is scheduled for wide U.S. theatrical release on October 23.
May 13, 9:13 AM·2m read4 sources
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The Hollywood ReporterAudio version
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Laika studio unveiled the first teaser trailer for its upcoming stop-motion animated feature Wildwood at a press event Tuesday at the Martinez Hotel in Cannes. The project has been in development since 2011 and in production since 2021. It marks the studio's first film release in the 2020s, following earlier works including Coraline and ParaNorman.
Wildwood is based on the book by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis. The story centers on two seventh-graders in Portland, Oregon, who discover a magical world hidden in the forest outside their home. After her baby brother Mac is abducted by a murder of crows, teenager Prue McKeel launches a rescue mission into the enchanted forest.
She is joined by her classmate Curtis Mehlberg. The pair encounter magical creatures, talking animals and bandits as they are drawn into a conflict threatening the forest's balance. The trailer is set to the song “My Tears are Becoming a Sea” by M83.
It depicts the children traveling deep inside the Impassable Wilderness in an attempt to rescue Mac. The company said the film represents a step up in scale and ambition from its previous productions while retaining the distinctive Laika animation style familiar to fans of Coraline and ParaNorman.
Travis Knight directed the film from a screenplay by Chris Butler. Knight is also producing alongside Sam Wilson. The voice cast includes Carey Mulligan, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Angela Bassett and Mahershala Ali. Fathom Entertainment will release the movie widely in the U.S. on Oct.
23. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales during the Cannes market.
The final trailer for an unrelated film titled Backrooms was also released this week. It is scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 29.
