Laika has partnered with Fathom Entertainment for the release of the stop-motion feature Wildwood, set to open in the U.S. on October 23, 2026, with FilmNation Entertainment handling international sales.
Wildwood is a stop-animation feature directed by Travis Knight from a script by Chris Butler based on Colin Meloy’s The Decemberists.
The film follows a girl’s desperate quest to save her baby brother, which becomes a high-stakes journey into a forbidden forest filled with enchanted creatures, unlikely allies, and formidable adversaries, where an entire hidden realm hangs in the balance.
The cast includes Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant.
“Wildwood is a testament to Laika walking its own path,” said David Burke, the studio’s Chief Marketing and Operations Officer. “For Wildwood, we’re taking a more customized approach to how we bring the film to audiences, matching partners to the specific needs and ambitions of the project. Partnering with Fathom’s Denver-based team brings national perspective and operational strength to the U.S. release, while working with FilmNation internationally positions the film with scale, reach, and deep expertise in global markets. It’s a strategy built specifically for Wildwood, preserving Laika’s independence while aligning with world-class collaborators to support the film’s ambition.”
The partnership between Laika and Fathom comes after the recent theatrical re-releases of Coraline on its 15th anniversary and a remastered version of ParaNorman.
“Wildwood is the biggest world Laika has ever built, and the most personal,” said Travis Knight, President and Chief Executive Officer of Laika and director of Wildwood. “It’s a story about the pull of the unknown, the courage it takes to step into it, and who you become along the way. Our movie is a celebration of artistry over algorithms, and of the belief that films made by hand, with enormous care, can still feel bold, surprising, dangerous, and alive. We designed Wildwood to be seen the way movies first captured our imaginations: discovered in the dark, on a big screen, with a room full of fellow dreamers experiencing joy, silence, and wonder together. Partnering with Fathom and FilmNation means Wildwood will arrive with intention – as a true cinematic event meant to be shared.”
Ray Nutt, Chief Executive Officer at Fathom Entertainment, added, “Wildwood is a magnificently ambitious stop motion film and a landmark achievement in handcrafted cinematic artistry — a project that means so much to both Laika and Fathom Entertainment. It’s a breathtaking, creative feat that will captivate audiences when it arrives on the big screen this October 23rd.”
He continued, “Fathom is elated to build on our past theatrical re-release successes with Laika, including Coraline and ParaNorman, and to be selected and entrusted as the distributor for a full, nationwide U.S. theatrical release of Wildwood consistent with that of the legacy Hollywood studios, complemented by the innovation Fathom brings to all its theatrical engagements. Distributing Wildwood to U.S. theatres further exemplifies Fathom Entertainment’s growth and evolution into a full-service specialty theatrical distributor.”
