LAIKA’s ‘Wildwood’ trailer promises a gorgeous stop-motion fairy tale
Do you have two minutes to spare and a desire for breathtaking entertainment? Then you’re in luck, because LAIKA, the animation studio behind Coraline, ParaNormandAnd Kubo and the two stringsreleased the first trailer for his upcoming film, Wildwood. This isn’t a surprise, given LAIKA’s track record, but it looks absolutely stunning.
Directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the two strings) and based on the novel by Decemberist leader Colin Meloy, Wildwood transports us to Portland, Oregon, and a magical world just beyond its borders.
The film centers on headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee). Despite her parents’ warnings not to leave their house, she does so anyway, taking her little brother with her. When a murder of crows kidnaps her, she has no choice but to venture into the Unpassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest full of talking animals and dangerous bandits. With the help of classmate Curtis Mehlberg (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), will Prue be able to save her brother and return home?
LAIKA has already released a first look at Wildwood focused on one character: the majestic golden eagle known as the General (voiced by Angela Bassett). With this trailer, it fleshes out the rest of the Unstoppable Wilderness even more, showing armies of animals, menacing witches, and a mysterious boy who appears to be made of clockwork. All of this comes to life in gripping stop-motion, promising a handcrafted fantasy of epic proportions.
WildwoodThe voice cast also includes Carey Mulligan, 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 and Mahershala Ali.
Wildwood hits theaters on October 23.
