Hidden away in Portland, Oregon, Laika Studios, known for its acclaimed stop-motion films like Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, is preparing to release its most ambitious project to date. The upcoming film, Wildwood, is slated for a theatrical debut on October 23 and is being hailed as a major fantasy movie event for 2026.
Based on Colin Meloy's bestselling children's fantasy novel, Wildwood follows a young girl named Prue as she ventures into a magical world to rescue her kidnapped baby brother. The film is directed by Travis Knight, CEO of Laika and director of Bumblebee and Kubo and the Two Strings. During a press visit to Laika headquarters, insights were offered into the intricate process of bringing the fantastical world of Wildwood to life, showcasing 3D-printed models, detailed miniature sets, and elaborate battle sequences.
A Familiar Yet Magical Setting
For the first time, Laika has set a film in its home city of Portland, drawing heavily on the iconic local landscape, including the expansive Forest Park. This park, with its extensive trail system, including the famous Wildwood Trail, serves as a central location in the story. Production design lead Nelson Lowry noted the unique experience of working on a film set in his own neighborhood. To capture the essence of Forest Park, Laika employees photographed and scanned the actual park, then recreated sections on raised platforms within the studio. The studio seamlessly blended these physical sets with visual effects to extend the environment, a technique Lowry stated does not detract from the film's immersive quality. Lowry aimed to maintain a grounded feel, resisting the urge to transform the park into an overtly fantastical landscape, believing the natural magic of the woods was sufficient.
Crafting the General
A significant element of Wildwood is the character of the General, a colossal eagle upon whose back protagonist Prue embarks on flights. Laika created three distinct models of the General: one for non-flying scenes with foldable wings, and two for flight sequences. The largest model was mounted on a gimbal system to simulate dynamic flight, with a second gimbal controlling the camera. This allowed for intricate animation, with animators meticulously positioning each of the General's over 3,000 laser-etched silk feathers, each embedded with a wire, to convey a sense of speed and scale. Animation supervisor Brad Schiff explained that the exaggerated feather movement was a deliberate choice to enhance the visual impact of Prue riding the creature.
Animating Prue's hair also presented a challenge. For most of the film, her hair moves freely, requiring multiple posable strands. For the flight sequences with the General, a simpler solution was devised: Prue's hair was placed in a ponytail, animated using a single rotating cylinder to achieve a natural look with less complexity.
A Record-Breaking Number of Faces
Laika's pioneering use of 3D printing in stop-motion animation, dating back to Coraline, has been instrumental in achieving nuanced character performances. For Wildwood, the studio set a new record by 3D-printing an astonishing 140,000 unique faces, surpassing the 106,000 faces created for Missing Link. Brian McLean, Laika's director of rapid prototyping, stated that the studio has continuously advanced this technology since its inception.
These printed faces are attached to character models via magnets. While attaching the faces is straightforward, animating the eyes to achieve lifelike expressions involves a painstaking process where animators use sharp blades to adjust the eyeballs and eyelids, creating subtle blinks and expressions. Laika's policy has evolved to ensure that each printed face is used for only one shot, reflecting the principle that characters undergo emotional journeys and require unique expressions throughout their arcs.
Epic Climax
The film's conclusion features a large-scale battle involving thousands of characters, including an army of coyote soldiers. Laika constructed five distinct sets for this sequence and incorporated miniature working trebuchets. The battle blends practical models with digital doubles, an approach director of production design Nelson Lowry compared to the epic battle scenes in The Lord of the Rings. Lowry emphasized that the extensive use of practical sets and puppets, combined with seamless VFX integration, represents a significant achievement in stop-motion filmmaking.
Wildwood is set to release in theaters on October 23.