(courtesy YouTube (c) LAIKA Studios)
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Step inside Laika’s Wildwood, where a powerful golden eagle commands the skies and magic takes flight. Wildwood – based on Colin Meloy’s illustrated book series – will see Prue McKeel leave behind her home of Portland, Oregon, venturing into Wildwood on a dark quest to save her baby brother, who’s been pilfered by a murder of crows. Wildwood is once again directed by filmmaker Travis Knight, who is also CEO of Laika, and director of the the movies Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee previously. The screenplay is written by Chris Butler (ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings, Missing Link). Based on the graphic novel series written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis. Produced by Arianne Sutner and Travis Knight. Made by Laika Entertainment’s animators over the past few years based in Portland, OR. (courtesy IMP Awards)
I have absolutely loved every single LAIKA Studios release I’ve seen from Coraline through to The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings to Missing Link.
They are all wondrously animated, rich in colour, movement and extravagant world-building, their characters are vivaciously memorable and the stories are endlessly engaging, thoughtful and deeply heartfelt.
They are the Pixar and Wes Anderson of stop-motion animation and the kind of delight every heart needs to feel good about the world.
To have another entry in their vaulted slate is a joy and I can only hope it does make to Australia sometime later this year, especially given how lushly evocative this first trailer is and how wonderfully it sets the scene for the movie to come.
Wildwood opens 23 October in U.S.; no Australian release date yet.