Laika Debuts Wildwood Trailer After Long Gap

Laika has unveiled the first trailer for Wildwood, ending a long wait for the studio’s next stop-motion feature.

The release marks Laika’s first stop-motion animated film since 2019’s The Missing Link, a notable return for a studio that built its reputation on handcrafted fantasy worlds and a steady run of awards attention. Reports indicate Wildwood continues that tradition, leaning into a nature-driven adventure that fits squarely within the studio’s visual and storytelling identity.

Laika’s first look at Wildwood signals more than a new movie — it marks the studio’s return to the meticulous stop-motion craft that made it a standout in modern animation.

The project comes with familiar creative leadership. The film is directed and produced by Laika chief Travis Knight, while the adaptation was handled by Chris Butler, according to the source summary. That pairing gives Wildwood a clear line back to the filmmakers who helped define Laika’s house style: ambitious, tactile, and often darker than mainstream animated fare.

The trailer also arrives with added weight because of Laika’s track record. The studio’s last five films have all landed Oscar nominations, beginning with Coraline in 2009. That streak has made each new release feel like both a creative event and a test of whether stop-motion can still command attention in an industry dominated by faster, cheaper animation pipelines.

What comes next matters for more than Laika alone. Wildwood now faces the challenge of turning early curiosity into momentum, while reminding audiences why stop-motion remains a distinctive art form instead of a nostalgic relic. If the trailer sets the tone for the full film, Laika aims to reassert itself not just as a surviving specialist, but as a studio still pushing fantasy animation in its own direction.