Travis Knight says LAIKA's Wildwood took 16 years to reach the screen
Sixteen years. That is how long Travis Knight said LAIKA's Wildwood took to make.
Knight, the studio's chief executive and the film's director, spoke at Deadline's Contenders London event, as reported on 10 October, alongside cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, composer Dario Marianelli and costume designer Deb Cook Deadline.
The long road reflects the way the project started. The rights were acquired before the book was even released, according to a fall preview published 3 September Yahoo. The film is based on the 2011 novel by Colin Meloy and is potentially the first in a series Deadline. The source material runs to three books GoldDerby.
Wildwood is LAIKA's first film rated PG-13, the US rating that suggests parents take care with children under 13 Deadline. That is a step up in age guidance for a studio known for family animation.
The studio describes the film as a love letter to its home just outside Portland, Oregon LAIKA. It calls the story a tale of love, loss, sacrifice and secrets, and of the magic on your doorstep if you are willing to look for it LAIKA.
Release is close. Wildwood opens in theatres on 23 October 2026, a date LAIKA announced on 20 January LAIKA. Tickets are on sale now for showings in theatres everywhere on 23 October LAIKA.
What makes this stand out is the handmade route to that date. Knight has taken the film through the festival circuit. He discussed it with Edith Bowman in front of a sold-out crowd at Annecy LAIKA. He and Deschanel then took part in a conversation titled Handmade Cinema at Scale at Telluride, according to a 7 September festival note LAIKA.
London is next. Women in Film and TV listed an in-person screening and Q&A with Knight, Deschanel and Marianelli WFTV. The listing gives the venue as London W1D 7DH and the date as Sunday 11 October.
