Story perspectives

Laika's “Wildwood” Opens Oct 23, 2026 After 115M-View Teaser

5/16/2026

Summary

Story summary

Laika will release the animated film Wildwood in U.S. theaters on October 23, 2026.
Travis Knight directs and produces the movie, with Chris Butler writing the adaptation of Colin Meloy’s book.
The teaser trailer amassed 115 million views in its first 24 hours, reaching No. 6 on YouTube’s trending list and surpassing 100 million total views.
Laika partners with Fathom Entertainment for a U.S. rollout on more than 2,000 screens and with FilmNation for worldwide distribution.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Pixar released Toy Story, the first fully computer-animated feature, produced with Disney on a $17 million budget and eventually earning over $363 million worldwide. Its unprecedented box-office success proved that high-tech animation could drive massive profits, prompting later studios—including stop-motion houses—to adopt viral marketing and wide theatrical releases for films such as Laika’s 2026 project.

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Story summary

Laika will release the animated film Wildwood in U.S. theaters on October 23, 2026.
Travis Knight directs and produces the movie, with Chris Butler writing the adaptation of Colin Meloy’s book.
The teaser trailer amassed 115 million views in its first 24 hours, reaching No. 6 on YouTube’s trending list and surpassing 100 million total views.
Laika partners with Fathom Entertainment for a U.S. rollout on more than 2,000 screens and with FilmNation for worldwide distribution.

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