Laika fans got a Cannes treat on Tuesday, when the studio behind Coraline and ParaNorman unveiled the first teaser trailer for its upcoming stop-motion feature Wildwood. The press event, at Cannes’ Martinez Hotel, was the first look at the hotly anticipated project, which has been in development since 2011 and in production since 2021. It will be the first Laika film to be released in the 2020s. (Check out the Wildwood trailer below).
Based on the book by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis, Wildwood follows the adventures of two seventh-graders who discover a magical world hidden in the forest outside their home in Portland, Oregon. After her baby brother Mac is abducted by a murder of crows, headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) launches a desperate rescue mission into the enchanted forest, joined by her loyal, if hapless, classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay).
The trailer, set to the mournful sound of “My Tears are Becoming a Sea” by M83, follows Preu and Curtis as they travel deep inside the Impassable Wilderness to try and rescue Mac, encountering a world of magical creatures, talking animals and bandits. The pair gets drawn into a conflict that threatens the balance of the forest itself. Fans familiar with Coraline and ParaNorman will recognize the Laika animation style but, judging by the trailer, Wildwood is a step up in scale and ambition.
Travis Knight directed Wildwood, from a screenplay written by his Masters of the Universe and Kubo and the Two Strings collaborator Chris Butler. Among the A-list voice cast are Carey Mulligan, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Angela Bassett and Mahershala Ali.
Knight is also producing the film, alongside Sam Wilson. Fathom Entertainment is releasing the movie wide in the U.S. on Oct. 23. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales in Cannes.
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