WILDWOOD

The hype is real on WILDWOOD, an extravagant dark-fantasy film that deserves the accolades it’s receiving. Every decade, an animated movie comes along that changes the perspective of what animation is capable of. In 2000-2009, audiences were treated to SPIRITED AWAY. This magical adventure had more imagination and personal connection than anything ever done in the medium. In 2010-2019, audiences received the technical marvel, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE. Its blending of comic books and narrative inventiveness has inspired the animation style of countless films since (see THE WILD ROBOT or even FORGOTTEN ISLAND). Now, in 2026, we have the largest-scale stop-motion animation film ever made: WILDWOOD. That alone would be enough to make it a classic. Still, it goes one step further by reminding grownups that even if they feel they’ve outgrown magic, magic hasn’t outgrown them.

So why am I gushing over Laika’s latest film? Because I can’t remember the last time I was boldly taken into a world that feels so familiar and new at the same time. WILDWOOD has elements from other classic fantasy films like the baby from LABYRINTH, the LORD OF THE RINGS-style battles, and the creatures of PAN’S LABYRINTH. Yet all of this is captured with puppets, as director Travis Knight, who also made KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS, brings Colin Meloy’s bestselling novel to life. Every single inch of the screen in WILDWOOD bursts with the artists’ personal touch. And that personal touch turns WILDWOOD into a moving experience that left me in tears by the final scene.

There has been a lot of talk about WILDWOOD not being for kids. I’d challenge that assumption. The film earns its PG-13 rating, yet what kid of the ’80s and ’90s doesn’t remember seeing scary stuff they shouldn’t have at a young age, like THE DARK CRYSTAL, THE NEVERENDING STORY, or THE BLACK CAULDRON? Yes, you were scared in the moment, but those safe scares in a film can help you grow. More importantly, the message of knowing when to let go and how to find happiness in the small moments of life is so impactful that I hope kids remember those lessons. Or, at the very least, parents can have a good conversation about them post-viewing. One clarification: a 4-year-old should skip WILDWOOD, but an 8-year-old who understands that movies can be scary and knows they’re safe would appreciate a parent who challenges them to see its artistry.

FINAL THOUGHT: “Right now, I am happy” that I saw WILDWOOD, the best film of 2026. Please “don’t miss the magic” and see this cinematic masterpiece with an audience in theaters.

It’s available in theaters now.