Wildwood (Laika)

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Sotiris
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Wildwood (Laika)

Post by Sotiris »

This may be Laika's most ambitious film yet.
LAIKA’s next animated feature film is Wildwood, based on the bestselling novel written by Colin Meloy, lead singer and songwriter for The Decemberists, and illustrated by artist Carson Ellis. The announcement was made today by Travis Knight, President & CEO of the award-winning animation studio, who will direct the film. Wildwood is currently in production at LAIKA’s facility outside Portland, Oregon.

About Wildwood: Beyond Portland’s city limits lies Wildwood. You’re not supposed to go there. You’re not even supposed to know it exists. But Prue McKeel is about to enter this enchanted wonderland. Her baby brother Mac has been taken by a murder of crows into the forest's depths, and she – along with her hapless classmate Curtis – is going to get him back. Prue might think she’s too old for fairytales, but she’s just found herself at the center of one. One filled with strange talking animals, roguish bandits, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. Wildwood is a tale of love, loss, sacrifice and secrets, and of the magic you can find on your doorstep, if you’re willing to look for it.
Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/ ... vis-Knight
The project about a secret forest has been in development at Laika for a decade. No distribution has been announced, though there are obviously several streaming opportunities available at Neflix, Amazon, and Apple.
Source: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/laika ... 234664769/


Concept art.

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Source: https://www.facebook.com/laikastudios/p ... 8339107681


Close-up.

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Source: https://twitter.com/LAIKAStudios/status ... 1706194950
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Disney's Divinity
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Re: Wildwood (Laika)

Post by Disney's Divinity »

Good to hear about something else on its way from Laika! I admit I wasn't as crazy about Missing Link as their previous films, but it still had its good points. This sounds more up their alley.
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Rumpelstiltskin
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Re: Wildwood (Laika)

Post by Rumpelstiltskin »

Makes me think of both Roald Dahl's The Minpins and Jim Henson's Labyrinth.
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Re: Wildwood (Laika)

Post by Tristy »

Rumpelstiltskin wrote:Makes me think of both Roald Dahl's The Minpins and Jim Henson's Labyrinth.
Ah good to know someone else is aware of the Minpins. Definitely one of the lesser known of Dahl's books. Had an audio cassette based on that one with sound effects. The sound they did for the Gruncher was truly terrifying.

Anyway I know I went off on a tangent. This movie does look like it might truly phenomenal.
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Re: Wildwood (Laika)

Post by Rumpelstiltskin »

Tristy wrote:
Rumpelstiltskin wrote:Makes me think of both Roald Dahl's The Minpins and Jim Henson's Labyrinth.
Ah good to know someone else is aware of the Minpins. Definitely one of the lesser known of Dahl's books. Had an audio cassette based on that one with sound effects. The sound they did for the Gruncher was truly terrifying.

Anyway I know I went off on a tangent. This movie does look like it might truly phenomenal.
Yeah, sounds like it has a big potential. Also, the Minpins is both Dahl's final book and the first one not to be illustrated by Quentin Blake since the 1975 novel "Danny, the Champion of the World". That too should have given it some attention.
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Sotiris
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Re: Wildwood (Laika)

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Wildwood Director Travis Knight Assembles Powerhouse Voice Cast for LAIKA’s Most Ambitious Film to Date
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/ ... lm-to-Date
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Re: Wildwood (Laika)

Post by Disney's Divinity »

"Powerhouse voice cast" is right. Other than Waits, I know and love-to-like all of the cast!

Reading the plot again listed in that article, it vaguely reminds me of Labyrinth (as far as a girl going into a fantasy world of some kind to get somebody that was stolen). So they already have the next animated film lined up as well--The Night Gardener. I'm glad the live-action film won't be an end to their animated efforts.
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