The first teaser trailer for Wildwood, the next feature from Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning animation studio Laika, has arrived. The footage, released in 2026, offers a glimpse of a handcrafted world where talking animals and bandits live alongside humans in a hidden forest. Jacob Tremblay and Carey Mulligan lead the voice cast.

The film is an adaptation of Colin Meloy’s novel Wildwood, the first book in the Wildwood Chronicles. Laika, best known for Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link, is bringing the story to stop-motion life. The teaser emphasizes the studio’s signature intricate animation, but the real hook is the plot: a desperate rescue mission into the Impassable Wilderness, a magical forest concealed just beyond Portland, Oregon.

The story: a crow’s abduction and a headstrong heroine

After her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows, headstrong teenager Prue McKeel launches a rescue mission into the Impassable Wilderness. She is joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg. The teaser hints at a world filled with talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition. As Prue and Curtis navigate the forest, they are drawn into a conflict that threatens the balance of Wildwood itself.

The source material describes Prue as a character who must discover strength and belief she never knew she possessed. The film’s official synopsis promises a story about love, sacrifice, and the magic that reveals itself when we dare to look beyond the familiar.

The cast: Tremblay and Mulligan lead

Jacob Tremblay, known for Room and The Whale, voices Curtis Mehlberg. Carey Mulligan, an Oscar-nominated actor for Promising Young Woman, voices Prue McKeel. The teaser does not reveal additional cast members, but the two leads anchor the emotional core of the story.

Tremblay and Mulligan are both actors with strong dramatic range, suggesting Laika is aiming for the same emotional depth that made Kubo and the Two Strings a critical success. Mulligan’s role as a determined teenager requires a voice performance that balances vulnerability and resolve.

Laika’s return to original fantasy

Wildwood marks Laika’s first feature since 2019’s Missing Link. The studio has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of stop-motion animation, often taking years to complete a single film. Each project is built by hand, with thousands of puppets, sets, and props. The teaser shows the lush, textured look typical of Laika’s work: detailed foliage, expressive character faces, and a color palette that shifts from the gray Portland suburbs to the vibrant greens and golds of the forest.

Laika films often explore dark themes within family-friendly frameworks. Coraline dealt with parental neglect and identity, ParaNorman tackled bullying and the supernatural, and Kubo examined grief and memory. Wildwood continues that tradition, centering on a sibling bond under threat and a young person forced to grow up fast. The abduction of a baby by crows is a startling opening that sets a high stakes tone.

The Impassable Wilderness functions as both a setting and a character, a place where the rules of reality bend. Talking animals, rival factions, and ancient grievances create a volatile environment. The official synopsis mentions “bandits” and “powerful figures driven by grief and ambition,” hinting at a political or military conflict within the forest’s ecosystem.

What the teaser reveals

The teaser trailer (approximately 90 seconds, based on typical Laika teaser lengths) introduces the normal world of Portland before cutting to the forest. Quick shots show Prue running through trees, a massive bird in flight, and a character that appears to be a crow in humanoid form. The tone is urgent but not grim, with moments of wonder. The teaser does not show the baby brother or spell out the full arc, which is standard for early marketing.

Laika trailers often emphasize visual spectacle over plot details, and Wildwood follows that pattern. The stop-motion animation looks as meticulous as ever. The teaser ends with a title card reading “Wildwood – 2026,” confirming the release year.

Why it matters

Wildwood is part of a wave of high-profile animated fantasy films slated for the mid-2020s. While much of the mainstream animation market is dominated by computer-generated franchises, Laika occupies a unique niche: stop-motion features that target both children and adults. The studio has struggled commercially in the past — Missing Link grossed just $26 million worldwide against a budget reported to be over $100 million — but has earned consistent critical acclaim and awards attention.

A strong voice cast and a recognizable literary source (the Wildwood trilogy sold well and has a dedicated fanbase) could help broaden the audience. Portland’s setting also ties into Laika’s own geography: the studio is based just outside Portland in Hillsboro, Oregon. The film’s depiction of the city and its surrounding wilderness will feel personal to the studio.

The teaser does not reveal a specific release date beyond 2026, but Laika typically releases films in the fall, often aiming for awards season. If Wildwood follows that pattern, a September or October 2026 release is likely.

A notable absence

The teaser does not show or name any other cast members. Given Laika’s history of assembling ensemble voice casts — Kubo featured Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, and Rooney Mara — it is probable that additional actors will be announced as the release approaches. The lack of a full cast reveal in the first teaser is common; the studio often saves those announcements for later trailers or festival premieres.

What comes next

Laika has not announced a theatrical or streaming distribution plan for Wildwood. The studio’s previous films were distributed by Universal Pictures, but the deal may have shifted after Missing Link’s underperformance. A streaming release is possible, but Laika has historically pushed for theatrical exhibition because the visual detail of stop-motion benefits from a big screen.

For now, the teaser trailer sets the tone: a magical, slightly menacing adventure with a teenage heroine at its center. Prue McKeel’s journey into the Impassable Wilderness will test her courage, and Laika’s animation will test the boundaries of what stop-motion can achieve. The trailer suggests that Wildwood will deliver exactly what fans expect from the studio — and maybe a few surprises.

The full theatrical release is planned for 2026, with more details expected throughout the year.