Laika's 'Wildwood': 231 hand-built puppets, 136 locations — stop-motion at unprecedented scale

Laika's first stop-motion feature in six years, 'Wildwood', reaches theatres 23 October through Fathom Entertainment. The studio calls it its most ambitious project yet: 136 locations, 231 practical puppets, and 54 hero characters, each built and animated by hand. Travis Knight directs, returning to animation after June's live-action 'Masters of the Universe'. Voice cast includes Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, and Angela Bassett. (Variety, 19 August 2026)