I had the chance to watch Wildwood (2026) in theater over the weekend. It just might be one of the most beautiful, creative endeavors I’ve ever seen on the big screen. This is my enthusiastic and unsolicited plea for you to go see it and support it before it leaves theaters.
There’s so much going on in this film, so I’ll keep it brief. Wildwood follows a young girl named Prue whose baby brother is kidnapped by a murder of mysterious crows. She accidentally teams up with a nerdy classmate named Curtis, and together, they venture into a hidden, enchanted forest outside Portland, Oregon, to rescue the stolen child.
Sounds simple enough, but oh the place you’ll go.
Wildwood is full of love, loss, sacrifice, magic, and adventure. It’s like revisiting a favorite storybook from childhood and seeing it through adult eyes. The themes are surprisingly mature, and the action is sometimes R-rated—not gory, but graphic in its execution. No punches are pulled.
This handmade stop-motion epic from the folks at LAIKA Studios took 16 years to create. Watching the work that went into this, through behind-the-scenes featurettes, had my jaw on the floor. I can only imagine the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that went into bringing this story to life. This is a film that begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible so you can admire and appreciate all those tiny details. I can’t wait to see it a second time.
Wildwood is a true celebration of art and creativity. If you love fantasy and filmmaking, you gotta go see it!
Have you seen Wildwood? I’d love to hear your POV.
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