Brief

Laika submits Decemberists’ “The Better Part of Bravery” for Oscar original‑song race

The song appears over the end credits of Wildwood, which opens in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland on Oct. 23.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sat, 10 Oct 2026 01:52:25 GMT

Variety reports that Laika Studios will submit the original song “The Better Part of Bravery,” performed by indie‑rock band The Decemberists, for consideration in the Academy Awards’ original‑song category.

What happened

The track plays during the end credits of the studio’s animated feature Wildwood, which follows teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) on a quest to rescue her brother from a murder of crows in an enchanted forest near Portland, Oregon. The film is slated to open in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland on 23 October 2026, with a worldwide premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.

What the reports add

Variety notes that the Wildwood soundtrack will be released on Decca Records, and that The Decemberists also recorded two bonus tracks titled “Bandit Kind” and “Alexandra’s Lullaby.” Composer Dario Marianelli provides the score, while Laika’s chief marketing and operations officer David Burke says the music is “a natural extension of the world Colin Meloy first imagined.”

What was said

Colin Meloy, frontman of The Decemberists and author of the novel the film adapts, told Variety, “Writing the song for the end credits gave me a chance to return to the world of ‘Wildwood’ in a different way.” David Burke added, “Music has always been part of the DNA of ‘Wildwood,’ so bringing together Dario Marianelli’s extraordinary score and new songs from The Decemberists feels like a natural extension.”

Key facts

• Laika will submit “The Better Part of Bravery” for Oscar original‑song consideration. (variety.com)
• The song is performed by The Decemberists and appears over Wildwood’s end credits. (variety.com)
• Wildwood opens on 23 October 2026 in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland. (variety.com)
• The soundtrack will be released on Decca Records and includes two bonus tracks. (variety.com)
• Composer Dario Marianelli provides the film’s score. (variety.com)

Sources

• [1] variety.com — originally reported as “Laika Submits Original Song From ‘Wildwood’ for Oscars, ‘The Better Part of Bravery,’ Performed by The Decemberists (EXCLUSIVE)”