Brief
Travis Knight discusses 16‑year stop‑motion journey for Laika’s ‘Wildwood’ at London premiere
Knight says the film began when Barack Obama was a fresh‑faced president and will release on Oct. 23.
By Felo News Desk · Published
At the BFI London Film Festival’s world premiere on Sunday, Laika director Travis Knight detailed the 16‑year stop‑motion effort behind the fantasy epic “Wildwood.” Speaking on stage at the Royal Festival Hall alongside voice talent Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay, Knight described the painstaking process of building tiny objects, photographing them frame by frame, and repeating the cycle until the film emerged.
Production started in 2021 amid COVID‑19, but development began a decade earlier when Laika optioned Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’s novel. Knight noted that the project spanned the first term of President Barack Obama, joking he could have become a medical doctor twice in that time.
Following the festival run through Oct. 17, “Wildwood” is slated for a U.S. release on Oct. 23 by Fathom Entertainment and a U.K. release by Black Bear, marking Laika’s first PG‑13 rating.
Key facts
- “Wildwood” premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 11, 2026. (variety.com)
- Director Travis Knight said the film took 16 years to make, beginning when Barack Obama was president. (variety.com)
- The film will be released on Oct. 23, 2026 in the U.S. (Fathom Entertainment) and the U.K. (Black Bear). (variety.com)
- Production started in 2021 during the COVID‑19 pandemic, with development beginning about a decade earlier. (variety.com)
- “Wildwood” is Laika’s first PG‑13‑rated feature. (variety.com)
Sources
- [1] variety.com — originally reported as “‘Wildwood’ Director Travis Knight Reflects on Animated Feature’s 16-Year Journey at London Premiere: ‘When We Started This, Barack Obama Was a Fresh-Faced President’”
