The project took 16 years to reach the big screen and is already being tipped as a potential contender for next year’s Oscars.
Speaking at the film’s premiere in Los Angeles, director Travis Knight said the production was the result of years of work by hundreds of people.
Knight, who is also chief executive of Laika, the studio behind ‘Coraline’, said the team had devoted years of their lives to telling a story through physical craftsmanship and imagination.
He argued that this human effort was something computers could not truly replicate, highlighting the importance of stop-motion animation at a time when artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing creative industries.
Stop-motion animation involves photographing physical objects one frame at a time and moving them slightly between shots. When the images are played in sequence, they create the illusion of movement.
Knight described ‘Wildwood’ as a celebration of human creativity, artistic skill and collective effort. He also said computers could imitate human experiences but could not genuinely experience emotions such as loss, joy or heartbreak.
The film follows Prue McKeel, voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, whose younger brother is taken by a murder of crows into the Impassable Wilderness, a mysterious forest outside Portland, Oregon.
Accompanied by her friend Curtis, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, Prue discovers a magical world where ambition and grief fuel tensions that threaten to erupt into conflict.
Knight said the film combines an expansive fantasy adventure with mature themes and emotional experiences that people encounter throughout their lives.
Lee said she related to Prue’s journey, particularly the experience of growing up and discovering that one’s understanding of the world can be challenged. She compared the character’s transformation with her own experiences during adolescence.
Tremblay said he also connected with Curtis, who tries to find courage by drawing inspiration from his favourite comic-book and video-game characters.
The actors’ physical gestures were filmed as they recorded their dialogue, allowing animators to incorporate their movements and mannerisms into the characters.
The voice cast includes Angela Bassett, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali and Awkwafina.
Animation supervisor Brad Schiff said the film represented a major technical milestone, particularly in its facial expressions and the variety of animals featured. He explained that each Laika production builds on the research and development carried out for previous films.
Inspired by Colin Meloy’s book of the same name, ‘Wildwood’ also pays tribute to Portland, the city where Laika is based.
Knight said that making a story deeply rooted in a particular place could help it connect with audiences everywhere.
