Acclaimed Animated Hit “Wildwood” Flops Despite Strong Reviews

WHO:

Reddit Movies - Laika made *Wildwood*, directed by Travis Knight; the film stars Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Prue McKeel.

SlashFilm - *Wildwood* is based on the 2011 fantasy novel by writer Colin Meloy and artist Carson Ellis.

Reddit Movies - Fathom distributed *Wildwood* in the United States.

WHAT:

Reddit Movies - *Wildwood* opened in third place with $12.2 million domestically from 2,942 theaters.

SlashFilm - *Wildwood* earned $12.2 million domestically on its opening weekend, placing third behind *Clayface* and *You Can See Everything*.

Reddit Movies - The film had a reported production budget of $100 million; the article said its opening represented 11% of that amount.

SlashFilm - The reported budget was about $100 million before marketing.

Reddit Movies - *Wildwood* had a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and an 87 Metacritic score; the article called these Laika’s highest ratings on both sites.

Reddit Movies - Audiences gave the film an “A” CinemaScore, tying it with *Kubo and the Two Strings* as Laika’s best-rated film.

Reddit Movies - Fathom reported that 51% of the audience was female, the film played strongly with people aged 18–34, and children under 12 accounted for 7% of its gross.

Reddit Movies - The film earned $3 million overseas, bringing its worldwide total to $15.2 million. Its overseas earnings included $1.4 million in the UK, $567,000 in Australia, $393,000 in Italy, $242,000 in Spain, and $168,000 in the Netherlands.

Reddit Movies - *Wildwood* is a dark fantasy with a PG-13 rating and a 131-minute runtime.

SlashFilm - The story follows Prue McKeel as she travels into forests outside Portland to find her kidnapped infant brother.

WHERE:

SlashFilm - The story is set in forests outside Portland.

Reddit Movies - *Wildwood* opened in 2,942 theaters domestically and played in overseas markets including the UK, Australia, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

WHY:

Reddit Movies - The article cited stop-motion animation’s niche appeal, the film’s dark fantasy subject matter and PG-13 rating, its 131-minute runtime, and distribution by Fathom rather than a major studio as factors limiting its audience.

HOW:

Reddit Movies - Fathom reported the film’s audience demographics; its U.S. opening was released across 2,942 theaters.

SlashFilm - *Wildwood* was positioned as counter-programming, but its opening was insufficient to offset its reported budget.

(UPDATED October 27, 2026 10:08 UTC)

Laika’s dark fantasy film *Wildwood*, directed by Travis Knight and starring Peyton Elizabeth Lee, opened in third place with $12.2 million from 2,942 U.S. theaters, behind *Clayface* and *You Can See Everything*. Based on the 2011 novel by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, the PG-13 film follows Prue McKeel into forests outside Portland to find her kidnapped infant brother; its reported $100 million production budget was before marketing. The film earned $3 million overseas for a $15.2 million worldwide total, while critics gave it a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and an 87 on Metacritic, and audiences awarded it an A CinemaScore.