The Most Exciting Animated Movie of 2026 Finally Gets a Release Date (& It Ends a 7-Year Streak)

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As a huge animation fan, I’m already getting excited for 2026! It’s shaping up to be an incredible year with so many big titles coming out – we’ve got Hoppers, Toy Story 5, another Minions movie, The Cat in the Hat, Hexed, and a bunch more. I’m predicting several of these will be huge box office hits – maybe even breaking a billion dollars! – and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few of them nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. But on top of all that, there’s one movie I’ve been particularly eager to hear about: Wildwood. It’s the newest project from Laika, and they always deliver something special. I’ve been wondering when it would finally arrive, and now it’s officially been scheduled for release in 2026 – fantastic!

The new Laika film, Wildwood, will be released in theaters on October 23rd, distributed by Fathom Entertainment. This is Laika’s first big-screen release in six years, following their 2019 film, Missing Link.

Why Wildwood Is the Most Exciting Animated Movie of 2026

Though it might not be as widely anticipated as blockbusters like Toy Story 5 and Minions 3, the film Wildwood is definitely worth checking out for movie lovers. Adapted from the popular novel by Colin Meloy, it’s a captivating fantasy story about two classmates, Prue and Curtis, who go on a quest to rescue Prue’s younger brother. Their journey takes them to an enchanting forest where they discover a connection to the land. Given the book’s success and positive reception, director Travis Knight has a strong foundation for the film. Wildwood is inspired by classic fantasy tales like The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, and it will be interesting to see how Laika Studios brings its unique style to this genre.

Just the idea behind the movie Wildwood is enough to get people excited, but knowing that the studio Laika is making it adds even more anticipation. Laika’s films haven’t always been huge box office hits—their biggest success was Coraline, which earned $185.9 million globally—but they consistently receive rave reviews. All of Laika’s first five feature films were critically acclaimed and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (they also received a nomination for their work on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride). Given Laika’s history of quality work, and with Travis Knight—the director of the popular Kubo and the Two Strings—at the helm, Wildwood is likely to be another standout film.

Laika is known for creating stop-motion films that are both visually gorgeous and emotionally resonant. Like Pixar, their stories connect with viewers of all ages, and their new film, Wildwood, promises to continue that tradition. With its fantastical world and grand scale, Wildwood offers Laika a chance to push the boundaries of their animation and storytelling. This ambitious project has been in development for years, and it’s sure to be an exciting film to watch unfold.

If the film Wildwood does well, it could launch a whole series of movies from Laika. The books already have two sequels – Under Wildwood and Wildwood Imperium – and if the first film is a hit, those could be adapted for the big screen too. To get those sequels made, Wildwood would probably need to become Laika’s most successful movie ever, proving to the studio that there’s a large audience eager for more. Hopefully, fans of fantasy will support the film this fall, allowing us to see the complete story unfold.

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2026-01-20 23:10