Laika's Wildwood Will Be Unlike Most American Animated Movies In Two Key Ways

As much as Pixar gets most of the credit for revolutionizing modern animation in film over the last few decades, it'd be a mistake to look past the stop-motion brilliance pioneered by Laika. The studio behind beloved titles like "Coraline," "ParaNorman," and "Kubo and the Two Strings" has built up quite the reputation in a fairly short amount of time, and for good reason. But, while it's been over seven years since its last production (2019's "Missing Link"), the upcoming (and wildly ambitious) "Wildwood" has all the makings of a return to form — one that will stand apart from the vast majority of its contemporaries in more ways than we thought.

There's no denying the excitement surrounding director and Laika CEO Travis Knight's latest effort, buoyed by its visually dazzling trailers and the promise of an emotionally-charged story harkening back to the best — and darkest — that Laika has ever produced. But "Wildwood," a dark fantasy epic following a young girl named Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and her classmate Curtis (Jacob Tremblay) as they journey to a magical forest to rescue Prue's kidnapped younger brother, appears to be even bolder than it already seemed.

New filings by the MPA and various theater chains are giving us an official indication of the surprising runtime and rating for "Wildwood." According to AMC listings, the film clocks in at a total of 2 hours and 20 minutes, a whopping and record-tying amount when compared to the sub-120 minute runtimes that Pixar has popularized among animated films. Meanwhile, the movie's official website has confirmed that it will serve as Laika's first-ever PG-13 feature, suggesting "Wildwood" will be a truly unique experience ... in more ways than one.

We've been looking forward to the potential of "Wildwood" since the moment it was first announced back in 2021, but whether it proves to be a box office success is another question entirely. Based on the bestselling book of the same title by Colin Meloy (perhaps best known as the front man for The Decemberists) and Carson Ellis, the project represents a major creative swing for all involved. That's further emphasized by the news of the film's runtime and rating, both of which mark a significant risk — and, interestingly enough, suggest that this title may be intended for a slightly older demographic.

Not only will the runtime of "Wildwood" tie a record for the longest English-language animated film (which it will now share with "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"), but it has also been rated PG-13 for a number of more mature elements: "strong fantasy violence/bloody images, thematic material, suicide related material, brief partial nudity, and language." That's bound to catch the eyes of parents hoping to take their kids to the theaters this coming Fall, while the lengthy runtime itself will inevitably mean that multiplexes can only offer a smaller amount of showings. How this may impact the film's commercial performance remains to be seen, but the creative team surely has their sights set even higher ... likely on Oscars gold.

"Wildwood" is set to hit theaters on October 23, 2026.