Wildwood Movie: The Fantasy Books Behind LAIKA’s New Animated Film

By Ahaqir Ishaq

A baby stolen by crows. A forbidden forest beyond Portland. A rescue mission that pulls two young people into a much larger struggle. Wildwood, LAIKA’s new stop-motion fantasy film, brings the world of Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’s illustrated books to theaters on October 23, 2026.

For readers discovering the story through the movie, the starting point is straightforward: Wildwood is the first book in The Wildwood Chronicles, a completed three-book series. Here is how the film connects to the novels and what to read before entering the Impassable Wilderness.

When Does the Wildwood Movie Come Out?

Wildwood opens nationwide in U.S. theaters on Friday, October 23, 2026. LAIKA and distributor Fathom Entertainment have also announced Fan First screenings on Monday, October 19, at more than 100 participating locations.

According to the October 15 announcement from LAIKA and Fathom, those early screenings will use select premium formats and include a prerecorded welcome from director Travis Knight. Availability depends on the theater.

What Book Is Wildwood Based On?

The movie is based on Wildwood, written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis. First published in 2011, it introduces Prue McKeel and the secret world hidden beyond her familiar surroundings.

Meloy is also the singer and songwriter for The Decemberists. Ellis’s illustrations give readers another way into the setting, making the original book worth considering even if the movie is your introduction.

The publisher’s description of Wildwood follows Prue after crows abduct her baby brother. Her attempt to bring him home leads her and her friend Curtis into a wilderness filled with competing powers, mysterious inhabitants, and dangerous intentions.

That widening scope is part of the appeal. A missing sibling gives the adventure an immediate emotional purpose, while the forest offers room for a much bigger fantasy world.

What Is the Wildwood Movie About?

Prue enters the Impassable Wilderness to rescue her baby brother, accompanied by her classmate Curtis Mehlberg. Inside, they encounter talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures whose ambitions threaten the forest’s future.

The official film synopsis describes an adventure shaped by love, sacrifice, grief, and ambition.

For a book-focused audience, the intriguing idea is how close this magical realm sits to ordinary life. The wilderness exists just beyond Portland, turning a recognizable landscape into the threshold of an unfamiliar world.

The Wildwood Chronicles Books in Order

Read the trilogy in publication order:

The series continues Prue and Curtis’s adventures across three connected novels, all featuring Ellis’s illustrations.

1. Wildwood

Start with the original rescue mission. This is the book that introduces the central characters and the setting behind the film.

It is also the most useful choice if you want to read one novel before watching. Beginning here lets you discover the wilderness alongside Prue.

2. Under Wildwood

The second installment expands the story beyond the first adventure. The publisher’s synopsis for Under Wildwooddescribes threats involving assassins, a dangerous businessman, and a harsh winter.

If you want to avoid spoilers for the first book, wait to read the sequel’s full description until you finish Wildwood.

3. Wildwood Imperium

Wildwood Imperium concludes the trilogy, bringing together storylines involving supernatural danger, a rescue mission, and exiled toy makers.

For readers who prefer starting a finished fantasy series, all three main books are already available.

Does the Movie Adapt All Three Books?

The official announcements identify Wildwood as the source novel. Readers should start with the first book rather than assuming the film compresses the entire trilogy.

The existence of two literary sequels also does not establish a three-film plan. The books provide more story to explore, but that is separate from confirmed movie announcements.

Who Is in the Wildwood Voice Cast?

Peyton Elizabeth Lee voices Prue McKeel, while Jacob Tremblay voices Curtis Mehlberg.

The ensemble also includes Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant.

The official cast and production announcement confirms that Travis Knight directs and Chris Butler wrote the screenplay.

Why the Illustrated Books Are Worth Exploring

The most interesting reason to read Wildwood before the movie is the chance to experience two visual interpretations of the same fantasy world: Ellis’s illustrations on the page and LAIKA’s physical characters and environments on screen.

Illustrated fiction lets you pause over an image, return to a detail, and move through the adventure at your own pace. Animation makes different choices about movement, performance, and what the audience sees at any given moment. That makes the book a worthwhile companion to an adaptation.

The premise also has an obvious appeal for readers who love discovering hidden worlds. If that is what draws you to fantasy, explore our fantasy books like Narnia for adults for more variations on that experience.

Should You Read Wildwood Before Watching?

Start with Wildwood if you want to meet Prue and Curtis on the page before seeing LAIKA’s interpretation.Continue with the other two books if the setting leaves you wanting more.

You do not need to finish an entire trilogy to begin. The first novel offers the clearest introduction to the characters, the rescue mission, and the wilderness behind the film.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Read the book before the movie: Find Wildwood on Amazon.

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