"Wildwood" to be LAIKA's First PG-13 Film

The new project from the creators of "Coraline" is aimed at a more mature audience.

The Motion Picture Association has given the stop-motion fantasy "Wildwood" a PG-13 rating. Reasons cited include fantasy violence, bloody images, thematic elements, brief partial nudity, and some strong language.

The film will be LAIKA's first feature-length project with such an age restriction. "Coraline," "ParaNorman," and other films from the studio were released with a PG rating, similar to Russia's 6+.

The film's duration also indicates a scope atypical for family animation. The runtime will be approximately 140 minutes, making "Wildwood" the longest stop-motion feature film in history. For the production, the LAIKA team built hundreds of sets and created about 250 physical puppets.

The action of "Wildwood" will unfold near Portland. Prue McKeel, along with her best friend Curtis, will venture into a hidden and enchanted forest known as the Impassable Wilderness to find the girl's younger brother, who has been kidnapped by a flock of crows. The search will draw the heroes into a struggle for the future of a world inhabited by talking animals.

The film is directed by LAIKA head Travis Knight, who previously directed "Kubo and the Two Strings" and "Bumblebee." The screenplay, based on Colin Meloy's books, was written by "ParaNorman" author Chris Butler.

The world premiere of "Wildwood" will take place on October 23, 2026, and the animated film will be released in Russian cinemas on December 3.