You’ll get to visit “Wildwood” even sooner now.
Following its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival last weekend, LAIKA and Fathom Entertainment have announced nationwide fan first premium format screenings of the film in more than 100 participating theatrical locations for Oct. 19. This will give audiences exclusive early access to the film ahead of its nationwide theatrical release on Oct. 23.
These screenings will be offered in select large formats “subject to availability at participating locations,” according to the official release. Each screening will also feature a special pre-recorded welcome from “Wildwood” director (and LAIKA CEO) Travis Knight.
Tickets for “Wildwood” are now available in the United States at participating box offices and online at WildwoodMovie.com.
The film, based on the book series by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, received rapturous reviews from its premiere at the London Film Festival. The film follows a young girl (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), whose baby brother is stolen by a flock of crows, leading her to travel into Wildwood, a place just outside of Portland, Oregon, that is filled with fantastical creatures and hidden dangers. Will she find her baby brother – and make it out alive?
Our own critic called “Wildwood” “one of the most astonishing animated movies ever made.”
“It’s got soul built into every miraculous object we see on the screen. It’s an over two-hour fantasy epic brought to life through stunning stop-motion animation, and the fact that Knight made a film of this scale, in this medium, is hard to fathom,” said our critic. (The film currently has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.)
“’Wildwood’ represents an extraordinary achievement by hundreds of artists who have spent years bringing this world to life by hand,” said David Burke, chief marketing and operations officer at LAIKA, in an official statement. “The remarkable response following our London premiere speaks to the scale, ambition and emotional resonance of what Travis and his team have created. We made this film to be experienced on the big screen, and our partnership with Fathom reflects our commitment to bringing bold, original storytelling to audiences everywhere. These special screenings are an opportunity to celebrate the fans who have supported LAIKA and believed in the power of handcrafted filmmaking.”
“The response to ‘Wildwood’ reflects the extraordinary ambition of what Travis Knight and LAIKA have created,” said Jason Brenek, CEO of Fathom Entertainment, in a statement. “We’re proud to work with our exhibition partners to bring this remarkable film to audiences nationwide, beginning with special Fan First Screenings on October 19. ‘Wildwood’ is a film that deserves to be experienced on the big screen.”
There will also be gala screenings at the AFI Film Festival and the Animation is Film Festival (both in Hollywood).
