Key Takeaways:
- LAIKA has partnered with Fathom Entertainment for U.S. theatrical distribution and FilmNation Entertainment for international sales on its upcoming stop-motion feature film Wildwood.
- The film will open in theaters nationwide on October 23, 2026.
- LAIKA is taking a customized approach to distribution, matching partners to the specific needs and ambitions of the project.
- The partnership with Fathom builds on the success of LAIKA’s recent theatrical re-releases, including the 15th anniversary return of Coraline and a limited engagement of ParaNorman (Remastered).
- Wildwood is a handcrafted epic fantasy that transports audiences into a secret, dangerously alive world, and features a voice cast including Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, and Mahershala Ali.
Introduction to LAIKA’s New Partnership
LAIKA, the studio behind Coraline and ParaNorman, has announced a new partnership with Fathom Entertainment for U.S. theatrical distribution and FilmNation Entertainment for international sales on its upcoming stop-motion feature film Wildwood. This partnership marks a new phase for LAIKA, as the studio expands its global distribution approach for Wildwood through a combination of independent strategy and best-in-class partners. The film will open in theaters nationwide on October 23, 2026, and international sales will launch next month at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Customized Distribution Approach
According to David Burke, LAIKA’s Chief Marketing and Operations Officer, the studio is taking a more customized approach to how it brings the film to audiences, matching partners to the specific needs and ambitions of the project. Partnering with Fathom’s Denver-based team brings national perspective and operational strength to the U.S. release, while working with FilmNation internationally positions the film with scale, reach, and deep expertise in global markets. This strategy is built specifically for Wildwood, preserving LAIKA’s independence while aligning with world-class collaborators to support the film’s ambition.
Partnership with Fathom Entertainment
The partnership with Fathom builds on the success of LAIKA’s recent theatrical re-releases, including the 15th anniversary return of Coraline and a limited engagement of ParaNorman (Remastered). With Coraline earning $56 million worldwide, these performances underscore sustained fan demand to experience LAIKA on the big screen and reflect the studio’s long-view approach to movie-going, creating renewed audience engagement over time by returning its films to theaters, where they were made to be experienced. Fathom Entertainment, based in Denver, will handle a full theatrical release across the United States, kicking off October 23.
International Sales and Distribution
Internationally, LAIKA has partnered with FilmNation Entertainment, a leading independent entertainment company that produces, finances, and distributes films and series with global reach. FilmNation’s recent slate includes Anora and Conclave, with past credits including Promising Young Woman, Arrival, and The Big Sick. FilmNation will represent LAIKA’s Wildwood across international territories, beginning with the European Film Market in Berlin. According to Glen Basner, FilmNation CEO & Founder, LAIKA is synonymous with originality and imagination, and Wildwood is the studio’s most extraordinary film to date.
The Film: Wildwood
Wildwood is a handcrafted epic fantasy that transports audiences into a secret, dangerously alive world. A girl’s desperate quest to save her baby brother becomes a high-stakes journey into a forbidden forest filled with enchanted creatures, unlikely allies, and formidable adversaries, where an entire hidden realm hangs in the balance. The project is proclaimed by the studio to be its most ambitious and globally accessible feat of hand-crafted, cinematic storytelling to date. The voice cast includes Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant.
Conclusion and Future Plans
Tickets for Wildwood in the United States will be available later this summer via Fathom Entertainment and participating theatre box offices. Fans can sign up now to be among the first notified when tickets go on sale. With its customized distribution approach and partnerships with Fathom and FilmNation, LAIKA is poised to bring Wildwood to audiences around the world in a way that is both ambitious and authentic. As Travis Knight, President and Chief Executive Officer of LAIKA and director of Wildwood, notes, "We designed Wildwood to be seen the way movies first captured our imaginations: discovered in the dark, on a big screen, with a room full of fellow dreamers experiencing joy, silence, and wonder together."
