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Disney announces a new magical movie coming to theaters next year. After the releases of Elio,Lilo & Stitch, and Snow White this year, the company will next bring forth Pixar's Zootopia 2 in November. Disney's next year's slate by far features a Toy Story sequel and a Moana live-action adaptation.

At D23, Disney announced a new original project from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Titled Hexed, the new movie will be theatrically released next fall. At the event, the animated project is described to be about a teenage oddball and his mother, who discover his weirdness as a hidden magic that holds the key to a realm where magic could run free.

When did you first know you wanted to make monster movies? I didn’t consider filmmaking as a career until after highschool because it was just something I did. I made my first monster movie around age 8 with my cat, called ‘It Came from the Backyard’. What is the best decade for horror and why? …

The post Exclusive Interview: David Keane (Upcoming Wildwood NJ Creature Feature) appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

The Portland, Oregon-based Laika has, in its first 20 years, become as identifiable an animation brand as Studio Ghibli or Pixar.

The studio is known for their handcrafted stop-motion-animated tales that flirt with the macabre and, while being (so far at least) for all audiences, never forgo their edge. And, in celebrating their 20th anniversary leading up to the release of their latest feature “Wildwood” next year, the company is pulling out all the stops, with a lineup of new product releases, partnerships, exhibitions and publishing initiatives. This includes everything from a redesign of the official site (by creative agency Monks) to new merchandise coming to the official shop to a series of videos from Devon Rodriguez (you can see an exclusive video below) to a Rizzoli coffee table book called “Laika: The Magic Behind a Stop-Motion Dream Factory.” For the next year, everything is truly coming up Laika.

TheWrap spoke...

Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Marcus Scribner, Caleb Hearon, Sarah Sherman, Justin Cooley, Kevin Matthew Reyes, Adam Herschman, and Lucas Zelnick have joined the cast of Hulu’s Untitled BriTANicK Pizza Movie from American High. They join previously announced cast members Gaten Matarazzo, Sean Giambrone, Lulu Wilson and Jack Martin.

The film follows a group of college students who order a pizza to their dorm, but after accidentally ingesting a homemade drug, their simple journey down two flights of stairs to retrieve it turns into a mind-bendingly transformative quest.

The film is written and directed by Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, known together as the comedy duo BriTANicK. It is produced by American High’s Jeremy Garelick and Will Phelps and All Things Comedy’s Billy Rosenberg. Jason Zaro, Molle DeBartolo and Max Butler are also producers. Matarazzo serves as an executive producer. Axelle Azoulay and Matt Sacca are associate producers.

Lee has been cast as Ashley,...

It’s been six years since the release of “Missing Link,” the fifth stop-motion animated film from the Portland-based animation house Laika. If you don’t remember it, that’s because the $100 million film — though well reviewed with an 88 percent Rotten Tomatoes score — was a financial bomb, bringing in only $26.5 million globally. Prior Laika films were all budgeted in the $60 million range and were almost all consistent performers at the box office with around $100 million globally, but reports at the time estimated “Missing Link” could have lost over $100 million after expenses.

The onset of Covid-19 in early 2020 didn’t help Laika bounce back. The pandemic severely hampered the company’s ability to work by hand in their tactile animation facility in the Oregon woodlands, such that production on the company’s next ambitious stop-motion epic, “Wildwood,” did not formally begin until September 2021. The company’s founder, Travis Knight, in the...

Universal Pictures has released a new Jurassic World Rebirth spot, which shows new footage from the highly anticipated July 2 release. In addition to the Jurassic World Rebirth spot, a 16-bit game for the film has launched as well.

The film has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) for intense sequences of violence/action, bloody images, some suggestive references, language, and a drug reference.

A new era is born. This summer, three years after the Jurassic World trilogy concluded with each film surpassing $1 billion at the global box office, the enduring Jurassic series evolves in an ingenious new direction with Jurassic World Rebirth.

Anchored by iconic action superstar Scarlett Johansson, breakthrough talent Jonathan Bailey (upcoming Wicked: For Good), and two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (upcoming Wildwood), this action-packed new chapter sees an intrepid team racing to secure DNA samples from the three most colossal creatures across land, sea,...

Exclusive: Laika has signed Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie and Aladdin screenwriter John August to write an untitled stop-motion animated film to be directed by Pete Candeland.

The signing was announced during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival by Laika President and CEO Travis Knight, director of the stop-motion studio’s Oscar-nominated Kubo and the Two Strings and upcoming Wildwood.

Inspired by an original idea from Candeland, who joined Laika in 2023, the story revolves around a theatre-loving high school student who is lured into a mystifying never-ending bacchanal in search of her missing mother.

​“I’m thrilled to be back in the world of stop-motion animation working with a team of incredible artisans telling stories one frame at a time,” said August. “Truly everything about stop-motion is time-consuming and difficult, but the results have a texture and authenticity that can’t be replicated. You can feel the fingerprints of everyone who touched it.

Thirty years after Pixar launched a revolution when it introduced the world’s first fully computer animated feature, “Toy Story,” its anniversary will be marked amid another sea change at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where the close-knit animation community gathers in the picturesque French city on Lake Annecy near the Swiss border.

The festival will take place from June 8-14 amid a collision of artistic, business and technological shifts, driven by factors from a post-strike business climate to AI developments. “It’s just south of chaos,” admits Pixar Animation Studio’s chief creative officer Pete Docter, who was a young animator at Pixar when Woody and Buzz were birthed. But as the industry evolves, he remembers the words of Disney legend Joe Grant, one of the writers of “Dumbo,” who years ago advised Docter to remember that the business is cyclical.

“I keep that in the...

It is quite possible, circa 2025, that there are a greater number of North American film institutions than North American citizens who actively watch films. It thus behooves those centered on an increasingly marginalized medium to grease the wheels; one of the surest means is (somewhat paradoxically) dipping into coffers for an event that boasts famous attendees and those with money to donate. For servicing cinematic interests in one of America’s largest cultural centers, the Portland Art Museum faces challenges and incentives no different than New York or Los Angeles. I was nevertheless surprised that Friday, May 30’s Cinema Unbound Awards would turn into an auction whose attendees––of which I was one, with my own placard hiding under a couple different plates the entire night to combat fears that I could just lift it up and ruin my financial life––would make donations up to $50,000 to preserve the Museum’s mission and community efforts.

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the filmmakers behind “Captain Marvel” and, more recently, “Freaky Tales,” have been tapped by Laika, the Portland, Oregon-based stop-motion animation studio, to write and direct a new live-action project.

The filmmakers will write and direct “Atmosphere,” based on the forthcoming novel by bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid, whose “Daisy Jones & The Six” served as inspiration for the Prime Video series of the same name. The announcement was made by Laika’s president of Live Action Film & Series Matt Levin.

According to the official release, “Atmosphere” is “a sweeping romance between two pioneering female astronauts breaking into NASA in the early days of the shuttle program in the late ’70s/early ’80s,” inspired by films like “Apollo 13,” “The Right Stuff” and “Gravity.”

“Atmosphere” is a Laika production in association with Circle M+P. Producers are Travis Knight, Matt Levin, Boden, Fleck, Reid and Brad Mendelsohn.

Laika’s live-action film division is taking shape, and it has an exciting new project it’s adapting based on a new work by one of the most in-demand authors today.

Laika has tapped filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck to direct for the big screen “Atmosphere,” which is an adaptation of the next novel from “Daisy Jones and the Six” author Taylor Jenkins Reid. The book publishes next month on June 3 from Ballantine Books.

“Atmosphere” is a sweeping romance between two pioneering female astronauts breaking into NASA in the early days of the shuttle program in the late ’70s and early ’80s. While the principal characters are fictionalized, the historical context and authenticity of the world-building is grounded in the spirit of films like “Apollo 13,” “The Right Stuff,” and “Gravity.” The epic story is set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program and shows the extraordinary...

Laika's latest ambitious stop-motion adventure, Wildwood, will now be hitting theaters later than expected. Although it was initially planned to finally release in 2025, the studio has now confirmed to ComicBook.com that the long-gestating adaptation of the novel by Colin Meloy will not see the light of day until sometime in 2026. It's the latest twist for a film that has been in development since 2011, began production back in 2021, and only just last year received its first teaser. Hailing from CEO Travis Knight, who also previously directed Bumblebee and Kubo and the Two Strings, it will mark the animation company's sixth feature film production and their first in seven years after Missing Link in 2019.

That Wildwood is taking so long isn't necessarily surprising, given that stop-motion is a notoriously difficult medium to work with and, according to Knight, this project is particularly complicated. It's based on the first title in a wider...

The Blade reboot's development remains in the balance following behind-the-scenes issues and the departure of multiple directors. As star Mahershala Ali hopes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Blade remake to get off the ground, he's reunited with one of the departed directors for an upcoming project.

According to Deadline, Ali has signed on for the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios film, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, which has been written and will be directed by former Blade reboot helmer Bassam Tariq. Details about Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother are being kept under wraps, with Tariq producting the movie alongside Two & Two Pictures' Lucan Toh and Babak Anvari.

Related'i Hope It Gets Together: MCU Star Michael B. Jordan Addresses Blade Reboot's Struggles

Black Panther franchise star Michael B. Jordan has his say on the many delays affecting the Blade remake.

A two-time Oscar winner for his performances in Moonlight and Green Book,...

Wildwood is set to be the latest film from Laika studios and there's been some exciting news about the cast, story, and more. Laika has been responsible for some of the best animated movies in recent years, specializing in stop-motion. Laika movies tend to be meticulously designed, perfectly animated, and feature stories that resonate with older viewers as well as they do with younger ones. This niche art style means Laika films are not always box office smashes, but each one has received its fair share of critical acclaim.

Dark family movies like Coraline; epic, mystical adventures like Kubo and the Two Strings; and heartwarming comedies like The Missing Link make up just a part of the wide spectrum of Laika movies. The difficulty of stop-motion and the size of the studio means a Laika film only comes out every few years, and any announcement about one naturally causes a stir in Hollywood.

By the power of Grayskull, Jared Leto will become a jacked-up, cranially exposed supervillain!

The Oscar-winning star of “House of Gucci” and “Dallas Buyers Club” is joining Amazon MGM’s upcoming live-action film “Masters of the Universe” as Skeletor, the skull-faced archenemy of Eternia’s greatest warrior, He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine).

Director Travis Knight (“Bumblebee”) has also cast at least some of Skeletor’s coterie of henchmen. Sam C. Wilson (“House of the Dragon”) will play Trap Jaw; Kojo Attah (“The Beekeeper”) will play Tri-Klops; and Hafthor Bjornsson (“Game of Thrones”) will play Goat Man.

They’ll join the previously cast Alison Brie (“Promising Young Woman”) as Skeletor’s lieutenant, Evil-Lyn; Camila Mendes (“Riverdale”) as He-Man’s trusted compatriot, Teela; and Idris Elba (“Hijack”) as Teela’s father, Man-at-Arms.

Chris Butler (“ParaNorman”) — who worked with Knight on Laika’s upcoming stop-motion animated feature “Wildwood” — wrote the latest draft of the screenplay,...

Despite some excellent movies hitting theaters, 2024 was, to use a sports phrase, a rebuilding year. The 2023 Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes ground Hollywood to a halt before the studios ultimately agreed to some much-needed concessions for the folks who physically make the films and TV shows we all love, and the downstream effects of that unnecessarily drawn-out labor stoppage spilled into 2024. Movies and shows that were supposed to come out needed time to restart production, studios delayed some releases into 2025, and the industry as a whole experienced a contraction. The first half of this year was rough at the box office, but thanks to several major wins near the end of the year, theatrical exhibition managed to stay alive and make up a ton of ground.

While we'll likely be seeing the effects of the strikes and the subsequent contraction for a while, the floodgates are preparing to open for...

Idris Elba is the latest star to join the cast of the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie, based on the beloved Mattel toys.

The 52-year-old actor is reportedly set to play Duncan, Man-At-Arms.

Travis Knight (Bumblebee) will be directing the movie from a script by Chris Butler, who previously worked with Travis on Kubo and the Two Strings and the upcoming Wildwood.

Keep reading to find out more…

Deadline reports that Idris‘ character is “a good guy and for centuries has been the weapons master and combat instructor to the royal family, and is also called Man-At-Arms.”

Duncan creates the Masters of the Universe elite strike force.

Nicholas Galitzine will be playing [Spoiler], Camila Mendes will be playing [Spoiler], and Alison Brie will be playing this villain character!

Laika Studios' animation debut wraps up its year-long 15th-anniversary celebration in style. Converse will release apparel heavily inspired by scenes and characters from Coraline.

Laika Studios and Converse will launch collaborative apparel to mark the 15th anniversary of Coraline, the 2009 stop-motion film based on Neil Gaiman's novella. Five new pairs of Chuck Taylor All Stars will feature designs inspired by Coraline's characters and the "Other World", where button-eyed doppelgangers and the Beldam reside. The limited-edition sneakers will be available at the Converse online store starting Nov. 21; fans can also order a Coraline t-shirt and hoodie to complete their collection.

Related Coraline Fan Theories Are Much Scarier Than the Movie

Director Henry Selick's stop-motion-animated Coraline is creepy, but it's nowhere near as dark as the theories it's inspired.

Converse's kicks capture the best moments of Coraline starting with the "Other World" Chucks, canvas sneakers with a graphic of the grotesque,...

2025 is a promising year for animated movies. Dog Man kicks things off in January, bringing Dav Pilkeys popular comic book series to life, followed closely by The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep in February, which dives into the magical world of Geralt and adds depth to The Witcher universe. In June, Pixar brings audiences sci-fi film Elio, which introduces audiences to a young boy who finds himself mistaken for Earths ambassador to outer space. Summer continues with nostalgia and family favorites, with The Smurfs Movie returning to theaters in July, reimagining the classic blue characters, and The Bad Guys 2 in August.

As the year winds down, Zootopia 2 headlines the holiday season in November, bringing back Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde for a new adventure in the vibrant city of Zootopia. In December, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is set to take fans of all ages back under...

Exclusive: Angela Bassett is ready for another Mission, Deadline can exclusively reveal.

In Mission: Impossible 8 — now known as Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning — Bassett reprises her role as CIA Director Erika Sloane from 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout.

The plot of the new film, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance, remains under wraps. Most recently garnering multiple Oscar nominations and grossing over $567Mm worldwide with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, the spy action franchise of course center on Tom Cruise’s Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt, who with his team, has embarked on assorted globe-trotting missions to avert global disaster.

In addition to Cruise, returning cast will include Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Vanessa Kirby, Mariela Garriga, Henry Czerny, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell and Frederick Schmidt. Others making their Mission: Impossible debut in the eighth installment include Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer,...

The Copeland Brothers have found a new home.

Chris and Justin Copeland, who have worked on “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts,” “Batman: The Killing Joke” and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” cartoon, have joined stop-motion studio Laika to develop animated feature projects. Travis Knight, president and CEO of Laika, made the announcement.

The Copeland Brothers, as they are collectively known, have been working for the past five years on feature and series projects for DreamWorks Animation. The feature they were working on for DreamWorks is not going forward; hence their pivot to Laika, TheWrap has learned. However, a short film that they were working on for the studio is coming soon.

The Copelands join a growing list of filmmakers who are working on projects for the Portland, Oregon-based animation studio, including Pete Candeland, who has directed a number of Gorillaz music videos; Víctor Maldonado and Alfredo Torres, who...

Filmmakers Chris and Justin Copeland, aka The Copeland Brothers, have been tapped to develop new animated feature projects for the award-winning Oregon studio Laika.

No further details on the pair’s work for Laika has been disclosed. Their work for the studios comes on the heels of a five-year period in which the Copelands have been developing for both the feature and television divisions of DreamWorks.

Previously, Chris has directed on DreamWorks’ Emmy, GLAAD and NAACP-nominated series Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, with Justin directing on the DC original films Wonder Woman: Bloodlines and Batman: Hush. Together, the pair have also worked as storyboard artists on a slew of titles for the likes of Marvel and DC.

Born and raised in Chicago, The Copeland Brothers most recently wrapped writing and directing a soon-to-be released animated short. They are represented by UTA, Redefine Entertainment, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.

Laika Animation is bringing the 2009 fantasy film ‘Coraline’ back to theaters for Halloween showings. The film will screen in newly remastered 3D and 2D formats starting on October 31st in several countries. This comes after a highly successful 15th anniversary re-release this past summer.

That summer re-release earned over $53 million globally at the box office. It helped make ‘Coraline’ the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film ever in the United States. Worldwide ticket sales for the film now total $185.7 million.

David Burke, Laika’s Chief Marketing and Operations Officer, said the studio was “elated” by the summer screenings’ success. He added that they were “delighted” to offer fans one more chance to see ‘Coraline’ on the big screen this Halloween season.

Countries scheduled for the Halloween showings include the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Austria, and Ecuador. More locations may be announced. France and Italy will screen the film in November.

In addition,...

After a summertime return to theaters that grossed over $53 million at the global box office, Laika’s acclaimed 2009 stop-motion animated film Coraline returns to theaters for a special Halloween engagement starting on October 31st.

In partnership with Fathom in the US and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, the film is offered in stunning, newly remastered 3D as well as 2D formats.

In addition to the U.S., the Halloween engagement of Coraline includes the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Austria, and Ecuador, with more territories to follow. France and Italy will also begin their Coraline 15th Anniversary engagements this November.

Fans attending Coraline will be treated to an early glimpse of Laika’s upcoming film, Wildwood.

The 15th Anniversary theatrical re-release of Coraline this past August was an astonishing success, surpassing all estimates. Since its re-release on August 15th, Coraline has brought in over $53 million at the global box office.

It marks the...

For fans who missed Coraline‘s summertime return, fear not: Animation company Laika Studios will be re-releasing the beloved stop-motion pic beginning on Halloween.

The news comes following a huge global box office return for Laika, who is now partnering with Fathom in the U.S. and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, with more than $53 million grossed during the dark fantasy movie’s re-release in August for its 15th anniversary. The 2009 film will be offered in newly remastered 3D as well as 2D formats.

During the screening, viewers will also get a glimpse at Laika’s upcoming Wildwood. Beginning Oct. 31, the film will be available in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, Canada, Austria and Ecuador, with more territories to come. France and Italy will also see a re-release for the film’s anniversary in November.

“Everyone at Laika is elated by the global success of the Coraline re-release and we’re delighted...

Fifteen years after the film’s initial release, Henry Selick’s 2009 stop motion film Coraline is once again headed back to theaters for the Halloween season, we’ve learned today.

In the wake of Coraline scaring up $53 million at the global box office this past summer, the film returns for another limited-time engagement in newly remastered 3D and 2D formats.

From Fathom Events, Coraline comes back to theaters on October 31 & November 1.

Tickets for the spooky season re-release are up for grabs now.

Variety details, “Henry Selick’s film now stands at a lifetime haul of $185.7 million worldwide and is the highest-grossing stop-motion film in the U.S. It’s also the highest-grossing rerelease in the U.S. in the past 10 years and the highest-grossing of Fathom’s 20-year history. Attendees on Halloween will also get a sneak peek of Laika’s upcoming film Wildwood.”

“Everyone at Laika is elated by...

“Coraline” is back in theaters once again — but now just in time for spooky season.

The beloved, stop-motion animated film from 2009 will return on Halloween for a limited-time engagement in newly remastered 3D and 2D formats.

If you feel like you just saw “Coraline” back in theaters, it’s not deja vu — you’re right. The film just had a successful summer rerelease for its 15th anniversary, where it made $53 million globally. Henry Selick’s film now stands at a lifetime haul of $185.7 million worldwide and is the highest-grossing stop-motion film in the U.S. It’s also the highest-grossing rerelease in the U.S. in the past 10 years and the highest-grossing of Fathom’s 20-year history. Attendees on Halloween will also get a sneak peek of Laika’s upcoming film “Wildwood.”

“Everyone at Laika is elated by the global success of the ‘Coraline’ re-release and we’re delighted to...

There's no rest for the wicked — or for Laika Studios, either, it would seem. With the Oregon based outfit preparing to release long-gestating fantasy stop-motion epic Wildwood next year, their self-described "hardest" film to date, the studio could've been forgiven for taking some time out for a bit of a breather. But with recent months bringing news of live-action Brian Duffield movie Crumble and a Piranesi adaptation from Laika CEO and Kubo & The Two Strings director Travis Knight joining the studio's slate, things have been all systems go over in Portland. And now another project has found its way into the Laika pipeline — a live-action sci-fi thriller from Jon Spaihts, best known as the co-writer of Denis Villeneuve's Dune and Alien prequel Prometheus.

Plot details regarding Spaihts' movie, which will mark the prolific screenwriter's directorial debut, are being kept largely under wraps for now. However, the enigmatic logline for...

Jon Spaihts, the screenwriter behind the Dune films and more besides, is turning to directing with an original sci-fi film.

Laika may be better known for its charming animated output, including Kubo And The Two Strings and its debut Coraline, but it also has a business arm which has a number of live-action films in the works.

The most recently announced of these is an untitled project from Jon Spaihts, previously known for his work as a screenwriter – his credits include Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies, Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel Prometheus (the latter rewritten by Damon Lindelof) and more besides. In what will be his directorial debut, Spaihts’ sci-fi feature will reportedly be about “a woman investigating a mystery that took place during a week she cannot remember.”

It sounds a bit Philip K Dick with its missing memory premise. Or perhaps it’s just about someone who went...

Jon Spaihts, whose writing credits include “Doctor Strange,” “Prometheus” and the two “Dune” movies, is set to make his directorial debut with an untitled sci-fi thriller for Laika. The announcement was made by Matt Levin, Laika’s president of live action film and series.

The movie revolves around a woman who is investigating a mystery that took place during a week she cannot remember.

Laika, the Portland, Oregon-based stop motion animation studio also has the live action film “Crumble,” from writer/director Brian Duffield and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, on the docket.

“Laika has long admired Jon’s iconic work as a screenwriter,” said Levin in an official statement. “He is one of the most imaginative and inventive storytellers working today, and we’re honored to partner with him as he brings his unique vision and soul to the director’s chair for the first time with a...

15 years after its original theatrical release, Laika's stop-motion animated classic "Coraline" has become a wildly unexpected hit at the box office. The folks at Fathom Events partnered with Laika to bring director Henry Selick's adaptation of Neil Gaiman's story back to the big screen recently, and to say that it has gone well would be a dramatic understatement.

This past weekend, "Coraline" pulled in $5 million, which was on its second weekend of re-release. Amazingly enough, it made more than Lionsgate's "The Crow" remake ($4.6 million) in its debut. It dropped less than 50% on weekend two, and to date has pulled in $24 million domestically. It's one of Fathom's most successful re-releases ever. What's perhaps most amazing is that Fathom already had success with a re-release of the film last year, which pulled in more than $7 million. That led to this 15th anniversary celebration, which has been surprisingly fruitful.

Re-releases of classic films aren’t supposed to make much of a mark at the box office. They usually serve as a helpful stopgap for theaters to bring in a little extra revenue during slow periods on the release slate. But “Coraline” has proven otherwise — and its newfound success has caught the attention of Hollywood.

The debut film from stop-motion animation Laika Studios returned to theaters courtesy of Fathom Events and Trafalgar Releasing this past weekend for its 15th anniversary, and set a record for those distributors with the most successful re-release in their history with $29.3 million grossed worldwide. Last weekend, the film grossed $9.6 million from Friday to Sunday, enough to put it in the top 5.

For comparison, in its original theatrical run from Focus Features in 2009, “Coraline” earned an unadjusted $75.2 million domestic and $124.5 million worldwide. For an inflation-proof comparison, turn to Mexico, where “Coraline” sold 1.6 million tickets. As of Tuesday,...

Laika Studios is making a welcome return to screens everywhere with their latest mysterious feature film, Wildwood. In an age where traditional animation styles are becoming endangered with the ongoing rise of 3D animation, Laika is widely credited with not only preserving claymation and stop-motion animation but also advancing it. Laika's wholly unique style is omnipresent within both its visuals and its surprising level of maturity, which pushes the boundaries of what can be included in a family-friendly animated film. While all of their films have an approachable rating of PG, just about all of Laika's films feature complex characters, frightening visuals, and adult themes.

Laika is celebrating the beyond-expectations box office results for the re-release of its acclaimed 2009 stop-motion animated film Coraline and will extend the run of its groundbreaking film through August 29th.

Coraline returned to theaters worldwide for its 15th Anniversary in newly remastered 3D for a special limited engagement that started August 15th. In partnership with Fathom in the U.S. and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, the film is offered in stunning, newly remastered 3D and 2D formats.

Since opening on Thursday, August 15, the re-issue of Coraline has earned over $20 million at the worldwide box office. It has sold $12.5 million in tickets in the U.S. and $7.6 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $20.1 million. Coraline was the #4 movie at the domestic box office.

The 15th anniversary Coraline showings also include an early glimpse of Laika’s upcoming film, Wildwood. You can check out that teaser here.

In Mexico, Coraline has officially...

With the current re-release of Henry Selick’s Coraline netting a rather staggering $11.3 million at the U.S. box office, Laika is back in the conversation. The Oregon-based animation studio isn’t just hanging on its laurels, however, as they are in production on their next feature Wildwood, which is set for a release in 2025, marking the longest break they’ve had between features as it’s been six years since 2019’s Missing Link.

Directed by the company’s CEO Travis Knight (who also directed Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee) and written by Chris Butler, it’s based on the 2011 novel from The Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy, which featured illustrations by Carson Ellis. Featuring a voice cast of Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant,...

“Wildwood” is a new stop motion animated fantasy feature, directed by Travis Knight, based on the 2011 novel -by Colin Meloy and illustrator Carson Ellis, starring Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits and Richard E. Grant, releasing April 11, 2025 in theaters:

“…’Prue McKeel’ and her best friend ‘Curtis’ are drawn into a hidden, magical forest, after Prue's baby brother ‘Mac’ is kidnapped by crows, led by a mysterious woman named ‘Alexandra’…”

Click the images to enlarge….

It may have been over a decade in the making, but in recent weeks we've finally started to get our first proper look at Wildwood, the latest epic stop-motion animated adventure from Oregon outfit Laika Studio. Last month, weexclusively revealed a first look photo from Kubo & The Two Strings director Travis Knight's long-gestating passion project, and followed that up shortly after with a world-first stop-motion digital magazine cover introducing the movie's plucky heroine Prue McKeel. Now, at long last, today saw the studio release the first teaser for Knight's adaptation of Colin Meloy's anthropomorphic YA fantasy book(s) — with a little help from some familiar faces. Check it out below:

Now that's what you call a teaser! "There are places in the world that people were never meant to go," ominously intones Jake Johnson over shots of Coraline, ParaNorman, and Kubo's heroes heading into "dark forests...

"When the first settlers came here, they called the woods the impassable wilderness. It was a warning... to keep away." That's quite an ominous intro! I'm excited to see more from this. Laika has revealed another quick teaser for their next stop-motion animated movie titled Wildwood, which is once again directed by Travis Knight (of Kubo and the Two Strings). They originally started production in 2021, and it's expected to debut sometime in early 2025. The character of Prue was revealed in the first look magazine cover last month. Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and her best friend Curtis are drawn into a hidden, magical forest outside Portland after Prue's baby brother Mac is kidnapped by crows, led by a mysterious woman named Alexandra. The cast includes Jacob Tremblay as Curtis, Carey Mulligan, Awkwafina, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Jemaine Clement, & Richard E. Grant.

After a sojourn into the “Transformers” universe with “Bumblebee,” Travis Knight is returning to his cinematic roots, stop-motion animation. Well, to be fair, he’s also still directing the live-action “Masters of the Universe” tentpole for Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel, but concurrently he’s directing his first stop-motion animation film in over eight years, “Wildwood.” In a surprise, Knight’s animation studio, Laika, has released a captivating teaser of the movie that we suspect will arrive in theaters sometime in 2025.

Continue reading ‘Wildwood’ Teaser: Travis Knight’s First Stop-Motion Film Since ‘Kubo And The Two Strings’ Looks Spooky at The Playlist.

Laika has been responsible for bringing audiences into scary worlds such as the ones seen in Coraline and ParaNorman. And now, the studio has released the first teaser from their upcoming film, Wildwood. The short video includes an ominous warning. A narrator explains how some places in our world were never meant to be visited by humans, teasing how the titular forest might hold dark secrets. Coincidentally, none of the main characters from the upcoming adventure appear in the video.

With Coraline back in theaters for its 15th anniversary, Laika Studios has revealed the first Wildwood teaser. While the film has no release date yet, it is expected to open in theaters in 2025.

In addition to the Wildwood teaser, we’ve also included Laika’s recent video that takes you behind the scenes of the stop-motion animated film and a video featuring Coraline introducing the company’s newest hero, Prue McKeel.

Wildwood is based on the series of novels by Colin Meloy, lead singer for The Decemberists, and illustrator Carson Ellis. The film is currently in production at Laika Studios outside Portland, Oregon.

The cast includes Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman), Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Andi Mack), Jacob Tremblay (Room), and Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).

Also on board are Oscar nominee Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got to Do With It...

The impassable wilderness beckons. Laika Studio, the team behind stop-motion animated hits ParaNorman and Coraline, are back with their sixth stop-motion movie, Wildwood. The studio has released the title reveal for the epic fantasy, and it looks dark.

Wildwood is written by Chris Butler, based on the novel written by Colin Meloy, the lead singer/songwriter for The Decemberists, and illustrated by artist Carson Ellis.

In the film, “Beyond Portland’s city limits lies Wildwood. You’re not supposed to go there. You’re not even supposed to know it exists. But Prue McKeel is about to enter this enchanted wonderland. Her baby brother Mac has been taken by a murder of crows into the forest’s depths, and she – along with her hapless classmate Curtis – is going to get him back. Prue might think she’s too old for fairytales, but she’s just found herself at the center of one.

“Coraline,” the masterful stop-motion debut from Oregon-based Laika, turns 15 this year. It’s currently being honored with a 3D remaster in theaters (also screening in 2D through Fathom). In addition, there’s a bevy of merch, including a new Mondo vinyl soundtrack by Bruno Coulais, a Converse collection, and a partnership with Portland’s Stumptown Coffee.

Which is why “Coraline” director Henry Selick was recently in London promoting the 3D remaster and appearing at the launch of the “Laika: Frame x Frame” exhibition at BFI Southbank. He spoke to IndieWire via Zoom about ushering in the digital stop-motion revolution at Laika in 2009 and creating the iconic rebel with blue hair and yellow raincoat.

“I had incredible support from Laika and Travis Knight [the studio’s president and artist-turned-director] to pursue exactly what I wanted,” Selick said. “Not that every moment of the film was dictated by myself, but I was able to make the choices and...

With their last Joker film, Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix reinvented the character from the ground up. Now, they’re about to change the game all over again in Joker: Folie À Deux – a follow-up that sends Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck (and Lady Gaga’s Harley ‘Lee’ Quinzel) into song-and-dance territory. It’s one of the year’s most eagerly-anticipated films, and the new issue of Empire is your all-access guide.

The September 2024 issue isn’t on newsstands until tomorrow, Thursday 1 August – but you can take a sneak peek at what’s in story below. Order a copy online here.

Joker: Folie À Deux

How do you follow up a billion-dollar character drama take on one of the world’s most famous villains? Why, you make a music-fuelled romance, of course! Empire speaks with filmmaker Todd Phillips, stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and more, getting the inside story on...

Meet Prue. Laika has revealed a first look at their next new animation project called Wildwood, once again being directed by Travis Knight (of Kubo and the Two Strings). They originally started production with an inital announcement in 2021, and it's expected to debut sometime in 2025, as they continue working at their animation studio outside of Portland. The first look reveal comes from UK's Empire Magazine, where they have an entire feature about Wildwood's production as well as a special "first-ever stop-motion animated digital magazine cover" introducing the main character. Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and her best friend Curtis are drawn into a hidden, magical forest outside Portland after Prue's baby brother Mac is kidnapped by crows, led by a mysterious woman named Alexandra. The full cast also includes Jacob Tremblay as Curtis, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement,...

Coraline takes viewers through the doorway to the world of Wildwood in a new animated cover for Empire magazine created by Laika Studios.

Laika Studios is truly an iconic production house if ever there was one, with such beloved animated classics as Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link. Now they are unveiling a glimpse into their sixth animated feature film, Wildwood. Based on the book by Colin Meloy, the film will feature a lush wilderness that acts as the backdrop to the story of Prue McKeel, the film's protagonist. Laika unveiled their new hero--and the stunningly vibrant world she will inhabit--in an all-new original animation created by Laika Studios themselves for the magazine cover of Empire.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine)

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It’s obvious in every frame to hit the screen that each Laika movie is a labour of love. The studio is dedicated to the painstaking craft of stop-motion animation, resulting in the likes of Coraline, Kubo And The Two Strings, and most recently Missing Link. But even by Laika standards, their next film is a feat of mind-boggling complexity – a decade-in-the-making fantasy epic that’s set to push the studio’s capabilities to a whole new level. Get ready for Wildwood, transforming Laika’s home of Portland, Oregon, into animated form – and sending young hero Prue on a dangerous journey into a fantastical forest realm.

As director Travis Knight tells Empire in an exclusive new interview, the film, based on Colin Meloy’s acclaimed novel, is “the hardest thing we have ever done” – hence its especially lengthy development. “A huge part of the reason it’s taken us so...

Every new film from Laika is something to be cherished – each one a stop-motion animated marvel boasting breathtaking levels of craft, deeply affecting narratives, and a real sense of cinematic magic. And so, in the wake of Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo And The Two Strings, and Missing Link, the impending arrival of the animation house’s sixth feature is one to eagerly anticipate. Get ready to venture into Wildwood, a lush and imaginative new fantasy epic that’s set for release next year. And to introduce the film, Empire has something very special indeed – a completely original, stop-motion animated digital cover created exclusively for us by Laika, with none other than the iconic Coraline unveiling the new film’s protagonist, Prue McKeel. Watch it here:

This stop-motion digital cover is the first of its kind, incorporating a newly restored Coraline puppet and featuring brand-new sets and costuming created specifically for the production.

The legendary Laika, the animation wizards behind Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link, are back with another groundbreaking achievement. Known for their mind-blowing stop-motion animation, Laika is ready to wow us again. This time, theyve teamed up with Empire, the worlds biggest movie magazine, to create the first-ever stop-motion digital magazine cover, which can be viewed here. Yes, you read that right a magazine cover brought to life with stop-motion magic. How did this come about, though? Remember Coraline, the first stop-motion animated film ever shot in stereoscopic 3D? LAIKAs been smashing barriers like that since day one. They even bagged an Oscar for their innovation in rapid prototyping. And now, theyre about to introduce us to Prue, the fearless female protagonist of their sixth film, Wildwood, set to hit theaters in 2025.

Laika, the studio responsible for producing some of the most remarkable stop-motion animated films of all time, like Coraline, Kudo and the Two Strings, and Paranorman, is making good on a three-year-old promise to get into the live-action game with Crumble, an upcoming action-adventure film from filmmaker Brian Duffield. Duffield directs Crumble from his script with the promise of taking audiences on an epic adventure.

Crumble focuses on a married couple who embark on a world-traveling adventure, hoping to find a cure to an ancient curse. The project has notable producing power, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller producing alongside Aditya Sood via their Lord Miller studio. Duffield produces in addition to his directorial and scripting duties. Lord Miller’s Lucy Kitada and Nikki Baida executive produce.

“We’re so excited to partner with Brian and the entire team at Lord Miller on this special film,” said Laika’s President,...