Laika’s ‘Wildwood’ Keeps Climbing at the Box Office, but Its Massive Budget Looms Large

Laika’s ‘Wildwood’ has been one of the most beloved films of the fall, but the stop-motion fantasy’s box office story is far more complicated. Directed by Laika president and CEO Travis Knight and adapted from Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’ novel, the film follows Prue, a teenage girl who enters an enchanted forest to rescue her baby brother. Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay lead a voice cast that also includes Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina and Tom Waits.

Critics have embraced it. One report noted the film sits at a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and all 5 of Laika’s previous features earned Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature. Knight has called it the best thing the studio has ever made, a project some 16 years in the making.

The box office, though, is a tougher picture. According to ToonHive, ‘Wildwood’ has reached $47.5 million worldwide after earning $7 million in its third domestic weekend, a drop of just 22%. That’s a strong hold, but the film carries a reported $100 million budget, as The Hollywood Handle also pointed out.

The opening actually beat expectations. ‘Wildwood’ debuted with $12.2 million across 2,942 theaters, landing in 3rd place behind DC’s ‘Clayface’ and the Elizabeth Holmes documentary ‘You Can See Everything’. Pre-release tracking had pointed to $5 million to $10 million.

The film kept its footing from there. It added another $7.5 million in its second weekend, again finishing 3rd, and even topped the box office on a Tuesday during its second week. Its domestic total now stands at $39.8 million.

‘WILDWOOD’ crossed $47M at the global box office. Budget was $100M. https://t.co/GdYz5PPi5o

— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) November 8, 2026

The challenge is simple math. Laika hasn’t officially disclosed the cost, but the $100 million figure has been widely reported, more than Illumination spent on ‘Minions & Monsters’ or DreamWorks spent on ‘Forgotten Island’. Once marketing is added, outlets have noted the film is unlikely to break even in theaters.

There’s also an uncomfortable milestone. ‘Wildwood’ has already passed the full global run of ‘Missing Link’, which earned just $26.6 million on a similar $100 million budget, but that still makes it Laika’s 2nd-lowest-grossing film.

There are places you don’t go. One choice changes everything. Watch the Teaser Trailer for Wildwood now, and see the movie in theatres everywhere October 23. #Wildwood https://t.co/1COoQT3REY

— LAIKA (@LAIKAStudios) May 13, 2026

The scale of the production helps explain the cost. Variety reported that Knight built 231 puppets and 136 sets to make the film. At 132 minutes, it’s the longest stop-motion animated film ever made, and it’s also Laika’s first PG-13 release.

The studio can absorb some risk. Variety noted that Laika is the only American studio still investing 9 figures in stop-motion, and that Phil Knight’s Nike fortune has covered losses that would have shut down almost any other operation. The outlet even argued that the Oscars can’t let ‘Wildwood’ fail, since there’s no backup stop-motion studio waiting in the wings.

There are reasons for hope. Fathom Entertainment, which is handling the US release, previously helped Laika turn a 2024 ‘Coraline’ re-release into a $52.4 million worldwide hit. That success showed audiences still crave tactile, handmade animation.

For now, the question is how far past the $50 million mark the film’s steady holds can carry it. With strong word of mouth and awards season approaching, ‘Wildwood’ may still have plenty of life left, even if its theatrical run won’t erase that hefty price tag.

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