The Most Ambitious Fantasy Epic of 2026 Is Already Being Called a "Masterpiece"

2026 has been another successful year for animation. Pixar rebounded from last year's Elio with the acclaimed original film Hoppers; The Super Mario Galaxy Movie became the year's first billion-dollar hit; Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and Jessie (Joan Cusack) returned for a hugely successful Toy Story 5; and more.

But all of that may soon be overshadowed when the year's best animated film arrives later this month. The latest film from Laika, the studio behind Missing Link, Coraline, and ParaNorman, is director Travis Knight's Wildwood, set for theaters on October 23 and a long time coming. Laika first acquired the rights to the source material written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis back in 2011, after working on the book's trailer. Many years later, this fantasy adventure is ready to impress viewers after countless hours of detailed craft.

Peyton Elizabeth Lee voices the protagonist, Prue McKeel, joined by an ensemble including Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Angela Bassett, Richard E. Grant, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Tom Waits, and two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali. Ahead of the film's debut, the review embargo on Wildwood has been lifted. At the time of writing, the film holds a perfect 100% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, from 16 reviews submitted so far.

What Have Critics Said About 'Wildwood'?

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Wildwood is already being declared the winner-in-waiting for next year's Best Animated Feature prize at the Academy Awards. For Collider, Aidan Kelley called the film "Laika's masterpiece," awarding it a 9/10 and saying, "Laika has made many visually striking movies in their nearly two-decade career, but Wildwood soars above them all with some of the most breathtaking sequences of the year." ScreenRant's Liz Declan awarded a perfect 10/10, calling the film "bound for the Oscars," while others have called the film "remarkable" and Laika's "crowning achievement."