The American Film Institute’s 2026 AFI Fest will open with the United States premiere of Laika Studios’ “Wildwood” on Wednesday, Oct. 21. This will be the 40th edition of AFI Fest, which is held yearly in Hollywood. Tickets are on sale now. This year’s festival is presented by Canva.
“Wildwood” is the highly anticipated new film from the Portland, Oregon-based animation studio behind modern classics “Coraline,” “ParaNorman” and “Kubo and the Two Strings.” It is their first feature since 2019’s “Missing Link” and a labor of love for the entire studio. Based on the book series by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, “Wildwood” follows a young girl named Prue (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee), whose young brother is taken by a flock of ravens, forcing her to travel into a strange and magical realm.
The film was written by Chris Butler, was shot by legendary cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (AFI Class of 1969) and produced and directed by Travis Knight, Laika’s CEO and lead animator. Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Tom Waits, Jake Johnson and Amandla Stenberg also star.
“AFI is honored to celebrate ‘Wildwood’ as the Opening Night Film of the 40th Annual AFI FEST,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO, in a Wednesday statement. “At a time when the world needs artistic inspiration more than ever, ‘Wildwood’ comes to the rescue by inviting audiences to a hand-crafted, endlessly imaginative world that both dazzles and delights.”
“Sixteen years is a long time to carry a story with you. And yet, sometimes that’s what stories ask of the people who tell them. ‘Wildwood’ was built slowly, painstakingly, by hundreds of extraordinary artists and craftspeople who gave something of themselves to this movie. For so long, this strange and beautiful world belonged only to those of us fortunate enough to wander through it together. To finally emerge blinking into the daylight at AFI FEST is a profound honor,” Knight added. “AFI has a long tradition of championing ambitious and distinctive filmmaking, and the filmmakers with the audacity, imagination and occasional poor judgment to attempt something genuinely different and sincere. We’re grateful to be among them. For sixteen years, we’ve been finding our way through Wildwood. What a privilege it is to finally welcome others inside.”
“Wildwood” will be released nationwide on Friday, Oct. 23, via Fathom.
Facts Only
* The 40th AFI Fest opens Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, in Hollywood.
* "Wildwood" is the opening night film.
* Laika Studios is the production studio based in Portland, Oregon.
* The film is based on a book series by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis.
* The protagonist is a girl named Prue, voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee.
* Travis Knight served as director, producer, and lead animator.
* Chris Butler wrote the film.
* Caleb Deschanel served as cinematographer.
* Voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Tom Waits, Jake Johnson, and Amandla Stenberg.
* Nationwide release is Friday, Oct. 23, via Fathom.
* Canva is the presenter of the festival.
Executive Summary
Laika Studios will premiere its new animated feature, "Wildwood," as the opening night film for the 40th annual AFI Fest on October 21, 2026, in Hollywood. Based on the book series by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, the film follows a girl named Prue who enters a magical realm to rescue her brother. The project marks Laika's first feature film since 2019's "Missing Link" and represents a sixteen-year developmental effort by the Portland-based studio.
Directed and produced by CEO Travis Knight, the film features a high-profile voice cast including Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, and Mahershala Ali, with cinematography by Caleb Deschanel. The production is characterized by its hand-crafted animation style. Following the festival premiere, "Wildwood" is scheduled for a nationwide release via Fathom on October 23. The event is presented by Canva.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative is that of a dedicated artistic endeavor—a "labor of love" that prioritized craftsmanship and patience over the rapid release cycles typical of modern animation. It frames the film not merely as a product, but as a sixteen-year journey of artistic persistence.
This is promotional material functioning as a press release. It relies heavily on the "passion project" archetype, using evocative language ("emerge blinking into the daylight," "audacity," "painstakingly") to build emotional value before the audience has seen the work. However, this emotive framing is standard for arts announcing and not intended to bypass reasoning for a deceptive end, but rather to establish brand prestige.
Patterns detected: none
The driving paradigm here is the celebration of "the auteur" and the handcrafted. In an era of generative AI and rapid digital iteration, the emphasis on "hand-crafted" and "painstaking" work is a strategic positioning. It elevates the film from entertainment to an artifact of human effort, appealing to a desire for authenticity and tangible skill.
The implication is that high-art animation requires extreme time horizons and significant capital, which creates a high barrier to entry. While this benefits the prestige of the studio and the dignity of the craftspeople, it reinforces a model where "ambitious" filmmaking is tied to specific, well-funded institutions.
Bridge Questions:
How does the sixteen-year production cycle impact the creative relevance of the story today versus when it was conceived?
In what ways does the "hand-crafted" branding differentiate this film's market value compared to purely digital animation?
Counterstrike Scan: A coordinated campaign to inflate the film's perceived value would use "prestige laundering," linking the project to legendary figures (Deschanel) and high-status institutions (AFI) to shield it from critical scrutiny. The current content follows a standard promotional trajectory and does not match the structural pattern of a deceptive influence campaign.
Sentinel — Human
The text functions effectively as a press announcement, blending concrete film details with evocative commentary, strongly suggesting human authorship intended for public engagement.