The Wildwood box office opening has given Laika, the stop-motion studio behind Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, one of its strongest starts in years. According to Deadline reporting cited by Comic Basics and other outlets on October 24, 2026, the fantasy film is heading for an estimated $11 million to $14 million opening weekend in North America, a result that would place it third among new and returning releases.

Wildwood opened in theaters on October 23, 2026, alongside Clayface, Klara and the Sun, Wicker and Ali G: Who Iz I? According to early estimates reported on October 24, the film grossed about $4.2 million to $4.3 million on Friday, including about $1 million from Thursday previews, from about 2,942 theaters. Those figures are estimates, and final actuals will arrive later.

Wildwood Box Office: Opening Weekend Estimates

According to the reports, Wildwood is projected to finish its opening weekend in third place, behind Clayface, which is estimated at about $24 million to $25 million, and A24’s You Can See Everything, which is estimated at about $20 million in its second weekend. The estimates reported on October 24 should be treated as projections rather than confirmed totals, as studios and exhibitors typically revise weekend figures once Sunday business is counted and final actuals are released.

The opening-day performance is notable for a stop-motion feature, a format that has historically opened more modestly than computer-animated family films. According to the reporting, premium large formats delivered about 15 percent of the weekend business, while the West was the strongest region, accounting for about 32 percent of ticket sales compared with a norm of about 26 percent. The top individual location was AMC Burbank, with about $29,000 reported.

Audience response appears to have been unusually warm. According to reports, audiences gave Wildwood an “A” CinemaScore, tying Kubo and the Two Strings for Laika’s best-ever grade on that audience survey. That grade measures opening-night audience reaction rather than critical opinion, but it is often watched as an early indicator of word of mouth.

Wildwood Box Office in Context: Laika’s Track Record

The estimated opening puts Wildwood in familiar territory for Laika, but at the stronger end of the studio’s recent history. According to Luiz Fernando and Deadline reporting cited in the October 24 coverage, earlier Laika opening-day figures included Coraline at $4.5 million, ParaNorman at $4.6 million, The Boxtrolls at $4.9 million, Kubo and the Two Strings at $4.1 million, and Missing Link at $1.6 million. Those comparisons are for opening days, not full weekends, and they reflect different release patterns and market conditions.

Pre-release tracking had suggested a softer start. According to the reports, Boxoffice Pro had ranged the opening at $6 million to $10 million, while Box Office Theory had projected $4.5 million to $9.5 million. An estimated $11 million to $14 million weekend would therefore come in above the top end of some forecasts, though the final actuals could still shift the result.

The film’s critical reception has also been a talking point. According to the October 24 reports, Wildwood holds a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, based on 110 reviews with an average rating of 8.7 out of 10, alongside an audience score of about 98 percent. Its Metacritic score was reported at 85 to 87, described as indicating “universal acclaim.” Those scores were reported as of October 24 and may change as more reviews are added.

What Wildwood Is About

Wildwood is directed by Travis Knight, with a screenplay by Chris Butler, and is adapted from Colin Meloy’s novel, with illustrations by Carson Ellis. The story follows teenager Prue McKeel, voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, who ventures into an enchanted forest outside Portland to rescue her kidnapped baby brother.

The voice cast also includes Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett and Awkwafina, according to the film’s reported credits. The film is distributed domestically by Fathom Entertainment.

A Long Road to the Screen

According to the production background cited in the October 24 coverage, Wildwood involved 16 years of development, hundreds of puppets and 136 physical locations built for the stop-motion production. Knight was quoted via Empire as saying: “Wildwood is the biggest world Laika has ever built, and the most personal,” and describing the film as “a celebration of artistry over algorithms.” Those quotes are attributed to Knight via Empire as reported in the coverage.

The film had its world premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 11, and according to reports it won the Grand People’s Choice Award for Best Feature at Sitges on October 18. Festival reception is not a box-office guarantee, but for a specialty animated title it can help build awareness ahead of a wide release.

Why the Opening Matters for Stop-Motion

Stop-motion animation remains one of the most labour-intensive forms of filmmaking, with animators moving puppets frame by frame. Commercially, it has often struggled to match the opening weekends of major computer-animated releases, even when critics have praised the work. An estimated $11 million to $14 million opening, combined with an “A” CinemaScore and a 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score as reported on October 24, therefore gives Wildwood a stronger-than-expected platform.

Whether that platform turns into a long run will depend on the coming weeks. Family audiences, school-holiday timing, competition from other releases and word of mouth all affect how a film holds after its opening weekend. For now, the reported estimates point to a solid start rather than a breakout, and the final actuals will confirm where the film ultimately lands.

Related reading: Clayface’s opening weekend win.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Wildwood make on its opening weekend?

According to estimates reported on October 24, 2026, Wildwood is projected to earn an estimated $11 million to $14 million in its opening weekend in North America. Those are estimates, not final actuals, which will be confirmed later.

What is Wildwood’s Rotten Tomatoes score?

According to reports on October 24, Wildwood holds a 100 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 110 reviews, with an average of 8.7 out of 10, and an audience score of about 98 percent. Its Metacritic score was reported at 85 to 87.

Who directed Wildwood and who stars in it?

Wildwood was directed by Travis Knight, with a screenplay by Chris Butler, adapted from Colin Meloy’s novel. Peyton Elizabeth Lee voices Prue McKeel, and the cast also includes Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett and Awkwafina.

Where did Wildwood premiere?

According to reports, Wildwood had its world premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 11, and won the Grand People’s Choice Award for Best Feature at Sitges on October 18.

For the full opening-day breakdown, see Comic Basics’ report on Wildwood’s $4.3 million opening day.