WILDWOOD Scores a Perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Setting a New Record for LAIKA Studios
LAIKA Studios might have something truly special on its hands with Wildwood. The upcoming stop-motion fantasy adventure has earned a perfect 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated movie in the studio’s history.
That’s a pretty awesome achievement for the animation studio that gave us Coraline, and it looks like Wildwood could be its next stop-motion masterpiece.
The perfect Rotten Tomatoes score comes from 88 critic reviews, so we're not talking about a handful of early reactions.
Audiences are loving it too, with the film currently holding a 98% audience score based on more than 100 reviews from people who have already had the chance to see it.
Those are some seriously impressive numbers, especially for a movie that doesn't officially arrive in theaters until October 23.
LAIKA has spent 16 years bringing Wildwood to life, pouring millions of dollars and an enormous amount of painstaking work into its stop-motion animation.
Anyone familiar with the studio knows how much craftsmanship goes into these productions, but this film appears to take that artistry to an entirely different level.
The story follows a young girl who ventures into a mysterious wilderness to rescue her baby brother. What begins as a personal rescue mission grows into a massive fantasy adventure filled with strange creatures, dangerous encounters, and some surprisingly intense action.
The film draws inspiration from The Lord of the Rings, and that influence is apparent in both its ambitious storytelling and spectacular visuals. There's even a massive battle sequence that pushes the possibilities of stop-motion animation in ways audiences haven't really seen before.
That's part of what makes Wildwood so exciting. Stop-motion animation is incredibly demanding, particularly when it comes to creating large-scale action sequences. Yet LAIKA has apparently managed to deliver something that feels as grand and cinematic as a live-action fantasy epic.
The movie also isn't afraid to get a little scary. While it doesn't necessarily reach the unsettling heights of Coraline, it features some creepy moments that should appeal to fans of LAIKA's darker storytelling.
Another interesting detail is the film's 2-hour-and-12-minute runtime, which is unusually long for a stop-motion animated feature. However, early reactions suggest the length is justified by the story's complexity, emotional weight, and increasingly exciting developments.
Rather than dragging, the adventure reportedly becomes more engaging as it progresses, giving its characters and fantasy world room to grow while building toward some impressive moments.
The big question now is whether all this critical praise will translate into box office success. LAIKA has invested an extraordinary amount of time and money into Wildwood, and the studio is undoubtedly hoping audiences show up when it opens on October 23.
A perfect Rotten Tomatoes score doesn't guarantee a box office hit, but a 100% critics rating paired with a 98% audience score is a great way to head into opening weekend.
LAIKA has already established itself as one of the most creative animation studios working today, and Wildwood could end up being its most impressive achievement yet.
If the early reviews are anything to go by, we might be looking at one of the best animated movies of the year.