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Tag: LAIKA

  • Laika’s Latest ‘Wildwood’ Footage Is a Technical Marvel

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    Since last year, Laika’s been keeping its latest movie Wildwood under wraps and only letting out tiny scraps of information. With ParaNorman briefly back in theaters this weekend, the stop-motion studio snuck in some more footage from the film, which it promises will be “their most ambitious cinematic journey yet.”

    After an intro building up Laika’s history up to this point, the video shows off concept art from the film depicting its majestic aerial views of Portland and renders of the General, an eagle with “unshakeable grace” voiced by Angela Bassett. As the narrator explains, creating the General required models “inspired by nature” to create her movements, followed by 9,000 individual feathers going onto a pair of special puppets—one puppet for flight scenes, and the other for “intricate performance controls.”

    Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee) and based on Colin Meloy’s 2011 kids fantasy novel, the film focuses on Portland kid Prue McKeel as she and her classmate Curtis explore a magical forest looking for her missing baby brother Mac, and enlist the General’s help to find him. The voice cast also includes Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, and Amandla Stenberg.

    Animation is what Laika movies are known for, and in that sense, Wildwood looks like another winning. Watching the animators and artists bring the General to life from render to puppeting her around sure is something, and you really believe it when the narration talks about “pouring creativity in every joint, feather, and frame.” The studio is clearly proud of what it’s made in the General—particularly when she takes to the skies—and its own technical skill, since the video talks up the “artistry, innovation, and heart” that went into production. We’ll see what it all adds up to when the film releases in 2026.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Justin Carter

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  • ‘Coraline’ Set For Halloween Re-Release After Banking $53 Million During August Theatrical Return

    ‘Coraline’ Set For Halloween Re-Release After Banking $53 Million During August Theatrical Return

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    For fans who missed Coraline‘s summertime return, fear not: Animation company Laika Studios will be re-releasing the beloved stop-motion pic beginning on Halloween.

    The news comes following a huge global box office return for Laika, who is now partnering with Fathom in the U.S. and Trafalgar Releasing internationally, with more than $53 million grossed during the dark fantasy movie’s re-release in August for its 15th anniversary. The 2009 film will be offered in newly remastered 3D as well as 2D formats.

    During the screening, viewers will also get a glimpse at Laika’s upcoming Wildwood. Beginning Oct. 31, the film will be available in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, Canada, Austria and Ecuador, with more territories to come. France and Italy will also see a re-release for the film’s anniversary in November.  

    “Everyone at LAIKA is elated by the global success of the Coraline re-release and we’re delighted to offer one more chance to see it this year during Halloween festivities,” said Laika’s chief marketing and operations officer, David Burke. “In addition to becoming Fathom’s highest-grossing release in the US, Coraline set box office records in multiple international territories, including the UK and Mexico, through our partnership with Trafalgar Releasing. We are humbled by the millions of fans around the world who came out to experience Coraline in dazzling remastered 3D on the big screen this summer, making the 15th anniversary a cultural phenomenon.”

    Per Laika, the re-release from August is the highest-grossing in the U.S. in the past decade. It also marked the highest lifetime U.S. gross box office of all time for a stop-motion animated feature, beating The Nightmare Before Christmas and Chicken Run.

    Tickets for the re-release go on sale in the U.S. starting today.

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    Natalie Oganesyan

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  • ‘Masters of the Universe’ Movie Eyes Travis Knight as Director

    ‘Masters of the Universe’ Movie Eyes Travis Knight as Director

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    Travis Knight just may have the power.

    The LAIKA CEO and part-time filmmaker is in early talks to direct the long-in-the-works live-action adaptation of Masters of the Universe for Amazon MGM Studios, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

    Knight isn’t coming alone. Chris Butler, a longtime Knight and LAIKA collaborator who wrote and co-directed ParaNorman and wrote Kubo and the Two Strings, among other projects, has been brought on to rewrite the script. Over the years the project had drafts from David Callaham and Aaron and Adam Nee.

    Escape Artists’ Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal, who have been with the projects for decades, are producing along with Mattel’s Robbie Brenner.

    Amazon MGM had no comment.

    Hollywood has long been trying to get the toy line centered on Prince Adam, the young man who becomes the muscular He-Man once he gets the Power Sword in his hands and says the words, “By the power of Grayskull…,” on the big-screen for decades. In recent times, the project moved from Sony to Netflix to Amazon MGM, which still may not have a closed deal for the rights but is clearly close to getting them. The sword-and-sorcery property remains expensive but highly desirable, and Amazon is said to like it as something that brings in fathers, from the generation that grew up on the cartoons and original toys, and their kids.

    Knight runs LAIKA, the fabled Oregon-based stop-motion animation company. However, he has also made forays into directing live-action, making his debut with Bumblebee, a Transformers spin-off that surprised Hollywood observers and critics for being more coherent and more character-focused than the main Transformers movies. Knight has been in the mix for other features, including The Six Million Dollar Man, but none of those projects have come to fruition.

    Knight is repped by CAA. Butler is repped by UTA and attorney Rob Szymanski.

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    Borys Kit

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