LAIKA Stop-Motion Epic Wildwood Lands PG-13 Rating
- Stop-motion animation studio LAIKA has secured a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association for its upcoming feature Wildwood, according to industry reporting from World of Reel and...
- According to reporting from World of Reel and Dark Horizons, the MPA granted the PG-13 rating citing strong fantasy violence and bloody images, thematic material, suicide-related material, brief...
- Directed by Travis Knight—who previously helmed Kubo and the Two Strings and the Transformers film Bumblebee—Wildwood clocks in at a 140-minute runtime, tying the record for the longest...
Stop-motion animation studio LAIKA has secured a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association for its upcoming feature Wildwood, according to industry reporting from World of Reel and Dark Horizons. The rating marks a distinct departure from the studio’s traditionally family-oriented output, applying to the company’s sixth feature film due in cinemas on October 23, 2026.
MPA Rating Details and Audience Restrictions
According to reporting from World of Reel and Dark Horizons, the MPA granted the PG-13 rating citing strong fantasy violence and bloody images, thematic material, suicide-related material, brief partial nudity, and language. This classification represents a first for the Portland-based studio behind Coraline and ParaNorman. Industry analysis highlighted by World of Reel indicates that the rating could limit the film’s reach among younger children and place a commercial ceiling on box office returns by signaling that Wildwood is not a conventional family movie.
Production Scale and Record-Setting Runtime
Directed by Travis Knight—who previously helmed Kubo and the Two Strings and the Transformers film Bumblebee—Wildwood clocks in at a 140-minute runtime, tying the record for the longest English-language animated film as reported by World of Reel. The expansive handcrafted adventure features hundreds of sets and nearly 250 practical puppets. The production team also includes screenwriter Chris Butler, known for ParaNorman and Missing Link, adapting the novel of the same name by Colin Meloy.
Plot and Voice Cast
The story follows teenager Prue McKeel as she enters the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest hidden on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon, after her baby brother Mac is kidnapped by a murder of crows and a mysterious woman named Alexandra. The voice cast features Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amanda Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant, according to distribution announcements cited by Dark Horizons.
