Wildwood’s $100 million budget is the biggest question mark in its path to theatrical survival. The stop-motion epic, directed by Travis Knight and released via Fathom Entertainment, opens October 23 — not against a superhero tentpole, but a DC horror film with a stronger opening forecast. Box Office Theory projects a domestic debut between $5–10 million. That’s not a failure. It’s a warning sign. With a PG-13 rating and a runtime over two hours, Wildwood already walks a tightrope few animated films attempt. It’s not made for kids. Not even close. And that means it’s not built for mass turnout either. 

The numbers don’t lie: Laika’s last major release, Missing Link, opened at $5.9 million and grossed $26.5 million worldwide. Even Migration, which started weak and turned into a surprise hit. Had a better launch. But October isn’t December. There’s no snowfall to cushion a slow burn. No holiday momentum. Just one weekend. 

And yet, the critics are singing. Rotten Tomatoes gives Wildwood a perfect 100% score. Unblemished. A rare thing in an age of fractured reviews. The film is described as a “sweeping, darkly magical adventure” about a girl named Prue who ventures into a sentient forest to save her brother. Warring factions. Mythic creatures. A world that feels like Coraline’s older, more haunted cousin. 

Fathom Entertainment has history with this kind of gamble. They re-released Coraline in 2024 and pulled in $52 million globally, turning a cult classic into a modern event. But that was a nostalgia play. This? This is a new story. A new risk. One where the studio’s own track record doesn’t guarantee anything. 

So what happens next? If Wildwood can’t crack $15 million domestically in its first five days, the financial math gets ugly fast. Profitability hinges on overseas legs, word-of-mouth, or a viral moment. None of which are guaranteed. And while fans of Laika’s work will likely show up, they’re not enough to carry a $100 million movie. 

The real test isn’t whether the film is good. It’s whether audiences still want to pay to see something this ambitious, this slow, this strange. The answer might come in three weeks. Or it might never come at all.