Strong Second Weekend Keeps 'Wildwood' in the Spotlight
Laika's stop-motion fantasy adventure Wildwood continues to defy modest expectations at the domestic box office, grossing an estimated $9 million in its second weekend and bringing its 10-day total to $27.4 million, according to distributor Fathom Entertainment. The film, directed by Laika president and CEO Travis Knight, held remarkably well, slipping just 27% from its opening frame—a better hold than several of the studio's previous releases.
The film's performance was bolstered by a strong Sunday showing, where ticket sales climbed 38% from Saturday to become the weekend's biggest day, surpassing Fathom's initial estimates. Wildwood also expanded its theater count by 150 screens, bringing its total to 3,103 locations.
Opening in third place on October 23 with approximately $12.3 million, Wildwood has now surpassed the entire domestic run of Laika's previous film, 2019's Missing Link, which finished with $16.6 million. Globally, the film has reached nearly $36 million as it rolls out across international markets.
Audience reception has been exceptionally positive. PostTrak results show that 96% of viewers rated the film excellent or very good, while 87% would definitely recommend it. Nearly one-third of polled moviegoers cited positive word of mouth as their reason for buying a ticket over the weekend.
A Halloween Weekend Surprise
The film's second-weekend success came at the expense of DC Studios' Clayface, which had topped the daily box office charts for five non-consecutive days since its October 23 release. On November 1, Wildwood grossed $3.8 million to take second place, nudging Clayface ($3.4 million) to third. The superhero film had a steeper 57% second-week decline and suffered a 20% day-over-day drop after Halloween.
A24's documentary You Can See Everything also remained a strong performer, trading the top spot with Clayface throughout the week.
The $100 Million Question: Budget vs. Box Office
Despite the encouraging hold, Wildwood remains far from profitability. Laika has not disclosed the film's official budget, but it has been widely reported at approximately $100 million—more than Illumination spent on Minions & Monsters ($85 million) or DreamWorks' Forgotten Island ($80 million).
For a studio known for meticulously crafted stop-motion animation, such budgets are not unusual, but they raise questions about commercial viability in a market dominated by billion-dollar CGI sequels like Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Laika's domestic grosses have steadily declined since Coraline earned $75 million in 2009, with ParaNorman ($56 million), The Boxtrolls ($50 million), and Kubo and the Two Strings ($48 million) showing a downward trend.
However, Laika operates with a unique financial cushion. The studio is backed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his son Travis Knight, who serves as Laika's CEO. This billionaire backing allows the studio to spend freely on its artistic ambitions without the immediate pressure of box office returns. As Fortune noted, the Knights' backing makes Laika "the anti-Skydance"—a studio that prioritizes creative vision over commercial calculation.
Distributor Shake-Up Proves Effective
One key factor in Wildwood's performance is Laika's decision to partner with Fathom Entertainment instead of a traditional distributor. Fathom, known primarily for event cinema and re-releases, gave Laika unprecedented control over marketing and release strategy. The result has been a more targeted campaign that emphasized the film's critical acclaim and unique visual style.
"Wildwood represents a landmark achievement for Fathom Entertainment," said CEO Jason Brenek. "With an all-time high Fathom theatrical footprint and box office results tracking to meet or exceed the monumental success of our 2024 re-release of Laika's Coraline for its 15th anniversary, Wildwood is demonstrating theatrical staying power."
Awards Season Could Change the Narrative
With overwhelmingly positive reviews—the film holds a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than this year's other well-received releases like Resident Evil and You Can See Everything—Wildwood is positioning itself as a major awards contender. Laika has never won an Oscar despite multiple nominations, and the studio is hoping Wildwood finally breaks that streak.
The film's strong audience scores and critical praise could sustain its theatrical run well into November and December, potentially lifting its domestic gross toward the $50-60 million range. While that still wouldn't recoup the $100 million budget, it would represent a meaningful rebound for Laika and reinforce the studio's reputation as a purveyor of high-quality animated fare.
As awards season heats up, Wildwood's box office performance will be closely watched—not just for its commercial implications, but for what it signals about the viability of stop-motion animation in an increasingly CGI-dominated marketplace. For now, Laika can celebrate a rare box office hold and the enthusiastic embrace of audiences who are discovering the film one screening at a time.
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