Laika will premiere its new film Wildwood on 23 October 2026. The production team spent five years completing the project.
More than 1,000 artists contributed to the movie, including a team of 49 animators who brought the puppets to life. The process required over 230 puppets, with 36 specific puppets created for the main character, Prue.
Engineers equipped the puppets with advanced musculature on limbs, diaphragms, and robust, flexible materials for hair, fur, and clothing. Travis Knight stated, "In so many ways generative AI is antithetical to everything that we are at this studio."
Knight argued that technology doing the work of an artist lacks humanity, calling the regurgitation of ingested material theft. The studio head believes stories about loss and grief must come from people because computers have never experienced love, heartbreak, or the loss of a brother.
While acknowledging AI as extraordinary technology that could be disruptive to society, Knight noted its potential benefits in medicine and science. He concluded that the technology requires people to be good stewards to ensure positive outcomes.
