Arts & CultureSunday, November 8
LAIKA's 'Wildwood' rebuilds Portland landmarks as stop-motion sets
The PDXtoday team
If you love spotting Portland on screen, Wildwood is made for you. LAIKA's stop-motion film has earned about $32 million at the domestic box office as of Friday, and the studio spent 16 years developing it.
$32 milliondomestic box office as of Friday
Wildwood opened in theaters on Oct. 23, 2026.
Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting
It's adapted from the fantasy novel by Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, illustrated by Carson Ellis. In the book, Prue McKeel's baby brother is taken by crows into the Impassable Wilderness, a green splotch on every map of Portland.
The film's art department rebuilt real Portland spots as sets
| Portland spot | In the film |
|---|---|
| Powell's City of Books | Recreated as a set, marquee sign included |
| St. Johns Bridge | Recreated as a large-scale set |
| Voodoo Doughnuts | Recreated as a large-scale set |
| Benson Bubblers | Replicated down to the details |
Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting
Director Travis Knight, who's from Portland, says Prue feels like "an honest portrayal of a Portland kid."
- Runtime: 2 hours and 12 minutes, the longest stop-motion film ever released
- Biggest sets: some reach 15 feet high
- Pace: animators create roughly 3 seconds of footage a week
Sources: Oregon Public Broadcasting, Travel Portland, NPR