Laika’s ‘Wildwood’ Holds Early Lead in Animated Oscar Race
Gold Derby’s current Best Animated Feature rankings place Laika’s Wildwood in first. The stop-motion film, the studio’s first in seven years, has only a small margin over its competitors.
Gold Derby’s forecast currently puts Laika’s Wildwood at the front of the Best Animated Feature field, though its advantage is slim. The film is a stop-motion fantasy and marks the studio’s return to feature filmmaking after seven years.
The article notes that Wildwood took more than six years to complete and will reach theaters through Fathom Entertainment. Its wide visual scale has led admirers to hope for strong box-office results.
If Wildwood’s early awards lead holds, it could raise attention for stop-motion animation and Laika’s distinctive production model, potentially benefiting animators, specialty theaters, and fans of handcrafted film. A strong box-office showing may encourage studios to support similarly ambitious animated projects, though the narrow margin suggests the race remains unsettled. Audiences seeking alternatives to computer-generated family films could gain more visible options, while awards watchers may see the animated category as more competitive.