The American Film Institute said Wednesday that it has selected Laika‘s latest stop-motion animated feature, Wildwood, as the opening-night film of AFI Fest, whose 40th edition launches in October.
The October 21 screening will mark the U.S. premiere of the pic, which will world premiere October 11 at the London Film Festival. It will open in theaters October 23 via Fathom Entertainment.
Travis Knight directs the pic penned by Chris Butler based on the Colin Meloy novel. The plot centers headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), who after her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows launches with her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay) a rescue mission into the Impassable Wilderness — an enchanted forest hidden just beyond Portland, OR.
It voice cast also includes Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits and Richard E. Grant.
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Knight said it took 16 years to bring Wildwood into the the world. It is the sixth feature-length pic from his Oregon-based Laika, which has seen each of its previous five movies — Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings and Missing Link — nominated for the Animated Feature Oscar.
“AFI is honored to celebrate Wildwood as the Opening Night Film of the 40th annual AFI Fest,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “At a time when the world needs artistic inspiration more than ever, Wildwood comes to the rescue by inviting audiences to a hand-crafted, endlessly imaginative world that both dazzles and delights.”
AFI Fest, which this year runs October 21-25 at the TCL Chinese Theatres, usually lines up several buzzy award-season pics for its run. It will reveal this year’s full lineup September 29.
