My journey with horror movies has been on the up and up in recent years. I loved Weapons last year, and Obsession was a standout on the 2026 movie schedule. However, this year, I realized one of the scariest films I’ve seen actually isn’t on the horror schedule. It’s the animated movie Wildwood. So, move over Backrooms (which was spooky), Resident Evil (which was surprisingly relatable) and Obsession (which really was scary), because this stop-motion film from Laika is nightmare-inducing in the best way.
For context, Wildwood is an incredibly impressive stop-motion book-to-screen adaptation of Colin Meloy’s novel. It follows Prue as she ventures into the woods to find her brother, who was taken by the Dowager Governess. While there, she must take on an army of coyotes and evil magic that threatens to steal her family and loved ones. It’s a dark and epic fairy tale of sorts, and it’s genuinely quite scary.
Spoilers for Wildwood are ahead! You can see the film in theaters now!
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Wildwood Feels As Creepy As Fairy Tales Really Can Be
Now, when I think of an animated magical tale, movies that you can stream with a Disney+ subscription come to mind. We’re talking whimsical stories about princesses and princes that always have a happy ending. Buried in the movies are dark themes and some spooky elements. However, on the surface, they are not scary.
Wildwood is not that. It’s as creepy as the source material that so many fairy tales are based on, and it does not try to hide that fact.
From a full-on war between the cyotoes and everyone else to a horrific scene involving the death of a (mechanical) child, Wildwood does not pull its punches when it comes to violence. I mean, during the battle, someone literally gets beheaded…and you see said head fly through the frame.
This movie doesn’t want to sugarcoat the journey Prue is on, hence the PG-13 rating, and it makes it clear that the stakes are life-threateningly high. Speaking to that point, director Travis Knight told CinemaBlend:
That did not surprise me. I knew because of the subject matter, the intensity of the movie, the places that we go in the film were probably going to get a PG-13 rating. And I made peace with that. I was cool with that because that was what the movie was asking us to be. That was what the story wanted us to be. You could have done a different version of it, but I think it would have dulled the experience. I think it would have detracted from the emotion and the entirety of the experience of going on this journey with these characters.
I totally agree with him. The violence and the dark themes of this film are more impactful because they are portrayed without dulling the sheer intensity of the situation. I truly bought into the notion that if the Dowager Governess got her way, the world would fall apart and become a very scary place.
A Big Part Of This Movie Has To Do With Child Sacrifice
Speaking of the Dowager Governess and her mission, it involves child sacrifice, and that is also notably dark and scary. The movie is literally centered around Prue’s little brother being taken away to this world so he can be sacrificed, and the Governess can access a kind of magic that will help her find her dead son.
This film dives into themes of grief, motherhood, infertility, and more in very emotional and empathetic, yet intense ways. The kidnapping and near-sacrifice of Prue’s little brother is the primary way that happens, and while I hoped this movie would have a happy ending, I was very scared the little guy wouldn’t make it.
Overall, Wildwood is scary. It’s deep and dark, and if I had seen this as a kid, I would have had trouble sleeping at night. However, I think all this is what makes this film so impactful and moving.
