The Best Fantasy Movie of the Year Officially Adds 504 More Theaters
Laika’s stop-motion fantasy film *Wildwood* has expanded its cinema release after earning more than $20 million in its first week. The strong start suggests favourable reviews and word-of-mouth are helping the film find an audience despite an unconventional release strategy.
Directed by Laika chief Travis Knight, *Wildwood* was released through Fathom Events rather than a traditional distributor. Its theatre count rose from 2,596 in the first week to 3,100 in the second, an increase of 504; the film reportedly cost $100 million to make and has a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score.
In short
- *Wildwood* earned over $20 million in its first week.
- It added 504 theatres for its second week.
- The film has a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Expanding the release after a strong opening gives more viewers the chance to see an unusual stop-motion film on the big screen, and suggests that audience interest may extend beyond its initial run. A release through Fathom Events can also offer a distinctive route to market for a film that might otherwise struggle to secure a wide traditional distribution.
The case against
A $20 million first week is a promising start, but it remains modest against a reported $100 million production cost, so adding screens does not by itself show that the film will recoup its investment. The 99% Rotten Tomatoes score and early word of mouth may not translate into sustained ticket sales, and a limited events-based release could make it harder to reach audiences at the scale the budget requires.
Explained simply
Laika is an American animation studio known for stop-motion films, which are made by photographing physical models one frame at a time. Travis Knight, the studio’s chief, directed Wildwood, a fantasy film adapted from a novel by Colin Meloy.
Fathom Events specialises in bringing films and other screenings to cinemas for limited runs, rather than handling a conventional wide release through a major distributor. That approach can shape how many cinemas show a film and for how long; a reported production cost of $100 million also makes its box-office performance a point of interest.