The stars of animated Oscar favourite Wildwood have told RTÉ Entertainment that the stop-motion wonder “works on many different levels” but “100% of it is just for everyone”.
Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay have seen the just-released fantasy hailed as a landmark in animated filmmaking as studio LAIKA (Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls) and director Travis Knight champion stop-motion animation with their finest two hours to date.
Wildwood tells the story of bolshy teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee – Andi Mack, Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.) and her bumbling pal Curtis (Jacob Tremblay – Room, Wonder) as they desperately search for Prue’s baby brother – taken by a murder of crows and brought deep into the no-go lands that surround their Portland home.
Wildwood carries the on-screen exhortation to “Enjoy handmade art before it’s gone for good”
It mixes action and humour with themes of loss and belonging as Prue realises everyone needs some help from time to time while Curtis discovers he is stronger than he thinks.
When asked by RTÉ Entertainment if there is more in Wildwood for adults than children or whether it is 50:50, Tremblay replied: “I think 100% of it is just for everyone, to be honest. I don’t think it’s this or that.
“I think there’s a lot of mature themes to the film. So, this is the first film [from LAIKA] with a PG-13 rating, so that means a lot. But I think this definitely is a film a lot of people can enjoy.”
“There’s a lot that’s fun, there’s a lot that’s scary, there’s a lot that’s exciting, there’s a lot that’s sad”
“The story works on many different levels that I think different people of different ages can relate to,” continued co-star Lee.
“The animation medium is so special because I think it allows you to connect with young people and tell stories that have darker thematic elements while it still feeling exciting and magical and fun.
“So, I think it was really exciting to be a part of Wildwood because it combines these more mature, darker themes and more fun, lighter elements in this really beautiful way that I think mirrors the experience of growing up in a lot of ways, right? There’s a lot that’s fun, there’s a lot that’s scary, there’s a lot that’s exciting, there’s a lot that’s sad.
“The animation medium is so special because I think it allows you to connect with young people and tell stories that have darker thematic elements while it still feeling exciting and magical and fun”
“And so, weaving those threads together to create this movie was really cool to be a part of and also to watch the group of people put [it] together.”
Like the audience, the two young stars say they are in awe at just how much has gone into bringing the world of Wildwood to life.
“There’s a lot I don’t even understand about the making of a film like this!” said Lee.
“Every character, every tree, every building” were handcrafted for Wildwood
“Jacob and I have been talking this whole press junket about how we’re actively learning about the process as we’re sitting next to the filmmakers talking about how they made this film.
“I think really just the fact that everything was made by hand: that every character, every tree, every building was handcrafted by these artists is just really special to remember as you’re watching the film.”
“I think for me what a lot of people won’t realise is really just the scale of the sets,” said Tremblay.
“The whole studio was just filled with these giant sets that take up whole rooms”
“When I visited the studio for the first time, I was blown away because I didn’t realise how huge all the different set pieces were – just for the background of these little puppets.
“That really blew me away; how the whole studio was just filled with these giant sets that take up whole rooms. It’s incredible.”
Wildwood is in cinemas now.