Today is the official release date for the stop-motion feature Wildwood. The film is based on the 2011 fantasy novel which was written by The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis. This was Meloy’s first book and also the beginning of the Wildwood Chronicles series, which included two other installments.
Travis Knight directed the film, which features the voices of Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Jake Johnson, Tom Waits and Charlie Day.
Meloy and his band The Decemberists have contributed the closing song to the film. “The Better Part of Bravery” is the first new music from the group since The Decemberists' 2024 album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again.
Meloy comments, “Wildwood has been part of my life for many years, and seeing the story transformed like this has been an extraordinary experience. “Writing the song for the end credits gave me a chance to return to the world of Wildwood in a different way. There’s something particularly meaningful about having music accompany the audience as they leave the forest and the story comes to a close.”
The band has just released a video for “The Better Part of Bravery,” which appears below. Wildwood has received an abundance of positive reviews and tickets are available here.
