‘Wildwood’ Director Travis Knight on Film‘s 16-Year Journey

Key Points:

• Travis Knight, director and studio chief of Laika, has completed the stop-motion animated film Wildwood after 231 weeks of production, marking the studio's most expensive and ambitious project to date, with a theatrical release set for October 23.
• Wildwood, adapted from Colin Meloy’s fantasy novel, features intricate handcrafted animation including 233 puppets and 132 miniature sets, showcasing Laika’s commitment to detailed, artisanal filmmaking in contrast to mainstream CGI animation.
• Knight, son of Nike founder Phil Knight, transitioned from a brief music career to animation, eventually leading Laika after his father helped salvage the bankrupt Will Vinton Studios; he emphasizes preserving stop-motion as a unique art form amid industry pressures and technological changes.
• Alongside Wildwood, Knight directed the live-action film Masters of the Universe, which underperformed at the box office but found success on streaming platforms, illustrating the evolving landscape of film distribution and Knight’s dual roles as an artist and executive.
• Knight remains opposed to AI in filmmaking and advocates for the value of slow, meticulous craftsmanship, aiming to maintain Laika’s identity as a studio dedicated to handmade animation despite the challenges of competing with larger studios and changing audience habits.