Behind the Magic of Wildwood with Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis

Before the stop motion film arrived on the big screen, Wildwood began as a book created by the husband and wife team of Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. Meloy, known for his work with The Decemberists, and Ellis, a talented illustrator, spent years building this story about a girl entering a mysterious place filled with talking animals and warring factions.

Meloy says he wanted to write a book that respected young readers by using rich language and complex ideas. He drew inspiration from books he loved as a child that never talked down to their audience. Ellis matched this energy with her art, focusing on illustrations that keep readers engaged and help them picture the story on their own terms.

When it came time for LAIKA Studios to adapt their book into a movie, the pair chose to step back and let the animators do their work. They felt it was important to hand off the project and see how others interpreted their vision. Even with small changes, like a badger being swapped for a warthog, they were delighted by the care the studio put into the characters and world.

Fans can now see how these creative efforts came together in theaters. From the costumed coyotes to the heart of the story in characters like Curtis, the film stands as a tribute to the original vision of its creators.