LAIKA’s Wildwood Exhibit Is Open in Toronto Through September 19
Original puppets, production sets and behind-the-scenes displays bring LAIKA’s next stop-motion film to King West during TIFF 2026.
Toronto audiences can now see the physical characters and miniature environments behind Wildwood before the film reaches theatres. WILDWOOD: Inside the Performance opened September 10 at Portland Square Gallery and runs through September 19, 2026.
The King West installation focuses on the handoff between actors and animators: a recorded voice and physical performance become a puppet performance built one movement at a time. VVS Films and LAIKA have brought original production pieces to the gallery alongside material explaining that process.
Original Puppets and Sets Fill the Gallery
The exhibition gives visitors a closer look at puppets and sets made for Wildwood, rather than replicas created only for promotion. Behind-the-scenes displays trace how LAIKA’s artists translate voice work, facial expression and body language into the movements seen on screen.
That focus matters for stop motion. The performance does not come from a single recording session or a digital character rig. Animators shape gestures and expressions directly through the puppet, working with the actor’s recorded delivery while keeping the character consistent across a long production.
The installation is part of Toronto’s TIFF-week programming, but it is located at Portland Square Gallery at 600 King Street West. Public hours are listed as 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily through Saturday, September 19.
The TIFF Talk Adds the Artists Behind the Animation
A separate TIFF session carrying the same Inside the Performance name is scheduled for September 11 at the John W. H. Bassett Theatre. The official TIFF listing brings voice actor Jacob Tremblay together with LAIKA Head of Animation Brad Schiff and animators Rachelle Lambden and Tom Carey.
Moderator Simon Thompson will lead a discussion about the relationship between vocal performance and frame-by-frame character work. TIFF also lists never-before-seen footage from Wildwood as part of the session. This theatre event is separate from the ongoing gallery installation, so visitors should check the correct location before heading out.
Wildwood Sends Two Teenagers Into a Forbidden Forest
Wildwood adapts the novel by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis. The story follows teenager Prue McKeel after a flock of crows carries away her baby brother. She enters the Impassable Wilderness beyond Portland, Oregon, with classmate Curtis Mehlberg and becomes caught in a conflict among the forest’s factions.
Travis Knight directs the film. The voice cast includes Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits and Richard E. Grant.
VVS Films’ Wildwood page lists the Canadian theatrical opening for October 23, 2026. The Toronto exhibit offers an early look at the production without requiring visitors to know the book or the film’s full story.
Plan a Visit to the King West Exhibit
Exhibit: WILDWOOD: Inside the Performance
Location: Portland Square Gallery, 600 King Street West, Toronto
Dates: September 10 to 19, 2026
Public hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily
Admission: Free
TIFF 2026 runs September 10 to 20. Over Here Toronto’s guide to things to do in Toronto this September lists more film, arts and city events taking place around the same dates.
Visitors heading to the TIFF talk should use the official event listing for ticket and access information. The talk is at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s John W. H. Bassett Theatre, not Portland Square Gallery.
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