(Image credit: Laika)

At a time when human-created art seems to be under constant attack, I find it extremely heartening that 2026 has been a great year for stop-motion animation, an art form that involves an extraordinary amount of human labor and creativity. As much as I enjoyed Aardman’s “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom” last month, Laika’s new stop-motion epic “Wildwood” is easily the best animated movie of the year, and one of my favorite 2026 movies of any type. It’s a towering achievement of craft and artistry, and it’s also a deeply moving story with memorable characters and intricate world-building.

Tom's Guide Verdict: “Wildwood”

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Verdict: Fantasy epic “Wildwood” is the best movie yet from stop-motion animation studio Laika.…