Laika director Travis Knight says generative AI is antithetical to studio's craft
Wildwood, Laika’s most ambitious stop‑motion film, required five years of work, more than 230 puppets—including 36 for the lead character Prue—animated by a team of 49 animators. Over 1,000 artists contributed in some capacity, and the production introduced new technical tricks such as breathing diaphragms, advanced limb musculature, and more flexible materials for clothing, hair and fur.
Key points
- Wildwood took five years, used over 230 puppets, 49 animators, and more than 1,000 artists.
- Director and CEO Travis Knight says generative AI is antithetical to Laika’s handcrafted filmmaking.
- The film adds new puppet tech: breathing diaphragms, advanced musculature, and flexible materials for fur and hair.
In an interview ahead of the film’s premiere on October 23rd, Laika CEO and director Travis Knight warned that generative AI runs counter to the studio’s handmade approach. He distinguishes ordinary tools—pencils, paintbrushes, computers—from AI that “does the work of the artist,” calling the latter “theft” because it lacks humanity, soul, and personal experience.
Knight acknowledged AI’s potential in fields like medicine and science but cautioned that its misuse could be “devastating.” He hopes the technology will be stewarded responsibly, while emphasizing that storytelling about loss and grief must remain a human endeavor.
Wildwood’s director says AI is ‘antithetical to everything that we are at this studio’
The Verge AI · 22 October 2026
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