Fathom CEO Details Strategy Behind 'Wildwood's' 3,000-Screen Debut

Key points

• Fathom Entertainment released 'Wildwood' in 3,103 U.S. and Canadian theaters, its largest wide release in 20 years.
• The film grossed $9 million in its second domestic weekend, a 27% drop from its opening, with a 10-day total of $27.4 million.
• 96% of moviegoers rated the film excellent or very good, indicating strong word-of-mouth support.
• Fathom is owned by Regal, Cinemark, and AMC, allowing it to secure wide releases for partners like Laika.
• Jason Brenek, appointed CEO in July 2026, emphasized the value of human-driven creativity against AI trends.
• The distributor credits 'The Amazing Digital Circus' for proving that online content can translate to significant box office success.

Background

Laika’s 'Wildwood' opened in third place domestically with $12.2 million, exceeding cautious industry estimates and matching the opening of 'Kubo and the Two Strings'. The film, which has a reported $100 million budget, has already surpassed the global run of Laika’s previous feature, 'Missing Link'. Earlier coverage noted that Laika and Fathom sued to halt 'Wildwood' screenings at the Bruin Theatre in Los Angeles due to operator concerns, though the film’s wide release proceeded as planned. The studio’s financial stability is supported by Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who has backed Laika since 1998.

How outlets are covering it

Cartoon Brew focuses on Fathom CEO Jason Brenek’s strategic rationale for the wide release, highlighting the partnership with Laika and the appeal of human-crafted animation to Gen Z and millennials. Fortune emphasizes the financial context, noting that despite strong box office performance, 'Wildwood' is unlikely to be profitable given its $100 million budget and Laika’s historical domestic gross declines. Fortune also contrasts Laika’s independent, family-backed model with the corporate consolidation seen in Skydance. The Intermountain provides a human-interest perspective, profiling Glen Smakula, a local technician who spent three years building armatures for the film, underscoring the labor-intensive nature of stop-motion animation.

Why it matters

The success of 'Wildwood' demonstrates that audiences are willing to support high-budget, hand-crafted animation in theaters, even in a market dominated by AI and franchise sequels. Fathom’s strategy of leveraging its ownership by major cinema chains to secure wide releases for niche but high-quality content offers a viable model for independent distributors. The film’s strong audience polling and second-weekend hold suggest that theatrical demand for 'human-driven' art is resilient, potentially influencing future distribution strategies for animation and other artisanal media.

What to watch

Fathom Entertainment plans to continue seeking content from online creators, similar to 'The Amazing Digital Circus', to identify new theatrical audiences. The company is also expanding its 'eventization of content' strategy, including special Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes footage, and merchandise tie-ins to enhance the theatrical experience. Brenek indicated that Fathom is actively engaging with Japanese animation producers to reduce release delays for anime titles in the U.S. market. Laika is also developing a live-action division and its first series, 'Exit Party', alongside upcoming animated features like 'Piranesi' and 'The Night Gardener'.