Laika’s stop-motion fantasy *Wildwood* opened above expectations with $12.3 million and has maintained strong momentum heading into its second weekend, where current tracking points to a $7–8 million hold. Universal critical acclaim at 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, an A CinemaScore, and positive word-of-mouth have fueled steady per-theater averages and justified the addition of roughly 150–160 screens, keeping the film competitive in a market led by holdovers and holiday releases. Traders see the 7m-9m outcome as the clear consensus because these factors align with Laika’s historical leggy patterns and recent second-weekend estimates. An upset below $7 million would require a sharper drop than modeled, potentially from softer holiday family turnout or faster erosion against wider competition.