Wicker (2026)

The first look at Wicker has already set the internet buzzing, thanks to a poster that mimics a modern romantasy novel cover. Featuring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård, the artwork frames the film as a glossy romance‑meets‑fairy‑tale, promising the kind of escapist magic that fans of Sarah J. Maas and Fourth Wing novels crave. At its heart, the story follows a lonely fisherwoman who commissions a basket‑weaver—played by Peter Dinklage—to craft her a husband out of wicker. With a sprinkle of enchantment, the wooden spouse springs to life, devoting himself entirely to her, and quickly throws the entire village into a frenzy as no one can comprehend his single‑minded devotion. Based on Ursula Wills’s short story “The Wicker Husband,” the film lands in theaters on October 23, 2026. While it may lack the franchise clout of a Dune sequel, its clever marketing targets the growing “romantasy” crowd—readers who adore fantastical love stories with unconventional heroes. For anyone who’s ever dreamed of a love that’s literally handcrafted, Wicker offers a whimsical, under‑dog adventure worth a ticket.

Black Bear’s newest release, *Wicker*, rides the wave of off‑beat romances that pair women with non‑human lovers—think frogs, cars and now a handcrafted basket‑husband. Touted as the most mainstream entry in this growing sub‑genre, the film earned a one‑night‑only 4DX screening, promising audiences a tactile, immersive experience of its uncanny love tale. Set in a loosely medieval world before the rise of capitalism, the story follows a self‑sufficient but ostracized fisherwoman. Bullied for her singleness, she begs the town’s basket‑weaver to fashion a husband. He obliges, shaping a six‑foot, chiseled man out of willow and reeds—an object that can labor, yet lacks any social conditioning. When the wicker spouse finally lumbers into the church a month later, he declares his vows, while the ceremony itself ends with the groom locking his new wife into a metal collar, turning marriage into literal imprisonment. Beyond its surreal romance, *Wicker* uses its pre‑modern setting to probe contemporary gender anxieties. The film portrays gender as a strict binary, yet the crafted husband’s inability to grasp patriarchy highlights the absurdity of prescribed roles. By juxtaposing medieval artisanship with today’s “peak heteropessimism,” the narrative asks what it means to feel like a “real person” in an age of alienation and consumerist hierarchies. Critics note that the movie’s quirky premise—women falling for objects—offers levity amid the bleakness of modern love, while also exposing the lingering “disenchantment of the world” Max Weber warned about. Whether you’re drawn by the novelty of a willow husband or the film’s deeper commentary on love, labor, and liberation, *Wicker* promises a thought‑provoking, oddly intimate cinematic experience.

In the whimsical new romantic fantasy"Wicker," Olivia Colman plays an ostracized fisherwoman desperate for companionship. She turns to the village’s humble basketmaker, portrayed by Peter Dinklage, and asks him to craft a husband out of wicker. The result is a strikingly lifelike creation brought to life by Alexander Skarsgård, whose uncanny presence quickly becomes the talk of the town. What starts as a charming solution spirals into a tale of jealousy and upheaval. As the woven man integrates into daily life, old resentments surface and the quiet rhythm of the village is thrown into chaos. The film explores how an artificial ideal can unsettle genuine human connections, all wrapped in a comedic, slightly eerie tone. Directed with a light‑hearted touch,"Wicker" balances its fantastical premise with grounded performances from its star‑studded cast. At 104 minutes, the movie offers a compact yet richly textured look at desire, identity, and the unexpected consequences of playing god with love.

In the off‑beat adaptation of Ursula Wills’s short story, award‑winning duo Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård star as a medieval fisherwoman and her custom‑ordered husband made entirely of wicker. The film, titled “Wicker,” leans into its absurd premise with a blend of bawdy humor and sharp satire, turning a lark‑filled revenge plot into a commentary on toxic masculinity and the institution of marriage. Both actors, known for their comedic timing, revel in the story’s subversive edge, with Skarsgård noting that the protagonist is a woman “who isn’t 23” yet still gets to be “steamy, sexy and fun.” The movie’s most sensual moments skip traditional nudity altogether, a deliberate choice by the cast to keep the intimacy “in our imaginations.” Instead of explicit bedroom scenes, the film stages a slow‑burning dance at a public gathering, where Colman’s fisherwoman and Skarsgård’s wicker‑suit‑clad suitor sway obliviously to the bewildered townsfolk. The full‑body wicker costume, designed by András Dániel Tóth and Attila Godena‑Juhász, doubles as a visual gag and a practical aid for the simulated coitus, while the elaborate metal collars worn by the female characters echo anatomical motifs, underscoring the film’s playful yet pointed design work. Beyond the laughs, “Wicker” tackles deeper social currents. Colman’s character is the only woman in the village who earns her own living and controls her evenings, a stark contrast to the town’s queen‑bee, played by Elizabeth Debicki, whose identity shifts with each marriage. The narrative uses this disparity to skew the traditional fable formula, exposing the absurdity of patriarchal expectations and the way hierarchy can be upended by a single act of defiance. As Skarsgård likens the wicker husband to a “Pygmalion” figure, he stresses that the film delivers its critique without feeling like a lecture, letting humor and imagination do the heavy lifting.

Black Bear Pictures’ surprise hit Wicker is getting a massive theatrical push. After debuting in just 1,471 North American screens, the film will roll out to 2,300 theaters for its second weekend – an addition of 829 venues – and its 4DX showings are also being expanded, marking the biggest U.S. rollout for a Black Bear release to date. Made on a modest $10 million budget, Wicker opened with nearly $6 million and is now projected to pull in about $25 million domestically. The buzz isn’t limited to the U.S.; the movie lands in the U.K. on Oct. 30 and heads to Australia on Nov. 5, with word‑of‑mouth and rave reviews driving its momentum. Critics have embraced the oddball romance of a fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) who commissions a wicker husband (Alexander Skarsgård) after a basketmaker’s craft comes to life, a premise inspired by Ursula Wills‑Jones’ short story. Backed by a stellar ensemble that includes Peter Dinklage and Elizabeth Debicki, the film holds a 94% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 92% audience score, prompting early chatter about awards‑season potential and cementing its status as a burgeoning fantasy cult classic.

When the romantic‑fantasy film Wicker wrapped, the cast gathered at Olivia Colman’s home for a proper British Sunday roast, courtesy of the Oscar‑winner and her husband, producer Ed Sinclair. The low‑key feast turned into a lazy, game‑filled afternoon that deepened the camaraderie among the ensemble – from Alexander Skarsgård and Elizabeth Debicki to Peter Dinklage – and set the tone for a close‑knit “village” vibe that lingered on set. That sense of community followed the team to Sundance, where the entire village of cast members flew themselves out, lodged together in an Airbnb, and proudly presented the film at its premiere. Colman, who also produced, described the experience as one she “enjoyed every moment of,” recalling the cozy circles of cast members in coats chatting between scenes. Skarsgård, who plays the titular Wicker Husband, admits he’ll never forget the first time he slipped into the full costume. The elaborate mask threatened to look like a horror prop, and he was nervous that the tone could be misread. Yet the moment he stepped out of the trailer and saw Colman’s delighted gasp, the anxiety melted away, and the intricate prosthetic proved to move flawlessly with his performance, cementing a memorable milestone for the film’s production.