The Decemberists are heading back into the woods wth “The Better Part of Bravery,” their first new music in more than two years. The song was written for Wildwood, the upcoming stop motion fantasy from animation studio LAIKA based on frontman Colin Meloy’s best-selling novel. The track closes out the film, which arrives in theaters Oct. 23, and appears on the original motion picture soundtrack, out now via Decca Records.
The release marks a full circle moment for Meloy, whose Wildwood novel debuted in 2011 with illustrations by his wife, acclaimed artist Carson Ellis. The book launched the Wildwood Chronicles, a richly imagined fantasy rooted in the forests surrounding Portland, Or., and drew on the folklore, mythology and natural world fascination that have long informed the Decemberists’ music.
“Wildwood has been part of my life for many years, and seeing the story transformed like this has been an extraordinary experience,” Meloy says. “Writing the song for the end credits gave me a chance to return to the world of Wildwood in a different way. There’s something particularly meaningful about having music accompany the audience as they leave the forest and the story comes to a close.”
Directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings), Wildwood features a voice cast led by Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay, with additional contributions from Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits and Richard E. Grant. The film makes its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday (Oct. 11) before opening in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland on Oct. 23.
The Wildwood universe is also expanding on the page. W.W. Norton’s new Norton Waverly imprint will publish Heir to Magic, a new illustrated duology by Meloy and Ellis that reimagines Arthurian legend. The first installment, Mordred Rex, conjures a world in which Mordred has defeated Arthur, leaving a new, sorcery-trained hero to rise against him.
The couple will appear in person Nov. 7 at the Portland Book Festival for a conversation about Wildwood, the new LAIKA adaptation and the many developments surrounding the story 15 years after its original publication. Meloy has also teased the possibility of performing a couple of songs written for the film during the appearance.
