Wicker (2026): Cast, Plot and Reception
Wicker is a 2026 romantic fantasy comedy about a lonely fisherwoman who gets fed up with her neighbours and commissions a husband made of woven willow. It is written and directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård lead the cast. Despite the title, it has nothing to do with the folk horror classic The Wicker Man.
Quick facts
- Directors and writers: Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson
- Based on: the short story "The Wicker Husband" by Ursula Wills-Jones
- Genre: romantic fantasy, comedy-drama
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Rating: R in the United States
- Distributor: Black Bear Pictures in North America
What the film is about
The story unfolds in a small seaside village, where nearly everyone is known by their trade or marital status rather than a name. The Fisherwoman, played by Colman, lives on the edge of the community. She is unmarried, smells of her work and is teased for both.
Tired of the sneering, she goes to the village Basket Weaver and asks him to make her a husband out of wicker. The result is a gentle, attentive and very physical partner. His arrival changes the Fisherwoman's life, and it unsettles everyone around her.
A fable with a bawdy streak
The film plays like a fairy tale for adults. Her happiness makes the villagers look hard at their own marriages. Questions about pleasure, respect and who gets to decide what a good partner looks like drive much of the comedy. Reviewers have also pointed to the frank, salty humour that gives the fable its edge.
Cast and characters
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Olivia Colman | The Fisherwoman |
| Alexander Skarsgård | The Wicker Husband |
| Peter Dinklage | The Basket Weaver |
| Elizabeth Debicki | The Tailor's Wife |
| Nabhaan Rizwan | The Tailor |
| Marli Siu | A village wife |
| Richard E. Grant | The village doctor |
| Phil Daniels | The Butcher |
The wider ensemble includes Kiell Smith-Bynoe as the innkeeper and Gustav Lindh as the young Bottlewasher. Ella Bruccoleri and Ben Ashenden also appear. Colman is credited as a producer as well as the lead.
How the film was made
Fischer and Wilson wrote the screenplay together, adapting Wills-Jones's short story. Wicker is their second feature, following the apocalyptic parenthood comedy Save Yourself!. The Wicker Husband himself is a physical creation. Critics have singled out the creature effects as a highlight, and the handmade look gives the film a tactile, storybook quality.
Anna Meredith composed the score. The producers include David Michôd, Brad Zimmerman and Ed Sinclair, alongside Colman.
Release history
Wicker premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2026. In February, Black Bear Pictures, which also handled international sales, acquired North American distribution rights at the European Film Market.
It reached US cinemas on 23 October 2026, with a UK release following on 30 October and Australia on 5 November. The film also closed the 59th Sitges Film Festival on 18 October 2026.
Critical reception
Reviews have been strongly positive. At the time of writing, Rotten Tomatoes lists a 94% critics' score from 163 reviews, with audiences close behind at 92%. The site's critics consensus calls it a charming fable that balances the naughty and the nice, and it praises Colman's performance in particular.
Roger Ebert's site gave it three stars out of four. It admired how the film gets its charm from showing the villagers' dissatisfaction rather than relying on its odd premise alone. Deadline called it a delight and picked out Dinklage as the slightly duplicitous Basket Weaver. It also noted that Grant is underused as the doctor.
That last point is the most common reservation. With so many villagers, some of the supporting roles are thinly sketched, and a few good actors have little room to shine.
Who it suits
Wicker is best for viewers who like their fantasy earthy and funny, and who do not mind adult humour. If you enjoyed a fairy tale with a knowing wink, such as The Princess Bride, or the strange charm of a Guillermo del Toro romance, it should appeal. Anyone expecting horror will be disappointed.
The bottom line
Wicker is a small, handmade fable with a big-hearted lead performance and an unusual central idea. Critics have largely embraced it, and its short running time keeps the joke from wearing thin. It is worth seeing for Colman and Skarsgård's chemistry alone.