Sundance 2026: Wicker Man Alexander Skarsgard in Terrific ‘Wicker’
by Alex Billington January 31, 2026
It is a story of a person made from wicker. And the disruption he inadvertently causes when he seems to be probably the most charming gentleman within the village. Yearly the enduring Sundance Movie Pageant there’s a few extraordinarily weird, particularly peculiar, modern cinematic creations which are nearly too bizarre to work. Final 12 months there was a really not-so-good, extraordinarily bizarre movie about cabbage (and it being banned) referred to as Bubble & Squeak. The additional kooky Sundance 2026 movie that everybody is speaking about is named Wicker – and it is a good one. It is the second function movie from gifted filmmakers Alex Huston Fischer & Eleanor Wilson, the identical duo that made their function directorial debut with the peculiar sci-fi comedy Save Yourselves! at Sundance 2020. This time they’ve given us a fable about marriage and jealousy and gossip and intimacy in a medieval city. It is particularly watchable, laugh-out-loud humorous at instances, and spectacular in lots of distinctive methods. These type of bizarre tales can work nicely once they’re dealt with by among the smartest filmmakers.
Wicker is each written and directed by the duo Alex Huston Fischer & Eleanor Wilson as their second function movie. It is tailored from a brief story titled “The Wicker Husband” by Ursula Wills-Jones. A “magical story of affection, redemption and revenge.” The movie is about in a legendary medieval village. Olivia Colman stars because the “Fisherwoman”, a fish vendor who stinks and all of the townspeople make enjoyable of on a regular basis. Someday she asks the native basket weaver, performed completely by Peter Dinklage, to weave her a wicker husband as a result of she’s lonely and nobody needs to marry her. His creation is delivered in a single month. At her doorstep seems Alexander Skarsgård because the Wicker Husband. There is a hilarious joke at one level about how he isn’t “f&*kable furnishings!” He is an actual man with emotions and needs, too. However he is made to like the Fisherwoman. And love her he does, oh my goodness. At first his look appears odd, however as a substitute it is really about how this healthful, caring man seems to be the envy of all the opposite (married) girls on the town. He is good. They usually do not like that, in fact, as a result of their husbands are assholes. And this causes fairly a stir. We watch the village slowly disintegrate and descend into insanity as they turn into jealous of the Wicker Husband.
Following within the footsteps of different nice relationship movies like I am Your Man & Ruby Sparks (and even Her as nicely), Wicker is one other tremendous artistic, well intelligent fable about “making” your good associate and the way this causes chaos. Essentially the most spectacular a part of the movie is the Wicker Man himself – Skarsgård’s efficiency and his make-up is astonishing. Critically award-winning work – it deserves accolades (why they’re retaining the reveal hidden till you watch the movie). It is exceptionally real looking, nearly too plausible, with a lot of jaw-dropping photographs. His eyes come by means of however the remainder of him really seems like he is actually created from wicker (the identical reed materials used to make baskets). And his efficiency is modest, charming, and so heat & pleasant that I am certain many individuals will stroll out of this wishing they might carry the Wicker Man dwelling, too. However that is the entire level, in fact! I admire how a lot his presences messes everybody else. It finally ends up being a fairly considerate movie about how jealousy & infighting amongst neighbors is the true rotten a part of society – her making the Wicker Husband is actually not the issue. And it is gratifying from begin to end, wacky however entertaining & amusing in the best methods. A kooky Sundance 2026 gem price looking for out.
Alex’s Sundance 2026 Score: 8 out of 10Comply with Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing
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