Movie Substrate · Film

Wendell & Wild (2022)

★ 6.6 · 380 ratings on TMDB

It's time to face your demons.

Wendell & Wild poster★ 6.6

Two scheming demons strike a deal with a punk rock-loving teen so they can leave the Underworld and live out their dreams in the Land of the Living.

DirectorHenry Selick
CastAngela Bassett, Gabrielle Dennis, Gary Gatewood, Igal Naor, James Hong, Jordan Peele
GenresAdventure, Animation, Comedy, Fantasy
The emergence reading

In Wendell & Wild, consciousness is carried by monsters and creatures — a plane of “demon-underworld”. The story fights on E8/E11 of the E0–E14 reality ladder, compressing exploitation, grief, power, religion, memory.

↷ monsters and creaturesUSexploitationgriefpowerreligionmemory
⇄ Parameter shift — the dial this world turnsrigor: loose
E6mortalitymortality set to reversible via a temporary resurrection cream (technology · local)
Also inFilms about griefFilms about memoryConsciousness hiding in monstersFilms that alter a rule of reality
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Same rung, same subject

Films fighting at the same level of reality, about the same things.

Dracula Untold (2014)E8 · power, religionDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020)E8 · grief, powerClash of the Titans (2010)E8 · power, religionAnnabelle: Creation (2017)E8 · grief, religionCloud Atlas (2012)E8 · exploitation, memoryUltraviolet (2006)E11 · exploitation, power

Same subject, different rung

The same preoccupations examined at another scale — one mind versus a nation.

Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)E7/E9 · rare rung · exploitation, powerKing Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)E6/E12 · rare rung · exploitation, powerThe Dark Crystal (1982)E9/E10/E13 · rare rung · power, religionBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)E9/E12 · rare rung · grief, powerAsterix: The Mansions of the Gods (2014)E9/E12 · rare rung · exploitation, powerLife of Brian (1979)E9/E10 · power, religion

Also bends a rule of reality

Other films that change a standing rule of their world — ranked first by those bending it at the same rung.

Hi-Five (2025)alters at E6 · same rung · looseBlade Runner 2049 (2017)alters at E6 · same rung · rigorousThe Darkest Minds (2018)alters at E6 · same rung · looseVampires (1998)alters at E6 · same rung · looseHIM (2025)alters at E6 · same rung · looseChildren Who Chase Lost Voices (2011)alters at E6 · same rung · loose

Also hides consciousness here

Other films that move a human interior onto the same kind of thing.

Van Helsing (2004)consciousness in monsters · gothic monster huntRepossessed (1990)consciousness in monsters · televangelist exorcism spectacleThe Empty Man (2020)consciousness in monsters · tulpa horrorGodzilla vs. Kong (2021)consciousness in monsters · titan arenaMinions (2015)consciousness in monsters · minion questThe Babadook (2014)consciousness in monsters · grief monster

Same subject, different mask

The same preoccupations carried by a different kind of thing — grief told through the dead, an animal, a machine.

We Have a Ghost (2023)consciousness in the dead · exploitation, griefTransformers: Age of Extinction (2014)consciousness in machines · exploitation, powerVenom (2018)consciousness in aliens · exploitation, powerVice (2015)consciousness in machines · exploitation, memoryHOUBA! On the Trail of the Marsupilami (2012)consciousness in animals · exploitation, powerRatchet & Clank (2016)consciousness in animals · exploitation, power

Same people

Shared director or cast.

Coraline (2009)dir. Henry SelickThe Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)dir. Henry SelickJames and the Giant Peach (1996)dir. Henry SelickToy Story 4 (2019)Jordan PeeleKeanu (2016)Jordan PeeleStorks (2016)Jordan Peele