From Frankenstein to Poor Things, cinema has long explored the lives of unusual beings searching for love, acceptance, and a place in the world. Now, Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård are bringing a new and unexpected romance to the screen in Wicker, a film that challenges traditional ideas about relationships, marriage, and what it truly means to find the perfect partner. Arriving on 23 October, the film tells the extraordinary story of a woman who falls in love with a man made entirely of wicker.

Over the years, audiences have embraced some of cinema’s most unconventional love stories. In Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things, Emma Stone plays Bella Baxter, a woman brought back to life through an unusual scientific experiment who begins discovering the world, love, and her own sexuality. Edward Scissorhands explores the romance between an unusual man and a girl from the suburbs, while The Shape of Water presents a relationship between a woman and a mysterious aquatic creature. Meanwhile, Her demonstrates how emotional connections can develop between humans and artificial intelligence. With Wicker, Colman and Skarsgård take this tradition in an entirely new direction.

What Is Wicker About?

Set in a small, conservative seaside village where strict social conventions govern everyday life, Wicker follows a fisherwoman played by Olivia Colman. She lives alone and has little interest in traditional marriage, making her an easy target for the villagers’ ridicule. Her occupation provides them with another reason to mock her, as she constantly smells of fish.

After another unpleasant encounter with her neighbours, she decides to take control of her own future. She approaches the local basket weaver, played by Peter Dinklage, with an extraordinary request: she wants him to create a husband for her.

A month later, her unusual wish becomes reality. She meets a tall, handsome, and remarkably attentive man, played by Alexander Skarsgård, whose entire body is made of wicker. Unexpectedly, this unconventional husband proves more considerate than many of the men in the village. He listens to his wife, respects her wishes, and devotes himself to their life together. Before long, their relationship develops into a passionate romance.

Their happiness, however, provokes jealousy and resentment among the villagers. The situation becomes particularly revealing when the local women begin questioning their own marriages. The cast also features Elizabeth Debicki as the local tailor’s wife, alongside Richard E. Grant, Marli Siu, and Nabhaan Rizwan.

A Love Story Inspired by Ursula Wills-Jones

Based on Ursula Wills-Jones’s short story The Wicker Husband, the film is written and directed by Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer. The married filmmaking duo previously worked together on the 2020 science-fiction comedy Save Yourselves!, but their latest project explores a very different subject.

At its heart, Wicker is a story about self-acceptance and the freedom to define one’s own happiness. Wilson has explained that the protagonist’s unusual husband helps her confront her insecurities and reconsider the expectations she has absorbed from society. Because he rarely speaks and never imposes his opinions on her, their relationship creates space for her to discover what she truly wants.

At the film’s Sundance premiere, Elizabeth Debicki also highlighted the screenplay’s exploration of patriarchy. She explained that the story follows a woman gradually discovering her right to determine the direction of her own life. Although the film unfolds in a world resembling a medieval fairy tale, its humour challenges conventional ideas about marriage, female independence, and relationships shaped by social expectations.

Following its Sundance premiere, Wicker received praise for its original premise, distinctive visual identity, and performances, further increasing anticipation for its release.

Alexander Skarsgård’s Remarkable Transformation

Known for complex characters such as Eric Northman in True Blood, Perry Wright in Big Little Lies, and Lukas Matsson in Succession, Alexander Skarsgård takes on a very different challenge in Wicker. His character is remarkably kind and seemingly free of negative qualities. The actor has admitted that portraying such a character was one of the role’s greatest challenges, even more demanding than the physical transformation itself.

That transformation required 18 months of preparation and was entrusted to New Zealand’s renowned Wētā Workshop, the studio known for its work on The Lord of the Rings franchise. The costume combined 3D printing, prosthetics, and traditional craftsmanship to create 50 interconnected pieces. Thirteen pieces were dedicated to the face, allowing Skarsgård to maintain his expressiveness despite the unusual material. His daily preparation for filming took less than two hours.

The Unexpected Detail Capturing Everyone’s Attention

Since its first trailer was released in late July, Wicker has generated considerable excitement. The unexpected chemistry between Colman and Skarsgård, together with the film’s unusual portrayal of a passionate relationship between a woman and her wicker husband, has inspired countless memes and online comments.

Skarsgård has also embraced the film’s distinctive aesthetic during its promotional tour. At a screening in New York, he appeared wearing a white T-shirt printed with the words “Lick My Worm,” a line from the film. Designed by artist Flora Miles and styled by Harry Lambert, the T-shirt added another memorable detail to the film’s unconventional promotional campaign.

Beyond its unusual premise and striking visual transformation, Wicker invites audiences to reconsider what makes a relationship fulfilling. By questioning traditional expectations of marriage and love, the film asks an important question: are our ideas about the ideal partner truly our own, or have they been shaped by the society around us?

With Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård at the centre of this unconventional romance, Wicker promises a humorous and thought-provoking exploration of love, independence, and the courage to choose a different path.