Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård’s ‘Wicker’ earns 93% on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of release

Peter Dinklage plays basket maker who creates unusual husband for ostracised fisherwoman in fantasy romance

Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård’s upcoming fantasy romance Wicker has received an encouraging response from film critics, earning a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes from 43 reviews as of October 20, 2026.

Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, the R rated film adapts Ursula Wills’ short story The Wicker Husband. Its unusual premise centres on an ostracised fisherwoman, played by Colman, who asks her village’s basket maker, portrayed by Peter Dinklage, to create a husband from wicker.

Skarsgård plays the resulting creation, whose relationship with the fisherwoman brings unexpected happiness before jealousy among the villagers threatens their life together. The supporting cast includes Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan and Richard E Grant.

The early reviews suggest that the film’s distinctive premise and performances have impressed many critics, although its mixture of romance, dark fantasy and bawdy humour has not worked for everyone.

Richard Lawson of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film’s personality and humane outlook, while Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com highlighted the filmmakers’ ability to make its fantastical events feel emotionally convincing.

Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post also responded positively, praising Colman’s uninhibited performance and the shift towards more serious emotions as the story develops.

Ryan Lattanzio of IndieWire acknowledged concerns about extending a short story into a feature but ultimately gave the film a positive assessment, pointing to the cast’s distinctive performances.

However, the response has not been unanimous. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph criticised aspects of the film, while Benjamin Lee of The Guardian questioned its tonal consistency, particularly its combination of bawdy comedy, dark fantasy and romance.

The 93% score reflects the reviews available at the time and could change as further critics assess the film. Rotten Tomatoes’ critics’ consensus had not yet been published.

Wicker is scheduled to hold preview screenings on Thursday, October 22, ahead of its nationwide US theatrical release on Friday, October 23, 2026.