At the centre of Wicker is a lonely fisherwoman, played by Olivia Colman, who has become accustomed to being ridiculed by the people in her village. Tired of being treated as an outsider, she visits a local basketweaver, played by Peter Dinklage, and asks him to make her a husband.
The result is the Wicker Husband, played by Alexander Skarsgård: a living, breathing creation made from woven willow, who arrives with an unexpected talent for making his wife feel loved. He repairs their home, helps with everyday chores, dances with her, listens to her and makes her happiness his priority.
Naturally, the village is not impressed. The women become fascinated by him, while the men begin questioning why a husband made from branches appears to understand marriage better than they do.
The story takes an increasingly complicated turn as jealousy, suspicion and gossip threaten the couple’s happiness. What begins as an unusual romance develops into a darker fable about community, prejudice and the consequences of measuring other people’s relationships against our own.
The Wicker Husband (2026) Film: Is This What Boyfriend Material Looks Like? Share on XWho Stars in Wicker?
The film brings together a particularly interesting cast:
- Olivia Colman plays the Fisherwoman, a woman whose loneliness and difficult experiences make her cautious about love.
- Alexander Skarsgård plays the Wicker Husband, whose gentle personality contrasts with the villagers’ expectations of masculinity.
- Peter Dinklage plays the Basket Weaver, the mysterious craftsman responsible for creating the unusual husband.
- Elizabeth Debicki plays the Tailor’s Wife, one of the characters whose jealousy contributes to the conflict.
- Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan, Richard E. Grant and Gustav Lindh appear among the supporting cast.
Colman brings emotional depth to a character who has spent much of her life being judged, while Skarsgård takes on a role that requires more than looking convincing beneath an elaborate woven costume. The character has to communicate warmth, innocence and affection through physical performance.
The Wicker Husband (2026) Film: Is This What Boyfriend Material Looks Like? Share on XIs the Wicker Husband Actually Perfect Boyfriend Material?
Peter Dinklage is the Basket Weaver
Here is where the film becomes rather entertaining. The Wicker Husband is not impressive because he has a perfect body, expensive clothes, or an interesting job title. He is impressive because he consistently treats his partner with consideration.
He helps around the house without requiring a standing ovation. He takes an interest in his wife’s happiness. He does not appear threatened by her independence, nor does he treat domestic responsibilities as a personal attack on his masculinity.
There is a particularly amusing contrast between him and the ordinary husbands in the village. Some are dismissive, controlling or simply uninterested in making their wives happy. When the Wicker Husband explains that his wife’s happiness makes him happy, the men struggle to understand the concept.
One might imagine the local husbands returning home after that conversation and suddenly discovering that the roof needs fixing.
Of course, real relationships are more complicated than a fairy tale. Nobody expects a partner to spend every waking moment anticipating our needs, and healthy relationships involve shared responsibility rather than one person performing all the emotional labour.
But the film makes a worthwhile point: kindness should not be treated as an extraordinary romantic achievement.
A man does not become less masculine because he cooks dinner, repairs something at home, listens properly or supports his partner’s ambitions. If anything, the ability to participate in a relationship without treating basic consideration as a favour is a rather attractive quality.
The Wicker Husband (2026) Film: Is This What Boyfriend Material Looks Like? Share on XWhat Wicker Says About Love, Jealousy and Society
The film’s most interesting conflict is not necessarily between the Fisherwoman and her husband. It is between the couple and a community that cannot comfortably accept their happiness.
The Wicker Husband exposes the weaknesses of the relationships around him. His behaviour creates an uncomfortable comparison, particularly for men who have become accustomed to being admired without necessarily being considerate partners.
Meanwhile, some of the women are attracted not simply to his appearance, but to the attention and respect he gives his wife. His existence becomes a reminder of what their own marriages might be missing.
This is where the story moves beyond its unusual romantic premise. It examines how social expectations can influence relationships, how gossip can damage trust and how people sometimes respond to another person’s happiness with resentment rather than curiosity.
The Fisherwoman’s relationship also faces a serious test when suspicion enters the marriage. Her experience demonstrates that even a seemingly devoted partnership requires trust and honest communication.
For viewers, the message is relevant beyond the medieval village: another couple’s happiness should not become an invitation to question the value of your own relationship.
The Wicker Husband (2026) Film: Is This What Boyfriend Material Looks Like? Share on XWho Created Wicker?
Wicker was written and directed by married filmmaking partners Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, who adapted the film from Ursula Wills’ short story The Wicker Husband.
The filmmakers have spoken about examining their own relationship while developing the story. In an interview with Variety, the cast discussed the film’s unusual combination of humour, sexuality and emotional vulnerability. Olivia Colman described the balance between comedy and heartbreak as central to the filmmakers’ approach.
The production also involved Wētā Workshop, whose practical creature design helped bring the Wicker Husband to life. This was not simply a case of placing a few branches around an actor and hoping the lighting department would do the rest. The character required an intricate physical design that allowed Skarsgård’s performance to remain expressive.
The film premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on 24 January and opened in US cinemas on 23 October 2026. Its UK release is scheduled for 30 October 2026.
The Wicker Husband (2026) Film: Is This What Boyfriend Material Looks Like? Share on X
If you enjoy unusual romantic comedies, dark fairy tales and films that are prepared to be a little strange, Wicker deserves a place on your watchlist.
It is not a conventional love story, and it does not try to be one. The film mixes folk horror, adult humour, fantasy and social commentary, creating something that is difficult to place neatly into a single genre.
Its central relationship is both ridiculous and surprisingly tender. That contrast is its greatest strength: the premise invites laughter, but the emotional story gives audiences something more substantial to consider.
There is also an interesting question beneath all the jokes: why does a man have to be made from willow before a village starts appreciating what a considerate husband looks like?
Perhaps the wicker is not the problem. Perhaps the standards were simply too low.
Quick Takeaways
- Wicker is a 2026 romantic fantasy comedy with elements of folk horror.
- Olivia Colman plays a lonely fisherwoman who commissions a husband.
- Alexander Skarsgård plays the husband, a living creation made from wicker.
- Peter Dinklage plays the Basket Weaver responsible for his creation.
- The story explores kindness, jealousy, gender expectations and trust.
- Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson wrote and directed the film.
- The film is adapted from Ursula Wills’ short story The Wicker Husband.
Would you date the Wicker Husband? More importantly, what qualities do you think make someone genuinely good boyfriend or husband material? Share your thoughts with SFI.COZA and send this story to someone who might need a gentle reminder that putting the toilet seat down is not an act of heroism.
The Wicker Husband (2026) Film: Is This What Boyfriend Material Looks Like? Share on XReferences and authoritative sources
These sources provide the factual foundation for the film’s synopsis, cast, production and release information, as well as the interpretation of its themes.
- Black Bear Pictures — Official Wicker film page. Official synopsis, cast and distributor information.
- The Guardian — Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård discuss Wicker. Interview published 30 October 2026.
- Variety — Wicker cast interview. Discussion of the film’s comedy, emotional themes and performances.
- RogerEbert.com — Interview with the filmmakers. Creative process, practical effects and character development.
- British Council — Wicker film database. Production details, cast, genre and Sundance premiere.
Editorial note: This feature is based on the film’s published synopsis, production information, reviews and interviews. It is an editorial interpretation of the film’s themes, not a firsthand screening report.
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