Wild Inside
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPenny Lane
Produced by
  • Gabriel Sedgwick
  • Nickolas Hasse
CinematographyNaiti Gamez
Edited byHannah Buck
Music byCarolina Eyck
Production
companies
Distributed bySandbox Films
Release dates
  • July 29, 2026 (2026-07-29) (Rooftop Films)
  • July 31, 2026 (2026-07-31) (United States)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$256,246[1]

Wild Inside is a 2026 American documentary film directed by Penny Lane. It follows Flaco, a male Eurasian eagle-owl who escapes Central Park Zoo in 2023, gaining fame for his adventures.

The film was released by Sandbox Films and had its world premiere at Rooftop Films on July 29, 2026, followed by its debut in theaters on July 31 at Manhattan's IFC Center.

Premise

Flaco, a male Eurasian eagle-owl who escapes Central Park Zoo in 2023, gaining fame for his adventures.

Production

In March 2025, it was announced Penny Lane would direct a documentary revolving around Flaco with HBO Documentary Films set to produce and distribute alongside Sandbox Films.[2] Footage of Flaco included in the film was crowd-sourced from birdwatchers.[3]

Release

It had its world premiere at Rooftop Films in Central Park on July 29, 2026.[4][5] In May 2026, Sandbox Films was announced to theatrically distribute the film setting a July 31, 2026, release.[6]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 27 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.1/10.[7] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 89 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[8]

Christopher Reed of Hammer to Nail praised the film, writing: "But Lane, as in all her films, refuses the straightforward path. She asks much more of her audience than just one reaction, to the great benefit of her movie and to the enduring honor of Flaco."[9]

References

  1. ^ "Wild Inside". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 2, 2026.Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ Gomez, Dessi (March 4, 2025). "HBO Documentary Films And Sandbox Films Start Production On Flaco The NYC Owl Doc, Directed By Penny Lane". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  3. ^ Sechel Epstein, Sonia (July 15, 2026). "Flaco, an NYC Owl: Penny Lane on WILD INSIDE". Alfred P. Sloan Prize. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  4. ^ "Wild Inside". Rooftop Films. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  5. ^ "Wild Inside" World Premiere at Central Park's Great Hill". Central Park. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  6. ^ Lang, Brent (May 27, 2026). "'Wild Inside,' Penny Lane's Documentary About Flaco the Owl, Premiering in Central Park Before July Theatrical Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  7. ^ "Wild Inside". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  8. ^ "Wild Inside". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  9. ^ Reed, Christopher (July 23, 2026). "Wild Inside". Hammer to Nail. Retrieved July 25, 2026.