Some movies go viral for their plot, some for their cast—and then there is Wicker, which managed to blow up online because of the material its protagonist is made of. The trailer for the surreal romantic comedy starring Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Peter Dinklage has taken social media by storm, and the reason is as bizarre as it is brilliant: Skarsgård plays a husband built entirely out of wicker, complete with "anatomical details" included.
A Custom-Made Husband (Literally)
Directed by Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston, Wicker follows a lonely fisherwoman, played by Olivia Colman, who commissions an artisan (Peter Dinklage) to build her the perfect partner. The result is a wicker man who comes to life and dedicates himself body and soul—almost literally—to his new wife, sparking hilarious chaos in a small coastal town. The film hits UK cinemas on October 30, with an international release date still to be confirmed.
Why the Internet Lost Its Mind Over Wicker
As soon as the trailer dropped, social media obsessed over the film's most talked-about feature: Skarsgård's character was crafted entirely out of wicker—including parts nobody expected to see replicated in natural fiber. On X (formerly Twitter), comments like "I cannot get over the wicker nipples" quickly went viral, and the actor himself joined in on the joke, publicly stating that having "wicker nipples" was his "lifelong dream." Other users compared the film's tone to an R-rated version of Pinocchio, fueling the online buzz even further.
IKEA Couldn't Let It Slide
Where there is a successful viral joke, clever brands are sure to follow. Capitalizing on the hype, IKEA launched a witty ad campaign promoting their handcrafted rattan stool "TOLKNING," using the slogan "made from husband material" and the caption "if you know, you know"—a direct nod to Skarsgård's wicker affair. The joke gained even more traction when Black Bear Pictures, the film's production company, shared the Swedish brand's ad on their official social channels.
Between memes, jokes, and opportunistic marketing, Wicker proves that sometimes what sells a movie isn't just the trailer itself, but the unexpected meme it creates along the way.
Image: Black Bear Pictures — official promotional still for Wicker.
