“Wolf Man,” an upcoming American horror film directed and co-written by Leigh Whannell, reimagines Universal’s iconic werewolf story. This reboot of The Wolf Man features Christopher Abbott in the lead role, alongside Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Benedict Hardie, Ben Prendergast, Zac Chandler, Beatriz Romilly, and Milo Cawthorne.
Plot Synopsis
The story follows Blake, a devoted family man who moves with his wife Charlotte and their daughter Ginger from San Francisco to Oregon after inheriting his childhood farmhouse. The home has stood vacant since his father’s mysterious disappearance. On a night of the full moon, the family faces a terrifying attack by a werewolf, which leaves Blake injured. As he transforms into a dangerous creature, the safety of his family hangs in the balance.
| Directed by | Leigh Whannell |
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| Based on | The Wolf Man by Curt Siodmak |
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| Cinematography | Stefan Duscio |
| Edited by | Andy Canny |
| Music by | Benjamin Wallfisch |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
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Development History
Universal initially announced plans for a Wolf Man reboot in 2014 as part of its ambitious “Dark Universe,” a shared cinematic universe featuring iconic monsters from its library. The early script was penned by Aaron Guzikowski and later rewritten by David Callaham. However, following the commercial failure of The Mummy (2017), the shared universe concept was abandoned, with Universal opting to develop standalone monster films instead.
The 2020 success of Whannell’s The Invisible Man reignited interest in the Monsters franchise, leading actor Ryan Gosling to pitch a new version of Wolf Man. Although Gosling was initially set to star, scheduling conflicts led to his departure. Director Derek Cianfrance, who was also attached to the project, later exited for similar reasons. Whannell ultimately took over as director and co-writer.
Filming and Production
Principal photography for Wolf Man began in March 2024 in New Zealand, with Stefan Duscio as cinematographer and Arjen Tuiten leading prosthetics and makeup design. Whannell drew inspiration from past werewolf films such as The Wolf Man (1941), An American Werewolf in London (1981), and Dog Soldiers (2002) while crafting a fresh take on the werewolf character.
Creative Vision and Design
Whannell hosted weekly screenings for his crew, featuring films like Amour (2012), to shape the tone of Wolf Man. Drawing from the isolation and confinement themes of the COVID-19 pandemic, he aimed to make the drama intimate by setting much of the story within a single location.
Tuiten’s initial werewolf design—a creature characterized by a balding head, long white hair, and sharp teeth—was selected by Whannell after reviewing multiple iterations inspired by classic werewolf depictions.
Marketing and Reception
In August 2024, Universal unveiled the film’s logo and teaser image at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando. However, the werewolf’s design received mixed reactions online. Whannell described Universal’s decision to reveal the design prematurely as a “debacle,” likening the situation to “judging Freddy Krueger makeup from a Halloween costume.”
Despite this setback, Universal released an official teaser trailer and poster on September 6, 2024, which omitted the full reveal of the creature.
Release Date
Originally slated for October 25, 2024, Wolf Man is now scheduled for release in the United States on January 17, 2025. The Hollywood premiere, planned for January 7, was canceled due to the Palisades Fire.
