Universal Studios helped build its reputation on the backs of its iconic movie monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, the Invisible Man, and the Wolf Man. While these original films are legendary, the studio has had a bad track record with more modern adaptations. For example, Stephen Sommers’s 2003 “Van Helsing” or Alex Kurtzman’s 2017 remake of “The Mummy” starring Tom Cruise.
In 2020, Leigh Whannell came into the picture and struck gold with the Blumhouse-produced “The Invisible Man.” Not only was it a critical and box office success, but it broke Universal’s fixation with keeping their monsters in a shared universe. Now, Whannell is seeing if lightning strikes twice with his updated version of the “Wolf Man.” Footage from the upcoming film recently debuted at CinemaCon, and fans are already abuzz about what the final product will look like.
CinemaCon Teaser
The film will center around Larry Talbot (Christopher Abbott), battling to protect his family from a werewolf on the prowl during a full moon. The teaser shows Larry talking to his daughter as she lies on the couch. “Daddy, are we going to die,” she asks. He reassures her they aren’t, to which she replies, “That’s a lie. Everybody dies eventually.”
We then see something, presumably a werewolf, lurking outside the house. What follows is a series of quick cuts in which there is a shot of Larry’s bloody arm. Implying he gets bitten and will become the titular Wolf Man. Given that most of the footage is shot in the house, some think this film may just focus on one family’s struggle against the supernatural. In contrast to previous iterations, where the bloodthirsty half-man, half-wolf, threatens an entire town.
So far the response to the CinemaCon teaser has been favorable. And we certainly hope it stays that way as the movie develops.
“Wolf Man” is slated to hit theaters on January 17, 2025. We’ll keep you posted on updates as they become available.
