Wolf Man Reboot Is Finally Happening And It’s In The Best Possible Hands
Universal Pictures has long been in the business of monster flicks, having brought audiences plenty of tales around familiar horror faces like Dracula and Frankenstein. While both of these major players have received a handful of new chapters and remakes over the years, fans are eager to learn more about the studio’s fresh take on Wolf Man, and, with the most recent news that filming is now up and running, we’re one step closer to seeing the hairy horror in all of his glory. Toss in the fact that The Invisible Man reboot director, Leigh Whannell, is back behind the camera and things just keep getting better and better.
A Blumhouse Surprise
The kick-off news came courtesy of Jason Blum, the founder of Blumhouse, a production company that has backed some of the biggest titles from the genre in recent years including David Gordon Green’s Halloween franchise and M3GAN. Along with sharing the gargantuan news that things were underway on the set of Wolf Man, Blum dropped an image that sees Whannell holding a clapboard with the project’s name penned across.
The Man Behind The Wolf Man
As for casting, Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy) was the first name set to get hairy and scary in Wolf Man but would eventually step down from his part with Christopher Abbott (Poor Things) joining the team in his place. At this time, it isn’t completely clear where the story for the Universal film will go but, judging by Whannell’s take on The Invisible Man, it will likely be given a modern-day spin. Along with directing, Whannell also joins the writing team alongside Corbett Tuck, Lauren Schuker Blum, and Rebecca Angelo.
The Invisible Man
While Universal has done its best to bring audiences updated takes on its classic world of monsters through its Dark Universe, which included titles like The Mummy (2017), Renfield, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter, the only major hit the company has had over the last few years was The Invisible Man. The 2020 Elisabeth Moss-led feature twisted sci-fi and horror together as Whannell and his team used the background of mental, emotional, and physical abuse as a way to bring the tale to a new generation. Against its $7 million budget, the feature raked in $144.5 million and also solidified itself as a hit with fans and made the filmmaker the perfect choice to back Wolf Man.
Gosling Is Behind The Camera
Although he’s no longer starring in the flick, Ryan Gosling joins Wolf Man as an executive producer alongside Whannell, Ken Kao, Mel Tuner, and Bea Sequera with Jason Blum producing. As of right now, the feature is set to scare its way into theaters just in time for this year’s spooky season on October 25.
Leigh Whannell’s Work
If you aren’t overly familiar with Whannell’s work in The Invisible Man, the director’s touches can also be seen on such titles as Insidious: Chapter 3 and Upgrade, with Wolf Man being his fourth undertaking. On the writing side of things, you’ve already heard Whannell’s voice and tone in a slew of projects including the first three Saw films, a boatload of Insidious movies, and other titles including Dead Silence and The Mule.
