Halloween may have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean the spooky season has to stop. A well-crafted ghost story or film can be as compelling on a cold, windy November night as it can in October. Only recently, your movie choices would likely not include anything Marvel had to offer. But that could change with the release of Werewolf by Night.
The hour-long film is a black-and-white breath of fresh air in an MCU phase that sometimes feels disjointed and different from the previous Marvel phases. Werewolf may be more than simply a Halloween “special presentation.” Featuring new locations, new characters, and new items through the lens of a little-used genre, Werewolf by Night could end up being incredibly pertinent moving forward.
The Format
Werewolf by Night is unlike anything else in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, both in format and execution. The reception of Marvel’s Disney Plus projects has been positive, but if one consistent complaint can be lodged, the middle chapters suffer from pacing issues and filler episodes.
Werewolf by Night solves this by simply compressing its premise into a single hour of television. Every scene is meaningful, which you can’t get when you stretch a good idea into eight hours instead of one. Not every idea or concept needs that stretch, and Werewolf by Night is a perfect example.
Magic
Magic has always been a part of Marvel’s DNA. Despite this, magic was not featured heavily in the Infinity Saga films. You could argue that magic eventually turned the tide of Infinity War, but outside of that, examples are scarce.
With the Darkhold recently featured prominently, new characters like Wiccan and Clea and projects like Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Utilizing magic and magic-based characters gives Marvel incredible arcs and material. These characters also carry with them their motivations, supporting characters, and new storytelling opportunities.
Horror
The MCU catalog has covered virtually every square foot of genre ground except horror. Some movies, like Multiverse of Madness and Doctor Strange, brought in horror directors Sam Raimi and Scott Derrickson, respectively. Still, they aren’t straight horror movies.
Horror cinema is currently more prevalent than ever, with films such as Smile, Nope, and The Black Phone certified hits. While not as bloody as Halloween Ends or Terrifier 2, Werewolf is not afraid to show you what happens when Jack Russell (Gael García Bernal) transforms; and the Bloodstone Manor grounds are as creepy as any MCU location. With its success, it is clear that there is a market for Marvel horror in the future.
Experimentation
For better or worse, Marvel has dominated the film industry. However, not everyone likes the “Marvel Formula,” with critics accusing the studio of making the same film repeatedly with different characters. But everything about Werewolf by Night was different.
Marvel could be forgiven for not taking creative risks. But after over a decade, it is time to take some chances, and Werewolf by Night is Marvel’s most significant change since Guardians of the Galaxy. With Werewolf looking like a critical and commercial success, Marvel should keep taking chances and pushing boundaries.
Monsters
The influence of the Universal Monsters on Werewolf is evident. While monsters have appeared in the MCU, they are typically treated as appetizers for the more significant villain and are easily defeated. However, Werewolf by Night introduces the idea that monsters are formidable and prevalent in the MCU.
We also see that not all monsters deserve to be treated with the brutality that Ulysses Bloodstone utilizes. For example, Jack Russell, the titular werewolf, is a part of the game to save his friend, Man-Thing. Both monsters show benevolent motivations and end up saving Elsa later on, and all three are a part of the comics team League of Monsters.
The Bloodstones
The dynamics of most families in the MCU are complicated, and the Bloodstones are no exception. When we meet them in Werewolf by Night, it is clear that there has always been animosity between Elsa (Laura Donnelly), the daughter, and Verussa (Harriet Sansom Harris), Ulysses’ widow.
Despite their dysfunction, the Bloodstones are essential to any storyline related to monsters. It is also worth noting that Ulysses is centuries old. Does that mean that he could have been in contact with Kang in the past?
Midnight Sons
With the original MCU Avengers lineup virtually gone, Kang on the horizon, and the introduction of multiple magic users, Earth-616 will need some more heroes. Yes, we have seen The Eternals but to say that reactions to their film were mixed is an understatement.
However, with characters like Blade, Moon Knight, and Elsa Bloodstone, the seeds may be planted for the Midnight Suns. The Midnight Sons are comprised of heroes with some moral gray areas and the ability to push back against the darker, supernatural side of the realm. This team pairs well with the tone that was set in Werewolf.
Man-Thing
Dr. Theodore Sallis was a United States Army biochemist when he was forced to inject himself with an experimental drug. Working in the Everglades, this serum turns Sallis into the monster Man-Thing (portrayed on screen by Carey Jones).
Sallis’ introduction is essential for many reasons. The project Sallis is working on is an attempt to recreate Captain America’s super soldier serum. Sallis was also a part of cell regeneration research with another well-known scientist-turned-creature, Dr. Curtis Conners. Could we see these two scientists again in the future?
Jack Russell
Part of the fun of Werewolf by Night is that the cast is made entirely of new characters. Jack Russell turns out to be the titular werewolf, though we are unaware until later in the film.
Jack has an extensive history in the comics, being a key player in many storylines. With a family history with the Darkhold and an association with other monsters such as Dracula, his inclusion here indicates that Marvel is ready to embrace the supernatural.
The Bloodstone
The Bloodstone often called Bloodgem in the comics, is a piece of a meteorite that fell to Earth millennia ago. Guided by an alien entity bent on conquering Earth, the meteorite was damaged in a fight between the alien’s emissary and a human hunter. A shard lodges in the human’s chest, granting him superhuman abilities. That hunter eventually called himself Ulysses Bloodstone.
The Bloodstone is capable of many things, but most importantly, it can reveal monsters and weaken them while simultaneously strengthening the stone’s user. Its ability to show true identities could be helpful for, say, the Secret Invasion storyline.
Exo-Mind
The Exo-Mind is an ancient, god-like entity responsible for the Bloodstone’s arrival on earth. The Exo-Mind and related entities are a part of a universe where chaos is the only constant.
With different types of magic now becoming commonplace in the MCU, including “chaos magic,” this stone and its creator could be significant. The stone could easily be used as a way to harness this “chaos” energy and bend that dimensions inhabitants to its will.
