MCU howls at moon of change through format evolution, thematic intrigue

Grim, grinning ghosts weren’t the only thing coming out for Halloween this spooky season. Werewolf by Night, the first ever Marvel Studios Special Presentation, rises from the grave and delves deeper into the supernatural and paranormal side of the MCU. The hour-long special stars Gael Garcia Bernal (Coco) as title character Jack Russell, masquerading as a monster hunter in a game to decide who will be the next wielder of the Bloodstone following the death of Ulysses Bloodstone. 

First introduced in Marvel Spotlight #2 by Roy Thomas, Jean Thomas, and Gerry Conway, the title character went on to star in his own comic run for 43 issues. Through this comic series, another character recently was brought to the small screen of Disney+, Moon Knight, made his first appearance in Issue #32. Instead of using the lunar specter as the main focus of the film like many speculated, Werewolf instead opts to introduce multiple other characters from the Marvel mythos to add to the spookiness, including monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone (daughter of the aforementioned Ulysses Bloodstone), and Dr. Theodore Sallis, more commonly known as the Man-Thing- the swampy protector of the Nexus of All Realities. 

Changing formats from previous Disney+ Marvel titles, Werewolf presents a relatively self-contained story with minimal references to the other parts of the Marvel multiverse, much like Moon Knight. This makes it the perfect watch for viewers who have not been as interested in the projects of Phase 4 or are just in the mood to satiate their hunger for horror that differs from the run of the mill slasher movies. It strays from previous projects of the MCU most drastically, however, with black-and-white noir filter inspired by 1930s Universal Monsters films. 

Utilizing the noir filter to full advantage, first-time director and long-time Marvel composer Michael Giacchino elevates this title to one of the goriest of any Marvel production. To induce nostalgia for the horror flicks of yore, Bernal also dons a practical costume for his lycan form, harkening back to films such as The Wolfman and Werewolf of London. 

Based on initial reactions, this new formula is working, with Disney already expressing interest in doing more shorter form content. They even decided to transfer various confirmed and unannounced projects from the criticized six episode long series over to the “Special Presentation” blueprint.

 One of these projects is the spinoff of Menger Zhang’s character from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which features  Xu Xialing taking over her father’s legacy as leader of the Ten Rings. This, in tandem with the recent announcement of Armor Wars being turned into a movie instead of a series as originally planned, has fans wondering if Disney is listening to criticisms.

Even with positive reviews, Werewolf seems to connect the most with the rest of the MCU through its struggles with pacing and its need to crack jokes in moments of high tension. Although it does not have as many problems with the latter than the former, the 53-minute time constraint seems to still feel like the story is dragged out in some points and too rushed in others.

Despite these small hiccups, Werewolf by Night delivers an entertaining frightfest filled with surprises that give new life to the horror side of the MCU, cracking the door even further to future projects featuring the occult and macabre.

EEK! SPOILERS AHEAD! PROCEED, IF YOU DARE…

With the introduction of characters like Elsa Bloodstone, Jack Russell and Man-Thing let loose from the supernatural world into the large expanse of the MCU, it seems more likely than ever that Marvel has a Midnight Son’s team-up film up their sleeves in the coming years.

Looking on a smaller scale, Giacchino has already revealed within an interview with Collider talking about the special stating, “I love these characters. I mean, the reason I did this was because I love them so much. I think Elsa Bloodstone is an incredible character and Jack Russell. These are people that I have such an affinity for. So would I want to do more with them? Absolutely, I'd want to do more with them. I have a lot of ideas of things I'd want to do.” 

Seeing as Giacchino strayed away quite a bit from comic material, his sequel plans could be quite varied, leaving fans speculating as to what his mind will concoct. Currently, Giacchino has a break from composing, so chances are that Kevin Feige (president of Marvel Studios) will be quick to start production on a sequel.

Grade: A

Werewolf by Night delivers a mere glimpse of how far the MCU can go, but its short-form format leaves fans thirsting for more.

by Evan Parfitt

Published October 31, 2022

Oshkosh West Index Volume 119 Issue II