Werewolf by Night

Moon Knight made his Marvel Comics debut in Werewolf by Night, but does the character appear in the Marvel Studios Halloween special?

Are you disappointed that Oscar Issac did not reprise his role as Moon Knight in Werewolf by Night? As amazing as it would have been to see Moon Knight in action once again via even just a brief cameo, it made sense for the writers to keep the special self-contained and not try to do too much. Is you’re hoping to see Oscar Isaac suit up as Moon Knight and make a cameo in Werewolf by Night, I’m afraid we have some bad news for you.

After dipping a toe into the horror genre with “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” earlier this year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe jumps into the ...

But “Werewolf by Night” is a triumphant first effort at losing the capes and spandex and delving into more genre territory for Marvel. “Werewolf by Night” marks an exciting turn for the MCU — it’s the first in a (I hope) long line of special presentations, branded as one-offs for the ever-sprawling universe. The MVP of “Werewolf by Night” has to be the supernatural monster Man-Thing (no, not Swamp Thing, as seen on HBO Max’s “Harley Quinn,” though they must be long-lost cousins). The special pays homage to the classic, black-and-white Universal monster movies, and Jack is a clear-as-day, but deadly-at-night, “Wolf Man.” As a human, he’s meek and utterly reluctant to transform into his werewolf form. In addition to hunting their prey, the characters turn on each other during a bloody night of backstabbing and creature carnage. It’s the creepiest and bloodiest Marvel project by far, and clocking in at a lean 53 minutes long, it’s a perfect, snack-sized Halloween treat heading into the spookiest of seasons.

Director Michael Giacchino reveals why 'Werewolf by Night' lacks the most precious of MCU staples: the post-credits scene.

[upcoming Avengers ride](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/d23-marvel-new-avengers-ride-disneyland-avengers-endgame-alternate-ending) at Disney World — it’s a respectable choice for Giacchino to ditch saddling his project with a post-credits scene. Multiple episodes of Marvel’s expanding library of Disney+ shows lack a post-credits scene, often in the front half of the series. However, the director believes that Werewolf by Night need not glimpse into anything. When the credits finish rolling, fans aren’t greeted to a teaser for the next monstrous being to walk into the MCU, nor is there a cameo from an Avenger. It’s one of the coolest things Marvel has ever made, and it is sure to get MCU fans talking long after Halloween season comes to a close. There isn’t even a lighthearted gag to take the edge off.

Werewolf By Night confirms that when it comes to Marvel's live-action Disney+ projects, less is more.

[Moon Knight Season 2](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/marvel-moon-knight-deserve-season-2/)?”, or “will Elsa go on to bust Black Knight’s balls in the Blade reboot?” seem beside the point. [classic Universal](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/universal-monsters-how-the-wolf-man-created-the-first-cinematic-universe/) and Hammer output, and even adding cue marks to the top right corner of the screen. Werewolf By Night, with its themes of alienation and reckoning with the legacy of an abusive family dynamic, will stay with me. It’s hard not to imagine a version of [Moon Knight](https://www.denofgeek.com/moon-knight) that leaned into this vibe. It’s fun to have spent time in this world, but part of Phase Four’s problem has been an often-misplaced fixation on “what’s next?” and less focus on delivering a viewing experience that stays with you. Jack doesn’t need to tell us about the one time he was able to remember a friend when he was in werewolf form, we get to imagine those circumstances for ourselves when heartbreak briefly flashes in Bernal’s eyes.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is nothing short of untouchable when it comes to franchise building. For nearly a decade-and-a-half, the MCU has told an expansive ...

Are you going to check out Werewolf by Night? Werewolf by Night may have joined the multitude of MCU shows on Disney Plus, but you might be surprised to learn that it’s not actually a series. [comes in the form of Werewolf by Night](https://bamsmackpow.com/2022/09/27/werewolf-by-night-first-review-reactions/).

Werewolf by Night is darker than your typical Marvel Cinematic Universe property. Is the Disney Plus Halloween Special suitable for family viewing?

Yes, Werewolf by Night is quite scary. Werewolf by Night is inherently darker than its predecessors, even if it accomplishes it in a lighter, vintage way. There is rather large monster that looks scary (although he’s a bit of a sweetheart), but a lot of the scary moments in Werewolf by Night succeed because they take place off-screen. There is occasional bad language in Werewolf by Night but it isn’t anything outside the realm of what we’re used to in Marvel movies, even the light-hearted ones. Werewolf by Night, however, is very different from all of its predecessors, and though it might be MCU, it’s nothing like the superhero adventures you’re used to seeing from this shared universe. A monster hunter-turned-monster, it will see him transform into a werewolf surrounded by monster hunters.

"Werewolf By Night" opens with a narration by Rick Wasserman about the known part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which basically involves all the ...

And while it’s evident that Ted is going to continue his friendship with Jack, there’s a high chance that Elsa is going to continue the legacy of the Bloodstone family and go after the likes of Jack and Ted. Post that, Elsa goes to look for Ted/Man-Thing, and Russell rushes to the weak part of the maze that can be blown apart by the explosive that he has. Swan pledges allegiance to Elsa, and she tells him to start cleaning up the mess in the manor. They are going after them for “fun.” Additionally, you can say that Jack’s story is that of being of two worlds (humans and monsters) and the repercussions of saving or destroying either of them. As expected, Russell gets to be the one to set the tournament into motion, and the rest of the participants go after him. Elsa informs him that the Bloodstone is capable of transforming him in five seconds. So, Elsa agrees to take part in the tournament and proves to Verussa that she isn’t as big of a disappointment as Verussa keeps making her out to be. Man-Thing points out the Bloodstone that has been attached to his body, which is both weakening him and making him angry. However, instead of getting frightened by it, Russell pats it and reveals that he’s actually a friend of Man-Thing, and he’s there to rescue him. He says that Man-Thing is going to be unleashed into the sacred grounds, and the one to slay it is going to possess the Bloodstone. Elsa says that if she (FYI, Verussa is Elsa’s step-mother) is ready to give her the relic, then they don’t have to go through all the formalities. And the thing that they are supposed to slay is the Man-Thing (Carey Jones).

Marvel's Halloween Special is howling around on Disney Plus now. Here's the low-down on the new characters, horror homages and MCU connections [spoilers].

[She-Hulk](/culture/entertainment/she-hulk-release-schedule-when-does-episode-9-hit-disney-plus/) just brought back [Daredevil](/culture/entertainment/she-hulk-episode-8-recap-daredevil-returns-plus-marvel-easter-eggs/) and now heads for its finale next Thursday Oct. Stuart Immonen is thanked for his work defining the look of Elsa Bloodstone in anarchic comic series Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. In that case, the black-and-white sections denoted the 'real' world, and color signaled a shift into the fantasy realm of Oz (which may have been a dream). You'd think the tomb in which Elsa and Jack are momentarily trapped would be ripe for Easter eggs, but the various names on the headstones aren't obvious Marvel comics references. This use of color is probably just a stylistic nod to a classic movie, but we're here to overthink things so it's tempting to wonder whether this is some kind of comment on the nature of reality in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As well as appearing recently in Star Trek: Picard, Thatcher is perhaps best known as the punk rocker who encountered Spock on a bus in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Interestingly Werewolf by Night is the reverse of The Wizard of Oz, which shifted to luminous [Technicolor](/culture/entertainment/technicolor-100-years-the-gulf-between/) for most of the story then ended by going back to monochrome. The TV movie is a tribute to vintage horror from roughly the first half of the 20th century. From the vintage-styled opening credits to the contorted, maze-like graveyard setting and crackly 1940s gramophone tunes, there are nods to the expressionist horror of silent movies like 1922's Nosferatu and 1920's The Cabinet of Dr. With Elsa's help, Jack helps the hunt's prey escape, revealing the tentacled terror Man-Thing is more of a gentle giant (named Ted). But the hunter with the most kills, Jack Russell, is not the deadly slayer he professes to be: Instead of killing creatures, he frees them. (Not because this article is scary, just because of spoilers).

Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino helms the first Marvel Studios 'special presentation' for Disney+, a love letter to the movies that made him.

[Bride of Frankenstein](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Izq-E3o7Y)” (1935) and Carol Reed’s “ [The Third Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9yyDEDGlr0)” (1949). “It felt like the right thing to do.” His younger brother, [Anthony Giacchino](https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2021/04/colette-wins-oscar-for-best-documentary-short-watch-the-film-from-nj-director.html), was right by his side. “ [King Kong](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnaCi4rBfqw)” (1933), directed by Merian C. The macabre adventure gives a series of winks to the camera. There are plenty of people out in our world today that have to do that for various reasons, and they shouldn’t have to do that, but they feel the need to do it. (The character was revived as Jake Gomez in a 2020 comic of the same name.) Bloodstone’s widow, Verussa, played with a deliciously diabolical air by Harriet Sansom Harris (”Hacks,” “Licorice Pizza”), tells the “death dealers” they must engage in a ceremonial monster hunt. “He had an affliction,” he says of Russell’s nocturnal transformations. 7 on Disney+ as the first “special presentation” from [Marvel Studios](https://www.disneyplus.com/brand/marvel). The group, including Bloodstone’s estranged daughter, Elsa (Donnelly), is there to vie for control of the Bloodstone, a weapon “unlike any other” that glows red inside its enclosure — the only color onscreen. “I’d run down to 7-Eleven and get whatever I could.”

Werewolf by Night saw Marvel get monstrous for the very first time, but what does the ending of the Halloween special really mean?

What did you think of Werewolf by Night? It’s clear there is something there between Jack and Elsa, for the Werewolf by Night within Jack did not harm her in spite of his fears that he would. The ending sequence saw Jack and Ted sitting peacefully in the woods just after the former changed back. No, Jack was the Werewolf by Night. In the end, he managed to save his friend from the hunters and himself after they forced him to turn. Jack Russell’s participation in the evening of hunting had absolutely nothing to do with taking down the creature known as Man-Thing.

Werewolf by Night is a modestly entertaining diversion, but one can't shake the feeling it doesn't add up to as much as it could have or should have with a ...

It’s a script that's lost between a short film and a feature, too overcrowded for the former and too thin for the latter. Most of the hunters lack in definition or personality—which is a problem—but the mysterious Jack ( [Gael García Bernal](/cast-and-crew/gael-garc%C3%ADa-bernal)) clearly hides a secret while Elsa Bloodstone ( [Laura Donnelly](/cast-and-crew/laura-donnelly)) comes to the night’s events with some heavy baggage. For the most part, “Werewolf by Night” is a modestly entertaining diversion, but one can’t shake how it doesn’t add up to as much as it could have been with a more ambitious team behind it.

Director Michael Giacchino — better known for his composing work on films like Up and Ratatouille — spoke a bit about the timeline of the special in an extended ...

Giacchino says that, even though the special never addresses it directly, he has an idea of how Werewolf by Night fits into the larger Marvel universe, but that it will remain solely in his head, as there are "discussions yet to be had" with the powers that be over at Marvel. It's my version of where this all goes because I did need that in order to of push this through. It’s likely, considering that not only is Bernal a massive star, but Jack Russell has serious ties to Moon Knight in the comics. I didn't know how to make that better or bring something new to that.” Giacchino said that Werewolf by Night doesn’t really have an impact on the rest of the MCU — at least, he wasn’t considering it while making the special. Director Michael Giacchino — better known for his composing work on films like Up and Ratatouille — spoke a bit about the timeline of the special in an extended interview with Collider’s own Steve Weintraub.

Details on how to attend Collider's free screening of Marvel Studios' Werewolf by Night in 35mm followed by a Q&A with director Michael Giacchino.

Werewolf by Night is about a secret cabal of monster hunters that meet up at the Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. That’s because on Thursday, October 13 at 10:45pm, Collider is partnering with Marvel Studios for a special screening of Werewolf by Night in 35mm at the New Beverly Cinema and we’ll have Michael Giacchino for the Q&A. If you’re a fan of Michael Giacchino, Marvel Studios, Werewolf by Night, and seeing movies projected in 35mm, you’re going to want to send me an email.

Marvel editor/publisher Stan Lee was a huge fan of the Universal horror movies of the 1930s and '40s. He cribbed ideas from the serialized Frankenstein and Wolf ...

While the 1941 version of “The Wolf-Man” wasn’t the first werewolf talkie — that distinction belongs to 1935’s “The Werewolf of London” — it is the most influential. 14, the Malco Pinnacle Cinema in Rogers is showing the 2018 version of “Halloween” and “Halloween Kills” this week. It’s perhaps topped by a claustrophobic scene where the werewolf stalks a passenger in a deserted London subway. The film’s climax and ending remains great fun in a horrific type of way. Many horror fans would argue Baker’s animatronic and practical-transformation effects in the film are still superior to CGI. However, it was the distinctive make-up by Universal Studios chief makeup artist Jack Pierce, and Chaney’s forlorn performance that made the film a true classic. They also become the chief suspects in the murder of U.S. Roosevelt with wealthy business executives that actually was a historical event known as “The Business Plot,” but Russell took great liberties with the truth in telling his comedic take on the events. Bernal’s Russell is at first mysterious, but later delightfully goofy in a fun scene toward the end of the special. The special is fast-paced and packs a lot of story and exposition into its 53 minutes, but it’s also action-packed and funny. Marvel editor/publisher Stan Lee was a huge fan of the Universal horror movies of the 1930s and ‘40s. The film is set in 1933 with flashbacks to 1918 when World War I was being waged.

'Werewolf by Night' Star Gael García Bernal Says Diego Luna Showed Him the Ropes of Disney Franchise Stardom ... The actor discusses his practical transformation ...

Before I started to work on this, I was like, “What am I going to do?” But once you get your feet dirty and put your hands in the clay and start to play around, you gain a little bit of the character. So as soon as Michael told me what he wanted to do and the way he wanted to approach it, I said, “Yeah, let’s do this!” So it’s been great, and I feel really lucky to be in this world of Marvel because of their know-how and infrastructure. There’s a little bit of appropriation that happens, and once you put the mask on, the whole world is built. The black and white is something that I hadn’t thought about [with regard to the rating], but yes, exactly. By the end, it was actually quite fast. Apparently, the black and white kept it at TV-14. But it was fascinating to be around all these other projects and people, and doing a press conference and press junket, in a sense, with all these different films and TV series was incredible. So we were taken care of, and I can’t wait to do more with this great opportunity. So it’s been great to have a good friend who’s also living something similar as well,” García Bernal tells The Hollywood Reporter. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to interpret this character. So it’s been great to have a good friend who’s also living something similar as well. García Bernal is not a complete stranger to Disney, having previously voiced the role of Héctor in Pixar’s Coco, but joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and leading its first-ever “Special Presentation” is certainly a different beast.

The actor talks to ET about the Halloween special and if he'll return with the Midnight Sons.

“I wish as well that there’s a lot of possibilities to play with this character even more.” “I was immediately on board,” Bernal says of joining the project, which is a major departure in tone, style and storytelling for the MCU. “I was approached by many fans that knew more about the world of Midnight Sons than I did. But as the actor explains, the effort put into the makeup and costume was well worth it. And that was funny, you know, because sometimes they ask me things and I go like, ‘Well, it seems you know even more than I do about this,’” the actor says, before teasing, “Let’s see where this leads. “At the beginning, it was a long process,” he says.

The scion of the Bloodstone monster hunters, Elsa has made a name for herself in cult comics such as Nextwave: Agents of HATE and Monsters Unleashed. But those ...

[Avengers](https://www.denofgeek.com/the-avengers/) [Nick Fury](https://www.denofgeek.com/nick-fury/) assembled in 1959, and later as the leader of various monster hunter organizations, including the Covenant. But there are still plenty of monsters in the MCU, monsters that might draw the attention of Elsa Bloodstone. The Bloodgem choker worn by Elsa gives her the ability to shoot energy blasts and the ring worn by her brother Cullen gives him ESP. After all, living with Ulysses has taught Elsa Bloodstone who the real monsters are. She did not return to Boston until after Ulysses’s death, at which point she began wearing the Bloodgem as a choker and started her own monster hunting career. In theory, Bloodstone’s primary quest drove him to search for other pieces of the inter-dimensional meteor from which the Bloodgem spawned and to get revenge against the Hellfire Helix, a creature from the Bloodgem’s dimension who killed Ulysses’ prehistoric tribe. But he was literally a throwback, a caveman sustained and evolved by the Bloodgem. The scion of the Bloodstone monster hunters, Elsa has made a name for herself in cult comics such as Nextwave: Agents of HATE and Monsters Unleashed. In her last appearance, Elsa and Cullen discovered their ancient half-sister Lyra, who was thought to be long-ago sacrificed to a monster by Ulysses. If the special piqued your interest, here’s a quick look at the history of Elsa Bloodstone, her father Ulysses, and the Bloodgem. The story of the Bloodstone family begins with the Bloodgem, a fragment of an interdimensional meteor that crashed onto the Earth eons ago. The upcoming Halloween special [Werewolf by Night](https://www.denofgeek.com/werewolf-by-night/) seems like a continuation of that approach, pushing lesser-known wolfman character Jack Russell to the forefront.