Why Did Wolf Man Just Spoil Its Big Transformation?
More wolf, less man.
Just as Dracula and Frankenstein are heavy hitters in the horror Hall of Fame, the Wolf Man’s influence can’t be overstated. The classic movie monster inspired werewolves the world over; he comes with an iconography all his own, so future adaptations have a lot to live up to.
Universal’s latest horror film will see Leigh Whannell — the director who revitalized the Invisible Man in 2020 — taking on the Wolf Man in the modern day. Christopher Abbott stars as the title character, so the new Wolf Man really couldn’t be in better hands. Still, there is some apprehension about Whannell’s take on the monster. Trailers for Wolf Man have explored the psychological element of Abbott’s transformation, and saving his character’s final form for the film itself would have been the soundest strategy.
Instead, Universal has made the surprising choice to unveil the new Wolf Man early. The latest Wolf Man trailer opens with Blake’s (Abbott) harrowing transition under the full moon, giving audiences their first true look at this new monster... and possibly spoiling the film's best part.
A trailer that reveals too much of the movie in question isn’t exactly a novelty, but it’s always frustrating when films are forced to give up the element of mystery. Fans were likely curious about Whannell’s direction for Wolf Man, but most were willing to wait for it to hit theaters. Revealing a key part of what makes the story so compelling is a mistake no matter how you slice it; if the most anticipated scenes are already spoiled, what more do audiences have to look forward to?
To make matters worse, absolutely no one seems pleased with the new Wolf Man’s design. He almost looks half-baked: Abbott’s werewolf doesn’t have much fur, aligning him with a slew of modern-day monsters that fail to commit to a monstrous design. One could chalk this up to Whannell’s unique interpretation, but this trailer could also, potentially, be withholding the character’s final form. There’s a chance this Wolf Man will become more wolf-like with each full moon, which would mean Whannell and Universal do still have an ace up their sleeve. But releasing any transformation scene without such context still feels like too big a risk, as those who were unsure about the film may end up writing it off entirely.
