This Halloween MCU fans don’t have to rewatch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to satiate any spooky superhero cravings. They’ll be able to take a bit out of the franchise’s newest horror venture, Werewolf by Night. After more than 50 years on the page, the Marvel comic will come to life on Disney+ with a holiday special starring Gael Garcia Bernal as the deadly lycanthrope. The first trailer already looks unlike anything else we’ve ever seen in the MCU. Rather than a slick modern day superhero story, director Michael Giacchino (yes, the composer) looks poised to deliver a throwback to the days of classic monster movies. We couldn’t be anymore excited for it, but can it live up to the hype? The first reactions to the film say it does, with a vintage story that delivers both scares, violence, and a howling good time.
Disney surprised attendees at this year’s Fantastic Fest with an unannounced screening of Werewolf by Night. Whether or not the excitement of seeing an unexpected release influenced the response from those in the audience remains to be seen. But the reaction to the film is near universal praise.
One of the most common refrains from those who saw the movie is that it is unlike anything the MCU has attempted in a very long time. This is a very different type of entry into the franchise, both in style and intent.
Despite being set in a superhero franchise, the film is clearly a real horror flick. Which is exactly what we hoped for when we first heard the special announced.
The closest thing to any real criticism offered is that it might not be as good as Guardians of the Galaxy. Which is a standard no film needs to match to be loved.
Okay, we’re in. I mean, we were already in before, but now we’re even more in. We’re ready to take a big bite—followed by a few rewatch bites—of Werewolf by Night. We just have to wait until it debuts on Disney+ on October 7.
