Universal Pictures
The film industry is a cutthroat world. You tirelessly work to establish your name, finally ascend to fame with a successful hit like Leigh Whannell’s “The Invisible Man,” leverage that victory into a covert project like “Wolf Man,” only for a misguided marketing ploy to spoil everything. If that seems overly dramatic, it’s only because you haven’t yet witnessed the latest unveiling from — unexpectedly — this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. The yearly horror-themed event has always been a delight for theme park enthusiasts, but this year it brought an unexpected twist: our inaugural public glimpse at Whannell’s “Wolf Man” (fortunate CinemaCon attendees had a sneak preview earlier in April). To put it kindly, the responses are quite…diverse.
This initial unveiling began circulating on social media last night, led by tweets like this one from Halloween Horror Nights fan HHNSpeculationMatt. As far as first impressions go, this one felt a tad…doubtful. Essentially nothing more than a man in an intriguing mask, tattered clothes, and long hair, users were quick to voice their opinions. (/Film’s own Ryan Scott perfectly captured the “Big Leprechaun” aura of this entire design.) Most gawking spectators presumed that this was nothing more than a playful promotional effort — one that couldn’t possibly represent what the main creature in the forthcoming remake actually looks like, right?
Well, the laugh’s on us. Based on further confirmation from a rather credible source, all signs point to this indeed being an early depiction of the Wolf Man design in the final film. Yes, it’s a real head-scratcher.
Will the genuine Wolf Man please make his presence known?
Twitter/HHNSpeculationMatt
Let’s get this straight, Leigh Whannell has earned our trust. After successfully directing both “Upgrade” and “The Invisible Man” to such exhilarating and entertaining outcomes, none of us should doubt what else he has planned for “The Wolf Man” — even if the original lead, Ryan Gosling, has since been replaced with Christopher Abbott. But with all that being said, I mean, just take a look at that peculiar imitation of the Wolf Man! There’s absolutely nothing wolf-like about it. That wouldn’t be such a significant issue, of course, if it weren’t for another post by famous “scooper” Daniel Richtman, where he indicated that:
“Regrettably, I’ve confirmed that this IS the design, but it appears slightly better in the actual film.”
Foreboding! Clearly, there’s a vast gap between a (likely underpaid) man in a suit at Halloween Horror Nights and the main villain that will be seen causing chaos in all his razor-clawed splendor in the actual movie. And it’s worth mentioning that the original 1941 film was created in precisely the same way…though horror fans would agree that that classic looked far superior to anything we’ve seen since. Whether it will be enhanced by much higher-quality prosthetics or a touch of flawless VFX work, Richtman’s reporting would seem to suggest that fans can patiently wait for a “slightly” better version once we get a glimpse of the trailer footage. Even if it turns out to be a significant improvement, however, it’ll always seem like an odd decision to set expectations quite low with this particular first look.
Originally scheduled to hit theaters in October of this year, Whannell’s “Wolf Man” will finally debut January 17, 2025.
FAQs:
Q: When will Leigh Whannell’s “Wolf Man” be released?
A: The film is set to hit theaters on January 17, 2025.
Q: Who is the lead actor in “The Wolf Man”?
A: The original lead actor, Ryan Gosling, has been replaced by Christopher Abbott.
Q: Where was the first public look at “The Wolf Man” revealed?
A: The first public look was revealed at the Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios in Los Angeles.
Q: What was the public reaction to the first look at “The Wolf Man”?
A: The public’s reaction to the first look was mixed, with many expressing skepticism about the design of the Wolf Man.
Q: Will the design of the Wolf Man in the film be the same as the one revealed at Halloween Horror Nights?
A: According to Daniel Richtman, a popular “scooper”, the design revealed at Halloween Horror Nights is indeed the design for the Wolf Man in the film, but it will look slightly better in the actual film.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
