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Update: October 7, 2022
Dragonlord’s Review of WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (No Spoilers)
Bottom Line: A nice throwback to the classic horror films of the black and white era, Werewolf by Night is a pleasant, spooky horror and a potential introduction to the Marvel Studios monster universe.
Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night is a Halloween television special that’s shown primarily in black and white. The story takes place in one night where a select group of monster hunters are invited to take part in a deadly competition with the winner being bestowed the powerful relic, the Bloodstone.
There are two central characters in here – Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly). Jack is an affable monster slayer who has an agenda on why he’s participating in the contest while hiding an even darker secret within him. Elsa, the estranged daughter of the late Ulysses Bloodstone, dislikes her family’s monster hunting tradition and is just there to claim her birthright, the Bloodstone.
The Halloween special has a run time of 53 minutes only. It’s a pretty lean, straightforward tale that features an adequate amount of spooky atmosphere, gripping storytelling, horror action commendable use of practical effects. Pleasantly surprised by some of the brutal kills/deaths towards the end. Though not a big fan but it’s appropriate in here, the werewolf design is similar to the Lon Chaney Jr. wolfman look.
Arguably stealing the show, Man-Thing makes his MCU debut and he looks absolutely fantastic. “Whoever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing’s touch” is the creature’s catchphrase and is faithfully executed in here.
Laura Donnelly, who was outstanding in the short-lived Victorian action series The Nevers, is terrific as Elsa Bloodstone. The actress has an impressive aura about her that gives her this innate confidence and intensity about her which makes here a superb leading heroine. She was equally good when she had to show fear when she was put in a very perilous situation.
Doing a solid job with his sophomore outing, the special is directed by brilliant composer Michael Giacchino of Lost, The Incredibles, The Batman fame). Werewolf by Night is fun entertainment and a love letter to the Universal Classic Monsters. Props to Marvel Studios for developing something so unconventional, this feels like the first step in a Marvel monster universe with more crossovers with characters like Blade, Moon Knight, Ghost Rider and the Midnight Sons/Suns.
RATING: 7.5 OUT OF 10 STARS
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Update: November 4, 2021
Gael Garcia Bernal to Star in Marvel Studios' WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Halloween Special for Disney+
Marvel Studios’ search for a Latino lead for its as-yet-untitled Halloween special has ended, with Golden Globe winning Mexican actor Gael García Bernal set to lead the cast of werewolf-focused show that will air on Disney+, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
The Halloween Special is eyeing to begin production in early 2022.
While details about the project are being kept strictly under wraps, individuals with knowledge say the character may be based on Werewolf by Night, the name used by two separate Marvel characters.
The first, Jack Russell, was created by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog based on concepts by Stan Lee and Roy Thomas, and first appeared in a 1972 issue of Marvel Spotlight. Russell starred on an ongoing Werewolf by Night series that ran for 43 issues and ended in 1977.
Russell is a descendant of the mystically-altered offshoot of humans known as Lycanthropes, who eventually becomes capable of transforming on his own volition even without a full moon, and retaining his intellect while transformed. Among other things, that series is notable for having the first appearance of Moon Knight, a character whose own Disney+ series, starring Oscar Isaac, will stream in 2022.
Marvel introduced a second incarnation of the character, Jake Gomez, last year in Werewolf by Night (Vol. 3) #1. Created by the writing team of Taboo, Benjamin Jackendoff and Scot Eaton, Gomez, a member of the Hopi Native American tribe whose family has been cursed with lycanthropy, comes in conflict with a nefarious pharmaceutical company exploiting members of the tribe.
It’s not clear which, if either, version of Werewolf by Night will serve as inspiration for the TV special.
https://www.thewrap.com/gael-garcia-bernal-marvel-halloween-special/
Dragonlord’s Review of WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (No Spoilers)
Bottom Line: A nice throwback to the classic horror films of the black and white era, Werewolf by Night is a pleasant, spooky horror and a potential introduction to the Marvel Studios monster universe.
Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night is a Halloween television special that’s shown primarily in black and white. The story takes place in one night where a select group of monster hunters are invited to take part in a deadly competition with the winner being bestowed the powerful relic, the Bloodstone.
There are two central characters in here – Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly). Jack is an affable monster slayer who has an agenda on why he’s participating in the contest while hiding an even darker secret within him. Elsa, the estranged daughter of the late Ulysses Bloodstone, dislikes her family’s monster hunting tradition and is just there to claim her birthright, the Bloodstone.
The Halloween special has a run time of 53 minutes only. It’s a pretty lean, straightforward tale that features an adequate amount of spooky atmosphere, gripping storytelling, horror action commendable use of practical effects. Pleasantly surprised by some of the brutal kills/deaths towards the end. Though not a big fan but it’s appropriate in here, the werewolf design is similar to the Lon Chaney Jr. wolfman look.
Arguably stealing the show, Man-Thing makes his MCU debut and he looks absolutely fantastic. “Whoever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing’s touch” is the creature’s catchphrase and is faithfully executed in here.
Laura Donnelly, who was outstanding in the short-lived Victorian action series The Nevers, is terrific as Elsa Bloodstone. The actress has an impressive aura about her that gives her this innate confidence and intensity about her which makes here a superb leading heroine. She was equally good when she had to show fear when she was put in a very perilous situation.
Doing a solid job with his sophomore outing, the special is directed by brilliant composer Michael Giacchino of Lost, The Incredibles, The Batman fame). Werewolf by Night is fun entertainment and a love letter to the Universal Classic Monsters. Props to Marvel Studios for developing something so unconventional, this feels like the first step in a Marvel monster universe with more crossovers with characters like Blade, Moon Knight, Ghost Rider and the Midnight Sons/Suns.
RATING: 7.5 OUT OF 10 STARS
______________________________________________________
Update: November 4, 2021
Gael Garcia Bernal to Star in Marvel Studios' WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Halloween Special for Disney+
Marvel Studios’ search for a Latino lead for its as-yet-untitled Halloween special has ended, with Golden Globe winning Mexican actor Gael García Bernal set to lead the cast of werewolf-focused show that will air on Disney+, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
The Halloween Special is eyeing to begin production in early 2022.
While details about the project are being kept strictly under wraps, individuals with knowledge say the character may be based on Werewolf by Night, the name used by two separate Marvel characters.
The first, Jack Russell, was created by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog based on concepts by Stan Lee and Roy Thomas, and first appeared in a 1972 issue of Marvel Spotlight. Russell starred on an ongoing Werewolf by Night series that ran for 43 issues and ended in 1977.
Russell is a descendant of the mystically-altered offshoot of humans known as Lycanthropes, who eventually becomes capable of transforming on his own volition even without a full moon, and retaining his intellect while transformed. Among other things, that series is notable for having the first appearance of Moon Knight, a character whose own Disney+ series, starring Oscar Isaac, will stream in 2022.
Marvel introduced a second incarnation of the character, Jake Gomez, last year in Werewolf by Night (Vol. 3) #1. Created by the writing team of Taboo, Benjamin Jackendoff and Scot Eaton, Gomez, a member of the Hopi Native American tribe whose family has been cursed with lycanthropy, comes in conflict with a nefarious pharmaceutical company exploiting members of the tribe.
It’s not clear which, if either, version of Werewolf by Night will serve as inspiration for the TV special.
https://www.thewrap.com/gael-garcia-bernal-marvel-halloween-special/
