The next horror remake starring a classic monster is Leigh Whannell’sWolf Man, and its differences from the original monster make a lot more sense now. Leigh Whannell has become one of the modern Masters of Horror thanks to his work in the franchisesSaw(co-created with James Wan) andInsidious, and he has recently focused on bringing classic horror characters back to life. In 2020, Whannell wrote and directed a new take onThe Invisible Man, and he’s now preparing for the release ofWolf Man, in 2025.
Whannell’sWolf Manis a rebootof the 1941 horror classicThe Wolf Man, directed by George Waggner – and as such, it’s adapted to the modern day. Whannell’s take onThe Invisible Manwas a critical and commercial success, so there’s a lot of anticipation around his new version of the Wolf Man, as well as questions about whether these two films could be somehow connected or not.Whannell is aiming for something different withWolf Man, and his vision is now a lot clearer and sounds quite exciting.
Wolf Man’s Director Wanted It To Be Completely Different From Other Werewolf Movies
Leigh Whannell Has A Clear Vision For His Wolf Man Movie
Wolf Manwill take viewers to San Francisco to meet Blake (Christopher Abbott), a husband and father who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his father disappears and is presumed dead. With his marriage not going well lately, Blake convinces his wife, Charlotte (Julia Garner), to take a break from the city and visit the house with their daughter, Ginger (Matilda Firth). As they approach the house,the family is attacked by an unseen animaland barricades themselves inside the house as the creature continues to prowl outside.
Wolf Man Cast & Character Guide
2025’s Wolf Man reboot is led by some exciting stars. Here’s the main cast and who they’ll be playing in Leigh Whannell’s monster horror flick.
However,Blake begins to act strangely and goes through a disturbing physical transformation, leaving him completely unrecognizable and putting Charlotte and Ginger in great danger. Speaking toEmpirein September 2024,Whannell explainedhe took a similar approach withWolf Manas he did withThe Invisible Manin terms of not trying to make a throwback movie. Instead, what Whannell wants to do is something different with the character, and whileThe Invisible Manwas more of a psychological thriller with hints of horror,he wants his version ofWolf Manto be “pure horror”.
Whannell hopes for the audience to see a werewolf movie that they have never seen before when his project comes out.
Whannell added that he made notes of what had been done with the Wolf Man character before and used it as a list of what not to do in his movie. That way, Whannell hopes for the audience to see a werewolf movie that they have never seen before when his project comes out – and that’s the reaction there was to his version ofThe Invisible Man, which, instead of focusing on the reclusive character from the 1933 movie, told a story of domestic abuse and trauma.
Wolf Man’s Trailer & Appearance Teases Just How Different It Will Be
Wolf Man’s First Look Has Sparked Some Debate
At the time of writing,Wolf Manis scheduled for a August 02, 2025, release, but a teaser has already been released. However, to keep the mystery around the title character,the first teaser trailer forWolf Mandoesn’t show Blake’s werewolf look, instead giving quick glimpses at his hands and arms. However, as brief as these looks are, they hint at a completely different design for Whannell’s werewolf.
These hints show thatAbbott’s character won’t be overly hairy, unlike the classic image of the Wolf Man – however, it’s likely that those looks come from parts of the movie before Blake’s full transformation. A costumed Wolf Man was shown at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event, and as it usually shows movie-accurate costumes, this is thebest look at Abbott’s Wolf Manso far – and it’s fitting with the quick glimpses at him in the teaser.
Lon Chaney’s Wolf Man was covered in hair and was more of a beast than a man, whereas Abbott’s version is more of a human/beast hybrid. Of course, it’s to be seen what the psychological changes in Blake will be when he transforms into the Wolf Man, as well as whether he will retain some of his humanity or not.
Will Wolf Man’s Differences Improve The Reboot?
Wolf Man Has A Bright Future Ahead
BeforeThe Invisible Manwas released, there were some doubts about how well Whannell’s changes to the story and characters would work – and it turned out great. Thanks to that, there’s less pressure onWolf Man, but there’s still a lot of anticipation and questions surrounding the project. Whannell’s idea forWolf Manshould give viewers more hope in the project as it meansit won’t be a remake nor a retelling of the well-known story of the Wolf Man, so instead of going back into familiar territory, it will offer something new and fresh.
On the other hand, the story and image of the Wolf Man are more known and popular than the Invisible Man, sosomething new and different might throw off viewers who expect the traditional elements, design, and lore of the Wolf Man.Wolf Manhas big chances of succeeding, but until a full look at Abbott’s transformation is revealed, the differences with the classic character won’t be clearer.
Wolf Man
Wolf Man, released on June 24, 2025, follows Blake and his wife Charlotte as they visit his secluded childhood home in rural Oregon. After a mysterious animal attack, they become trapped inside, and Charlotte is forced to confront Blake’s disturbing transformation amidst growing tension and fear.
