‘Wolf Man’ Director Leigh Whannell Is Purposefully Staying Away From Werewolf Conventions In His Take

JB Augustine |

Sep 25, 2024

Big mistake — Benicio del Toro in full makeup looks at an idiot in The Wolfman (2010), Universal Pictures

In a new look at the movie and a peek behind the scenes, we are learning that Blumhouse’s Wolf Man is not going to be like other werewolf films. Or, rather, director Leigh Whannell tried to set it apart blatantly.

Werewolf and gargoyle — The werewolf has a gargoyle eye view in The Wolfman (2010), Universal Pictures

As he told Empire, Whannell made a list of things that he wanted to avoid when crafting what he considers a “straight-up” horror, and a sort of spiritual sequel to The Invisible Man.

“[Wolf Man] is me saying, ‘I just wanted to make something that is straight-up, pure horror.’ I think of it as a companion piece to The Invisible Man,” he began (via JoBlo).

Wolf Man rampage — The werewolf (Benicio del Toro) sees its next meal in The Wolfman (2010), Universal Pictures

“I didn’t want this film to be a nostalgic or a retro Wolf Man film in any way. [I was] actually writing down in my notepad everything that’s been done, and then saying, ‘Okay, that’s the list of what not to do,’” he elaborated.

Whannell took a moment to reflect on the evolution of his directorial career over the past decade. “Upgrade was more sci-fi action. I was watching a lot of domestic thrillers when I wrote The Invisible Man, because I love that genre,” he said.

Elisabeth Moss reminds her stalker boyfriend to paint the attic in The Invisible Man (2020), Universal Pictures

Empire also provided an image from the film showing star Christopher Abbott on the floor of a cabin. He is seen reaching for a hammer and his arm is bandaged to address the wound that starts the madness in these affairs.

So as much as Whannell wants to eschew clichés, the basic elements are going to remain the same, even slightly. Empire’s sneak peek indicates this with details that sound very familiar.

Abbott plays a father who moves his family to a remote area, and away from the nearest bustling metropolis, for a new life. However, they find themselves stalked and “terrorized by a lethal predator.” You know what that means.

For Whannell, it means an experience that defies audience expectations. “I’m hoping that you go in and say, ‘Oh wow, I haven’t seen that werewolf movie before,’ when the lights come up,“ he said.