In 2020, before the world fell apart, director Leigh Whannell introduced a profoundly intelligent interpretation of one of cinema’s most iconic adversaries: The Invisible Man. His rendition of the Universal Monster presented a completely fresh perspective on H.G. Wells’ original concept, transforming the narrative into a chilling story of gaslighting. Elisabeth Moss’ character, architect Cecilia, is convinced that her supposedly deceased abusive ex is still tormenting her. Now, Whannell is set to follow up The Invisible Man with another Universal Monster film, Wolf Man. This time, he offers a novel approach to the legendary werewolf myth.

In this film, Christopher Abbott’s character, Blake, is on the brink of experiencing lunar madness, plagued by a beast whose claw is gradually turning him into something else. As the premise indicates, Whannell’s Wolf Man will delve into the body-horror aspects intrinsic to the werewolf legend. He draws inspiration from one of the genre’s all-time greats. “What The Fly did, which many other practical-effects-driven horror movies of that era did not, was to highlight the tragedy within these effects,” he tells Empire. “The Fly wasn’t a joke; it was there to depict someone dying of an illness.” This is the essence he aims to bring to Wolf Man. “I thought, ‘I have to achieve that,’” he says. “It’s not about being funny, icky, or gory. It’s about the tragedy of the human body disintegrating.”

Blake’s tragedy will be observed by his wife, Charlotte, played by Julia Garner, and their daughter, Ginger (Matilda Firth). The family will soon face peril from within their own unit, and Whannell promises a fearless performance from Garner as Blake undergoes a transformation. “She will be the emotional anchor of this film,” he explains, “much like Shelley Duvall was in The Shining. You don’t get scared in The Shining without Shelley Duvall. So, I needed to find someone who could absorb the audience’s empathy. And she did an incredible job.” Get ready for a truly cinematic beast.

Read more about Wolf Man in Empire’s Ultimate 2025 Preview, featuring Andor Season 2, in the January 2025 issue. Pre-order a copy online here. Wolf Man hits UK cinemas from 17 January.

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