The Howling for Netflix, and it could serve to revive the werewolf genre. While werewolves are one of the most iconic monsters in the history of fiction, for whatever reason, they've never seemed to take off on the big screen in the way other archetypal creatures like vampires, ghosts, and demons have. While there are some truly great werewolf movies, the number is surprisingly small, with way more terrible ones out there.
As fate would have it, two of the most beloved werewolf films of all time arrived in the same year, 1981. The first of those was The Howling, an adaptation of Gary Brander's novel of the same name, directed by Joe Dante. The other was John Landis. The biggest differences between the two films were that American Werewolf was a comedic horror story while The Howling wasn't, and that American Werewolf had a considerably larger budget, enabling it to have more breathtaking transformation effects. Still, both films are considered top tier when it comes to werewolf cinema.
A remake of An American Werewolf in London has been threatened more than once, but never gotten off the ground. Just recently, it was announced that Andy Muschietti will direct a Howling remake for Netflix. Some horror fans are excited for Muschietti's take, while others wish Netflix would leave the classic tale alone. If done well though, this remake could be the shot in the arm cinematic werewolves need.
Andy Muschietti’s Howling Remake Could Revive Werewolf Movies
While IT and IT Chapter Two weren't perfect films, their success has basically written Attack on Titan adaptation, but Muschietti's Howling remake may prove to be his most important project
It's been a long time since Hollywood made an A-level werewolf movie, with the last instance being Universal's Wolf Man remake in 2010. Lycanthropes are badly in need of a cinematic revival, and Muschietti could be just the man to make that happen. While the final product will go to Netflix instead of theaters, nowadays The Irishman for proof.
As a side effect, if Muschietti succeeds in restoring the prestige of werewolf films, he'll also restore the formerly good name of The Howling itself, which has been horrifically damaged by the onslaught of terrible sequels made since 1981. No less than seven Howling sequels have been released, and every last one of them sucked, cementing The Howling as one of the most disappointing franchises in horror history. The Howling series is so bad that Hellraiser's sequels look upon it with pity. For now, it's unclear if Muschietti's Howling will remake the original movie directly or instead re-adapt the novel, but either way could work, if done right. It's time for werewolves to howl at the box office once again.
