2025's the Universal monster movies of the 1930s & '40s, which saw them paired with the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the Mummy, and more. Especially given Universal's attempt to create a Marvel-like universe with these titles in 2017's The Mummy reboot, franchise questions are prevalent with the new reboot.
Wolf Man is set to premiere in January 2025, with Leigh Whannell directing the project. Poor Things star Christopher Abbott will play the titular character, with actress Julia Garner as his co-star. The film will arrive in a wave of rebooted versions of famous monster movie titles, with Robert Eggers' Nosferatu premiering only weeks before, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein set for a release later in 2025, and Maggie Gyllenhaal directing a reboot of Bride of Frankenstein, titled The Bride! The Wolf Man reboot is part of a larger trend, but it may not be part of a larger universe.
Wolf Man Is Not Confirmed To Connect To The Invisible Man
Wolf Man Is Currently Planned As A Standalone
Despite both movies being directed by Leigh Whannell and being connected through a previous franchise, there's nothing to indicate that Wolf Man will be connected to 2020's The Invisible Man. The Wolf Man reboot has been in development for several years, and it's possible that earlier plans for the movie saw it connected with other films. However, the current release slate offers no indication of connections between any of the various monster movies. Wolf Man looks to be a standalone modern exploration of a classic character.
Leigh Whannell should be a well-known name to horror fans, as he's contributed to some of the most iconic works in the genre over the past two decades. Whannell co-wrote the original Saw movie and several of its sequels alongside director James Wan. The pair also collaborated on the Insidious franchise. So far, The Invisible Man is Whannell's best work as a director. Though he may have had experience with horror franchises in the past, his Wolf Man reboot claims to be a standalone installment.
How An Invisible Man & Wolf Man Crossover Could Work
The Mix Of Monster Movie Tones Could Be A Ton Of Fun
The way the original Universal Monster movies worked was that each monster had its own individual origin story film with subsequent sequels but also participated in larger crossover movies. It was plotted out similarly to modern movie franchises but without any sort of cohesive narrative connecting the films. Aside from a few gems like Bride of Frankenstein, these movies weren't particularly character-driven, which the modern Wolf Man seems intent on correcting. Typically, crossover movies would see the monsters somehow uniting at a certain location, often doing battle with each other or chasing the same prey.
What Christopher Abbott's Wolf Man Looks Like
2025's Wolf Man movie puts Christopher Abbott in the lead role, but the character's design is new. Here's how its different from the previous movies.
The Invisible Man and the Wolf Man never had a direct crossover with each other, but they both appeared in the crossover Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, along with Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. A crossover directly between these characters would allow for an engaging exploration of the clashing tones of their stories. Especially given the familiarity of both movies sharing the same director, they'd be in safe hands, and it could set a precedent for future monster movies.
Wolf Man & Invisible Man Could Relaunch The Dark Universe
Leigh Whannell's Movies Have Set The Tone For A Franchise (But They Don't Have To)
The Dark Universe was Universal Studios' aforementioned attempt at a Marvel-like franchise, spawning from Tom Cruise's ill-fated The Mummy reboot. Like many companies at the time who sought to share in the glory of Marvel's box office success, the Dark Universe jumped into its franchise ambitions too quickly and too boldly, only for it to come crashing down after just one awfully received movie. If Wolf Man becomes a success, Universal may have its pieces ready to lay out the foundation for a newly formed Dark Universe, though it would be a major risk.
Not every movie title needs to be expanded into a cinematic universe
Failing at a massive franchise once isn't ideal, but failing at it twice is even worse, especially when it risks damaging material audiences really enjoyed. Universal may have better luck sticking to the formula of individual monster horror movies, elevating the material from their classic movies to pack a modern punch. Not every movie title needs to be expanded into a cinematic universe after all, but building a cohesive narrative between films allows for audiences to engage with the characters in movies like Wolf Man in a way they might not otherwise.
Wolf Man, released on January 15, 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.
- Cast
- Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Ben Prendergast, Benedict Hardie, Beatriz Romilly, Milo Cawthorne
- Director
- Leigh Whannell
- Writers
- Leigh Whannell, Rebecca Angelo
