Universal has been trying to revitalize its iconic monsters for years. After the critical and financial failure of The Mummy brought their plans for a monster cinematic universe to a halt, the studio came up with a new strategy, one that allowed more creative freedom. With fresh reinventions of classic characters in films such as The Invisible Man and Renfield, it was only time before the studio would want to revisit The Wolf Man.

Wolf Man was originally announced in 2020 hot off the heels. While not much is known about the plot, it is said to follow a man who is attempting to protect his family against - you guessed it - a werewolf.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on April 18, 2024.

When Is the Release Date for 'Wolf Man'?

Four years after Wolf Man was announced in 2020, a release date for the film has finally been announced: January 17, 2025. Currently opening the same weekend is Guy Ritchie's In the Grey starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill, and David Ayer's Levon's Trade starring Jason Statham and David Harbour. While January used to be viewed as a "dumping ground" for bad movies, that stigma has changed over the past few years with critical and financial hits such as Bad Boys for Life, Kung Fu Panda 3, Split, and M3GAN. Wolf Man was previously scheduled for release on October 25, 2024, but was delayed.

Is There a Trailer for 'Wolf Man'?

Since the film is just beginning production, there isn't yet a trailer for Wolf Man; however, you can watch the Universal Pictures classic Wolf Man, which originally premiered in 1941 and starred Lon Chaney Jr. as The Wolf Man. The film also starred Claude Rains, Ralph Bellamy, Warren William, and Patrick Knowles. The original film was so popular among audiences that it generated multiple sequels and many fans of Lon Chaney Jr.'s character Larry Talbot, aka The Wolf Man. You can click the link below to purchase or rent the film on Amazon Prime Video.

Rent on Prime Video

Who Stars In 'Wolf Man'?

Three years after Ryan Gosling was slated as the lead in Blumhouse and Universal Pictures' remake of Wolf Man, it has now been announced that the Barbie star is being replaced by Christopher Abbott.

So far, Christopher Abbott is the only actor credited for Wolf Man. Abbott is currently enjoying the success of his latest film Poor Things, co-starring Emma Stone, and the film is a favorite of the approaching awards season. Abbott has also appeared in the hit HBO show Girls, as well as Hulu's Catch-22 limited series, and the Apple TV+ drama The Crowded Room alongside Tom Holland. Abbott will also star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson in this year's superhero movie Kraven the Hunter.

Julia Garner was added to the cast in January 2024, as "a mother whose family is being terrorized by a lethal predator." Garner is most known for her 3-time Emmy-winning role as Ruth Langmore on the Netflix series Ozark. She also starred as con artist Anna Delvey in the hit Netflix limited series Inventing Anna. She has also starred in films and series such as Maniac, The Americans, The Assistant, Waco, and most recently, The Royal Hotel.

Also joining the cast of Wolf Man are Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid's Tale) and Matilda Firth (Disenchanted) in undisclosed roles.

Do We Know What 'Wolf Man' Is About?

Very little plot information for the upcoming Wolf Man has been released. All that is known is that the film focuses on a man who is forced to protect his family from a werewolf. Back when Gosling was attached to star in the film, it was said that the film would follow an anchorman who gets infected by the curse, however, it seems that the plot has changed.

The 1941 version of the film followed the story of Larry Talbot (Chaney), a man who returns to Wales to reconcile with his father. While there, he stabs a werewolf who is attacking a young woman. Larry is then bitten by the wolf, thus turning into one himself. Even more terrifying is the fact that Larry turns into a wolf every night, not just on full moons, and has no recollection of his actions, or who he harms, when he returns to his human form. Two years after the release of Wolf Man, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man was released. In this sequel, Larry is brought back to life by grave robbers who dig him up and expose him to the full moon. In an attempt to return to the grave, Larry must rid himself of the werewolf gene, and, to do this, he seeks the help of Dr. Frankenstein.

More recently was the 2010 box office flop The Wolfman starring Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt, with the same plot as the 1941 film. Due to the movie's lackluster sales, combined with the same performance in 2017's The Mummy, Universal seemed to want to stray away from going full in on their exploration of the Universal Monsters.

However, when Gosling had the lead in the 2024 adaption, he was reportedly pitching his story ideas to writers for this upcoming remake. Since Gosling is still listed as an executive producer on the project, combined with his continually rising star power as an actor, he may still have some say over the storyline of the new film.

Who Is Making 'Wolf Man'?

Another switch-up in production comes with re-instated director Leigh Whannell, who was originally slated as director before being temporarily replaced by Derek Cianfrance. Cianfrance had previously directed Gosling in several films, including Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines. This isn't Whannell's first directing gig as he'd previously directed the critically acclaimed The Invisible Man and Upgrade.

As previously mentioned, Leigh Whannell will be directing the film. Whannell found major success in the 2020 Elizabeth Moss-starring film The Invisible Man, which has similar themes to a Universal Monster picture. The film tells the story of Moss's character Celia as she navigates life after the death of her abusive ex, all the while believing she is being haunted by a being that no one can see. Moss's co-star, Oliver Jackson-Cohen (The Haunting of Hill House), takes on a role reminiscent of a "mad scientist." While it isn't the same plot as the 1933 Universal film of the same name, 2020's The Invisible Man, alongside Whannell's directing, proved that audiences still love a good monster story.

Whannell also penned the script for the film alongside his wife Corbett Tuck. A previous draft of the film's script was written by Dumb Money scribes Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo.

Jason Blum will be producing Wolf Man, marking his second venture into the world of Universal monsters after The Invisible Man. With Blumhouse's horror expertise (and gigantic success) with films like Get Out, The Black Phone, and Paranormal Activity, the addition of Blum is incredibly valuable to the reboot.

Executive producers on the film include Whannell, Ryan Gosling, Ken Kao (The Favourite), and Mel Turner.

When and Where Did 'Wolf Man' Film?

Filming for Wolf Man began in March 2024, with Jason Blum announcing the start of production on X.

Production is taking place in New Zealand.