How the Wolf Man Worked a Real-Life Injury into the Story – What Happened?

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Each actor, Henry Hull (from “Werewolf of London”), Lon Chaney Jr. (“The Wolf Man“), David Naughton (“An American Werewolf in London”), and Benicio Del Toro (“The Wolfman”), has left an individual mark on their portrayals of a human transforming into a werewolf in a Universal Monster movie.

In “Wolf Man” (now playing; purchase tickets here), Universal presents a fresh take on werewolf folklore, written and directed by Leigh Whannell with his partner Corbett Tuck. The story, set in modern-day San Francisco, revolves around the Lovell family. Christopher Abbott, from “Poor Things”, portrays the werewolf with depth, initially as Blake Lovell, a caring stay-at-home dad to daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth), alongside his journalist wife Charlotte (Julia Garner). Following the death of his father, Blake persuades his family to spend the summer at his rural Oregon farm from his childhood. It is here that they confront their family secrets and past traumas.

At a recent showing of “Wolf Man” in Los Angeles, where SYFY WIRE was present, Whannell disclosed during a Q&A session that Abbott was initially suggested for the role of Blake. Remarkably dedicated to his craft, Abbott actually sustained an injury while performing for the film.

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Leigh Whannell on finding Wolf Man star Christopher Abbott in an Off-Broadway play

As it approached the time for filming “The Wolf Man,” Whannell went to New York City to witness Abbott’s performance during his end-of-2023 run in the Off-Broadway revival of John Patrick Shanley’s play, titled “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.

He performed a two-person Off-Broadway show alongside Aubrey Plaza,” Whannell reminisced. “I visited the theater. It was quite compact, even smaller than this room, and his stage presence was electrifying. There’s something unique about being physically close to someone, where they can literally strike you in the heart, making you sense that energy. His character in that play was a seething mass of suppressed anger.

After the play concluded, he went on to say that he sent an email to the folks at Universal late at night. He essentially wrote, “‘Chris is the one we need. He’s the perfect choice.’

Behind the scenes, Whannell revealed that he had his first encounter with Abbott. Abbott was calmly sipping wine, a stark contrast to the fiery performer he had just been on stage. “He was a whirlwind of energy before, but now he’s just taking it easy,” said Whannell. “It’s fascinating to see how easily he can switch from intense to relaxed. He’s quite intense when in action, but in casual conversation, he’s as calm and collected as can be.

The director said soon after Universal emailed back and said, “Okay” regarding casting Abbott.

I asked, “Is that all there is? No room for negotiation?” They replied, “Affirmative.” Getting Julia Garner on board as well turned out to be an added bonus.

Christopher Abbott’s stage injury follows him to Wolf Man

Notably, Abbott’s play concluded on the first day of January 2024, while the main staging of ‘Wolf Man’ started on the 17th of March, 2024, in Wellington, New Zealand.

The following evening after witnessing the performance, Abbott suffered a mid-show breakdown of his knee on stage. As he put it, “It splintered and I had to complete the rest of the play’s run with a fractured knee.” Subsequently, he underwent extensive reconstructive surgery. Upon arriving in New Zealand, he was still in recovery from that injury, but we managed to make use of his situation.

In the movie, you might notice some instances where it appears as if Abbott’s knee is slightly troubling him during his werewolf transformation. This is because his character is struggling internally.

Wolf Man is now in theaters everywhere. Get tickets at Fandango.

When will Wolf Man stream on Peacock?

The new Wolf Man will stream on Peacock later this year. Check back for more updates!

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2025-01-20 17:01