Where Horror Fails: The Chilling Truth Behind ‘The Wolfman’ Reboot

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  • A Bad Moon Rising
  • The All Important Make-Up Transformation
  • A Troubled Score
  • ‘The Wolfman‘ Finally Hits Theaters
  • The Legacy of ‘The Wolfman’

Among the Universal Monsters, The Wolfman stands out as a distinct character. Unlike Dracula and Frankenstein, who have roots in literature, The Wolfman and his human counterpart, Lawrence Talbot, were created by Universal Pictures, based on folklore surrounding werewolves. Although 1941’s “The Wolf Man” was not the studio’s first werewolf film (that honor goes to 1935’s “Werewolf in Paris”), it has left an indelible mark on horror cinema. Lon Channey Jr.’s portrayal of the character adds a tragic dimension, making The Wolfman one of the most poignant Universal Monsters. Jack Pierce’s makeup design is instantly recognizable, and the film itself shaped how werewolves are perceived in popular culture for generations. Its impact can be seen in almost every subsequent werewolf movie. In 2025, Leigh Whannell plans to revisit the monster on the big screen with “Wolf Man,” aiming to revitalize the character as he did with “The Invisible Man.

As a devoted admirer, I must confess that the upcoming “Wolf Man” isn’t the first time this legendary creature has been given a fresh lease of life on the big screen. Universal Pictures’ initial attempt to resurrect this iconic monster in a solo film (excluding “Van Helsing”) was a production fraught with trouble, ultimately leading to one of their most significant box office disappointments. “The Wolfman” boasted an illustrious cast including Academy Award winners Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins, future Oscar nominee Emily Blunt, and beloved performer Hugo Weaving in a grand gothic horror remake. This blockbuster production of “The Wolfman,” however, was plagued with obstacles behind the scenes, and here’s a glimpse into its tumultuous journey and how it all went terribly awry.

A Bad Moon Rising

In March 2006, Universal Pictures announced a remake of “The Wolf Man,” simplifying its title to “The Wolfman.” Benicio Del Toro was cast as the lead, as he had been an admirer of the original 1941 film. The decision to remake “The Wolfman” followed the underwhelming performance of “Van Helsing” in 2004, which fell flat at the box office and did not rekindle the success of Universal Monsters like “The Mummy” did back in 1999.

As the screenwriter behind the gripping thriller “Se7en” and the chilling gothic horror film “Sleepy Hollow,” Andrew Kevin Walker was recruited to draft the script for a project. In February 2007, Mark Romanek, renowned for his lesser-known yet captivating thriller “One Hour Photo,” took on the role of director for The Wolfman, with an initial release date set for November 14, 2008. This was one of several planned release dates for the film. Romanek’s appointment as director was a surprising choice, but in a 2013 interview with Collider, he and Benicio Del Toro expressed their desire to “inject a blend of cinematic artistry into a mainstream movie” – a popcorn flick, as they put it. However, creative disagreements between Romanek and the studio led to his departure from the project just 11 months later, in January 2008.

To avoid delaying the release date, Universal Pictures hurriedly sought a new director instead of postponing the production start. However, this swift action turned out to be futile as the film was eventually delayed several times due to numerous reshoots. Among the potential directors were Bill Condon and Martin Campbell. The studio also approached Brett Ratner, James Mangold, and Joe Johnston for directing, with Joe Johnston being appointed on February 3, 2008, a mere month before filming was due to commence.

Due to limited time, Johnson found himself hastily shaping the movie using materials previously developed by Romanek. David Self, known for his work on Road to Perdition, was brought in for a swift rewrite, and filming started on March 3, 2008. However, during production, Universal Pictures decided to postpone the release until February 13, 2009, which is ideal for horror films. In fact, the new Friday the 13th movie would take that date, making it a challenge for The Wolfman not to clash with Jason Voorhees’ day. Consequently, the release was pushed back to April 3, 2009. This was the third planned release date, but not the final one.

The All Important Make-Up Transformation

When word broke out about a new version of “The Wolfman,” it was only logical that Rick Baker would be considered for the design role. After all, he had won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Makeup with his work on the 1981 film “American Werewolf in London.” This werewolf design and transformation were so revolutionary that they even created an Oscar category to acknowledge it. Since then, Baker has been synonymous with werewolves in Hollywood, having designed them for shows like “Werewolf,” “Wolf,” and “Cursed.” Being a fan of the original 1941 film and also finding inspiration from the 1931 “Frankenstein,” Baker jumped at the opportunity, and Universal Pictures didn’t hesitate to sign him on.

In their collaboration, Baker and Del Toro meticulously crafted the appearance of the Wolfman character. Despite various design iterations by Romanek for the central monster, Baker and Del Toro remained firm on the Wolfman emulating the makeup conceived by Jack Pierce for the 1941 film. With Johnson joining just three weeks prior to shooting, he lacked the opportunity to create or plan the Wolfman’s transformation make-up, so it was decided to utilize CGI for the transformation sequence, which unfortunately did not sit well with Baker.

In 2008, Rick Baker was interviewed by MovieWeb. At that time, Baker expressed satisfaction with his work but also expressed frustration about some aspects of the movie-making process. He made it clear he had no desire to direct, as he felt that established filmmakers often lose control over their films due to numerous suggestions from producers, which seemed to be a reference to “The Wolfman.” He stated, “They’re produced by committee, directed by committee. That’s the reason I had thousands of designs because I had an army of producers who had ideas and input.

In stark contrast to the initial pessimism surrounding The Wolfman’s box office performance, this film managed to secure an Academy Award for Best Makeup at the 83rd ceremony. This recognition went to Baker and makeup supervisor Dave Elsey in their acceptance speech, which was brief, consisting mainly of a heartfelt thank you to his wife. However, just a few months after receiving the Oscar, Baker shared his disappointment with IndieWire, expressing that much of his work did not make it to the final screen version. He lamented, “The entire transformation was digitally created, but it was largely based on my ideas and sculptures. Unfortunately, I felt sidelined from this aspect, and I’m still feeling the aftermath of it.

A Troubled Score

Besides its problematic elements, the troubled aspect of “The Wolfman” also included issues with its music. Danny Elfman was chosen as the film’s composer, as the creators aimed for an ominous, mysterious, and somber soundtrack. Given Elfman’s highly gothic score for “Sleepy Hollow,” he appeared to be the ideal candidate. However, Universal Pictures declined Elfman’s score after approximately 30 minutes were removed from the film. Unfortunately, Elfman couldn’t return to compose the movie because he was already occupied with working on “Alice in Wonderland” for Tim Burton. As a result, the producers opted to take a different approach with the score.

Driven by a snippet from the trailer set to electronic music, Universal Pictures aimed to create a rapid-fire electronic soundtrack that would intensify the film’s tempo and boost excitement. This change necessitated additional filming for certain scenes to align with this increased pace. Originally, Paul Haslinger was enlisted to recompose the movie. However, in January 2010, a single month before the theatrical release of The Wolfman, Haslinger’s score was dismissed, and Danny Elfman’s original composition was reinstated. A team of composers was then brought on to refashion Elfman’s work to suit the revised version of the movie.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that the original editor was dismissed from the project and was subsequently replaced by esteemed editors Dennis Virkler and Walter Murch. Virkler gained recognition with his Academy Award nomination for 1993’s “The Fugitive,” a film marked by production challenges and a tight deadline between principal photography and its release date. Murch, on the other hand, is renowned for his contributions to Francis Ford Coppola films such as “The Godfather” trilogy, “The Conversation,” and “Apocalypse Now.” The continuous changes between a melancholic score, an electronic score, multiple editors, and two directors revealed a larger problem with the remake: there was uncertainty about what vision they aimed to achieve.

‘The Wolfman’ Finally Hits Theaters

In the span of three days, The Wolfman earned approximately $31 million, landing it at the second spot on the box office chart, trailing behind Valentine’s Day – a romantic comedy. Given that Presidents’ Day was upon us, the movie managed to rake in an additional $4 million over the extended weekend, dropping down to third place as Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief took the lead. A $35 million opening for a horror film is considered quite commendable. If The Wolfman had stuck to its original budget of $85 million, this opening would have been deemed as a strong start with the potential of recouping the investment at the box office and through video rentals and DVD sales.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I’ve got to admit that the unexpected six-week reshoots really added up. Not only did we have two different composers working on the scores, but one of those ended up getting scrapped altogether. This undeniably inflated the film budget to an eye-popping $150 million, making it the priciest horror movie at its release and now second only to World War Z. Regrettably, despite the significant investment, The Wolfman could only manage a domestic gross of $61 million and a worldwide total of $139 million, falling short of its budget.

The movie titled “The Wolfman” did not receive positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it scored a 32% based on 220 reviews. Critics found that the main character in “The Wolfman” and the movie itself both had confusion about their identities. A critic named A.O. Scott from The New York Times made this observation. Another reviewer, Jen Yamato who won the 2024 ICG Publicists Press Award, wrote for Movies.com (now Fandango) that “The Wolfman” lacked real tension and suspense, instead relying on numerous cheap jump scares and loud scary noises more than all J-horror films combined. The harshest criticism might have come from Ed Gonzalez at Slant Magazine, who said that if only “The Wolfman” were incredibly bad, it would at least have been an enjoyable experience at the movies.

The Legacy of ‘The Wolfman’

The underperformance at the box office of “The Wolfman” had far-reaching consequences that may not have been immediately apparent. As a result, Universal Pictures hesitated to invest in another expensive R-rated period horror film like At the Mountain of Madness, which was slated for production by Guillermo del Toro and James Cameron. Instead, they shifted their focus from reviving their classic monster franchises with a horror approach to incorporating elements more commonly found in superhero films. For instance, “Dracula Untold” attempted to mimic the origin story style of “Batman Begins,” while “The Mummy” aimed to emulate the success of “Iron Man” or “Man of Steel” and establish a shared universe named The Dark Universe in 2014 and 2017, respectively.

Over the years, The Wolfman has developed quite a dedicated fanbase, partly because of its unique gothic style in production design, a departure from many modern horror movies that opt for contemporary settings. Additionally, the exceptional makeup design of The Wolfman has contributed to this, offering a harmonious blend of honoring the original while giving it a fresh, modern twist. Upon its home video release, some positive feedback was generated, particularly with the “Unrated Director’s Cut,” which included 17 extra minutes, such as Max von Sydow’s scene that didn’t make it into the initial film.

Approximately a year following the release of “The Wolfman,” Universal Studios President Ronald Meyer supervised filmmaking and expressed his displeasure about the movie to The Guardian, stating, “One of the worst movies we ever made… The script wasn’t right… The director was wrong… Benicio [del Toro] stunk. It all stunk.” This comment appears rather hypocritical since he primarily blames the creative team and assumes minimal responsibility as the studio head who expedited production after the original director departed, which led to additional filming that may not have been necessary if there hadn’t been a rush. Meyer also neglected to mention the studio’s insistence on an electronic score to mimic “Underworld,” before eventually reverting back to the initial score that the director had envisioned.

Contrary to Meyer’s belief, The Wolfman has managed to appeal to viewers with time. Though it may not meet everyone’s standards, it’s a remake that carries a layer of both tragic and beautiful elements, much like the title creature itself. Some audiences have found these aspects to be misconstrued or underestimated.

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2025-01-19 07:02