The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been exploring some interesting directions with its latest phase. With films like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s safe to say that the franchise is exploring more of its horror potential. As such, it’s fitting that a Halloween special in the form of a Werewolf by Night adaptation is in the works. Many details regarding the Werewolf by Night special have been kept under wraps – but now they may have just leaked.
The plot details were revealed via Reddit, and surprisingly, they’re incredibly in-depth. In fact, the alleged plot details actually describe the special in its entirety. As such, major spoilers are attached below, so be warned. But rest assured – it sounds like it could be a lot of fun for fans hoping to see a more simplistic horror-themed romp in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
First off, many fans have expected that the special would include references to Marvel’s other supernatural and horror-adjacent characters like Moon Knight or Mahershala Ali’s character Blade. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s the case with this special. It’s actually a stand-alone story that opens with “a Hitchcock-style introduction.”
The introduction then leads us to Jack Russell, a man being chased by a bounty hunter, and Russell eventually manages to kill him. After stealing his identification, there’s a quick “exposition dump” regarding “the bloodstone legacy.” This leads Jack to Bloodstone Manor under the guise of the bounty hunter he just killed. At this point, he meets Elsa Bloodstone, and a number of bounty hunters are at the location. They’re all revealed to be monster hunters.
As it turns out, they’ve all been brought to carry out the will of Elsa Bloodstone’s late father. It turns out that he’s tasking the bounty hunters to track down a supernatural creature: Man-Thing! As the characters continue to cross paths, Jack eventually sides with Man-Thing, and the two discover a connection between one another. This allows Jack to see Man-Thing is actually being caused pain by an object called the Bloodstone. As Jack attempts to remove it, the bounty hunters approach and stop him.
At this point, we discover a villain named “Harris” actually gathered the bounty hunters to trap Jack instead. We discover that she wants to use his werewolf form with the Bloodstone. Of course, once he transforms, he easily fights off the guards and bounty hunters. He stops himself from hurting Elsa, however, and she manages to take on the rest of the guards herself. This allows Man-Thing the opportunity to stop “Harris” and Elsa gives him directions to find Jack. Harris’ death is described as a “pretty hilariously gruesome death” where she “burst into flames.” By the end, Elsa reclaims the Bloodstone and her legacy. A final scene is then revealed where Jack wakes up and sees Man-Thing. The two decide to go get sushi together.
One additional detail is that the titular werewolf is allegedly a practical effect. Specifically, it was compared to the practical makeup effects used in the classic Planet of the Apes films. If that’s true, then this should certainly be an exciting addition to Marvel canon – especially for those who want to see some old school monster movie aesthetics pour into the MCU.
The upcoming Werewolf by Night special will be directed by Michael Giacchino. The screenplay was written by Taboo Nawasha and Benjamin Jackendoff. Fans will have to wait and see whether or not these allegedly leaked Werewolf by Night details turn out to be true. With October fast-approaching, however, we might get the answer sooner than we think.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for additional updates regarding Werewolf by Night as we have them.