We’re now just a little less than a week until Werewolf by Night premieres on Disney+. The first ever Marvel Studios Special Presentation has already garnered many positive reactions on social media from multiple reviewers. The special, directed by Michael Giacchino, stars Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell and Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone, as well as bring to live-action a Marvel monster fan favorite – Man-Thing.
In Werewolf By Night, a secret group of monster hunters convene at the Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. These hunters will partake in a competition for a powerful relic while encountering a dangerous monster that is currently posing as one of their own.
Marvel Studios head honcho, Kevin Feige, has disclosed that Werewolf by Night will introduce fans to “a world that will ultimately become quite important to the future of the MCU.” It’s difficult to picture how exactly this special will factor into the MCU. I hope this article will help answer that burning question.
[Warning: Potential spoilers for Werewolf by Night below!]
A new supernatural corner of the MCU
To start us off, let’s discuss when and where Werewolf by Night’s events currently take place. Although inspired by horror films from the 1930s-1940s, the events of the special are actually far from it. Per our sources, Werewolf by Night is not set in the past. The special coexists within the current events of the main Earth-616 timeline.
Additionally, we can confirm that the “ancient relic” featured in the special is in fact the Bloodgem of Ulysses Bloodstone. The Bloodgem is an extremely important element of Elsa’s comics and could be quite vital to the future of MCU.
Whether or not Werewolf by Night is part of the Earth-616 continuity or just part of the larger Marvel cinematic multiverse is a question best reserved for when the special premieres on Disney+. However, we can confirm through our trusted sources that both Jack Russell and Man-Thing are expected to appear in other Marvel Studios projects. And they won’t be alone.
The Marvel Monsters We Keep
Werewolf by Night will introduce a very important concept into the MCU. One that, as Feige explained, will change the landscape of the universe as we know it. Monsters exist in the MCU. However, this is not your typical case of introductions.
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But this isn’t like how She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is introducing new superpowered individuals into the MCU. In that show, individuals with powers (and mutants) are just now slowly starting to come out of the woodwork. Werewolf by Night will confirm monsters have existed in the MCU for a very long time.
According to our sources, many monsters and creatures have always lurked in the shadows of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. These creatures have been here since the dawn of the MCU and have existed for many centuries but only are now starting to appear because the MCU decided to shed light on this corner of storytelling.
What prevented these monsters from popping up in the MCU earlier?
Here’s where Werewolf By Night’s story gets interesting. According to our sources, the cabal of monster hunters that will convene at Bloodstone Temple has actually existed for generations. This group of monster hunters has kept many creatures at bay for centuries, forcing them into hiding and the shadows for that long.
This detail is intriguing as it is likely that this group of hunters could have ties to many characters in the MCU like the Eternals. Who’s to say one of the creatures this group has faced in the past was a Deviant? They can even introduce groups that have been potentially lurking in the shadows of the MCU, like the Order of Tyrana, the Montesi family, or Blade’s various vampire hunting teams.
However, following Werewolf By Night, their secrecy will no longer be the case. We are being told that in Phases 5 and 6 of the MCU, monsters will start to pop up more frequently in a number of projects. So, not only will Jack Russell and Man-Thing make waves in Earth-616, but also many sorts of creatures will pop up in the upcoming phases.
In what projects can we expect more monsters to show up?
According to our sources, following Werewolf By Night, you can expect monsters to be everywhere in the MCU. These creatures won’t just stay hidden in the shadows, but they will actually blend into our society, and we won’t be able to know who’s who. But they will be out there, living among our Marvel heroes and villains.
While the projects they’ll have a notable presence are not confirmed to us yet, we know that can expect these monsters to show up in projects that will explore a more supernatural tone compared to other MCU projects.
Titles such as Blade, Loki, Ironheart, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and a possible second season of Moon Knight are all candidates for creatures to pop up from their shadows. Seeing Man-Thing, Elsa Bloodstone, and the Werewolf By Night return in a potential Legion of Monsters or Midnight Sons project would make sense as well.
Only time will tell when and where we will see these creatures pop up now and again. But what do you think? Are you excited to see more monsters in the MCU? Which characters would you like to see? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter @mycosmiccircus!
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