The brand-new remake of the 1941 original film, Wolf Man, is soon to be released in theaters across the country. The film will presumably follow a werewolf attack on an Oregon townhouse. While viewers wait, there are several different werewolf moves to watch that will not only satisfy their curiosity, but prepare them to watch the upcoming film as well.
Critics’ thoughts on the film have already begun flooding in, with Wolf Man already holding a score on Rotten Tomatoes. This has only led more people to wonder what the movie will be like when it finally releases. Reviews have called Wolf Man a fun monster movie, but viewers will be able to decide for themselves once the film finally releases on January 17th.
10
Bad Moon (1996)
Based On A Novel By Wayne Smith
The story of Bad Moon begins with Ted and his girlfriend Marjorie on a journalist’s expedition in the country of Nepal. Things quickly take a turn for the worse when the two of them are attacked by a werewolf, which ends up killing Marjorie and biting Ted on the shoulder. Mourning Marjorie’s death, Ted isolates himself in the woods, only visited by his sister Janet and her son Brett.
Bad Moon is based on a novel called Thor, written by author Wayne Smith, which is written primarily from the point of view of a dog named Thor.
The film is full of personal tension, as it slowly devolves into a painful back and forth between Ted and Janet as he begins to turn into a werewolf. The idea itself is an interesting one, tying this idea of family to the horrors of the monster itself. Still, the movie has moments of silliness that can take viewers out of the story, intended or otherwise.
9
Late Phases (2014)
An Interesting Indie Horror Drama
Another werewolf film that heavily features a main character with a dog, Late Phases details the lives of a blind war veteran named Ambrose and his son, Will. A string of murders pushes people into fear around town, and Ambrose finds himself attacked by an unseen force. It is quickly revealed that the monster responsible for the death and destruction around town is actually a werewolf.
Despite receiving mixed reviews, the consensus about Late Phases is that the film is a thrilling one. More than anything, it is violent and gory, showing exactly just how far the werewolf film can go in the modern day. The film is a decade old, and even now the gore holds up in a way that shows how promising other werewolf movies can be.
8
Silver Bullet (1985)
Based On Stephen King’s Original Story
Based on one of Stephen King’s most chilling stories, Silver Bullet is a film that starts with a series of murders in the small town of Tarker’s Mills, Maine. The town eventually bands together to hunt down the killer, only to find a werewolf at the heart of it all. Equal parts character study and horror drama, this film takes its time to delve into the monsters at the movie’s core.
Equal parts character study and horror drama, this film takes its time to delve into the monsters at the movie’s core.
Though the film itself isn’t necessarily surprising, the climax is an incredible testament to horror writing. The movie is very creepy, making its werewolves seem more like this creeping, otherworldly, and ᴅᴇᴀᴅly force. It is an interesting entry into a very long list of werewolf movies, and Stephen King’s involvement both in the writing of the original and the making of the film makes it that much more notable.
7
Dog Soldiers (2002)
Werewolf Fiction Becomes A Unique Action Horror Film
Taking a more action-focused route than many werewolf horror movies, Dog Soldiers revolves around a squad of soldiers that must defend themselves against a werewolf attack. They do so in what quickly becomes an incredible horror spectacle. Bombs, guns, and all sorts of different weapons are used to defend in the attack, creating a film that is unique for the way that it handles the horrific threat of werewolves.
There are few werewolf movies that rely so heavily on action, and Dog Soldiers is one of the best. Not only does it feature an all-star cast including Sean Pertwee and Liam Cunningham, but it also builds tension in the moments between action set pieces. It has since gained a cult following, cementing this memorable film amid a genre packed with films.
6
The Wolfman (2010)
The Original’s Most Recent Remake
Before the 2025 film was conceived, the 2010 film The Wolfman was the original remake of the 1941 classic. Starring Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, and Emily Blunt, the film follows an American actor in the 1800s who returns to his family in England. However, he is bitten by a werewolf and is cursed to roam the forest as a monster.
Although the film is a truly atmospheric one, it ultimately fails to live up to the expectations set by the original film. Still, it is important to watch the film to see the path this story has taken over the years, to ultimately compare and contrast them to each other. It will be interesting to see if 2025’s Wolf Man will be an improvement on the 2010 flop, adding to the legacy of this iconic story.
5
Van Helsing (2004)
Hugh Jackman Gives An Iconic Performance
Following the тιтular character in his hunt to kill a variety of monsters straight out of several gothic horror stories, Van Helsing is an amalgamation of some of the best monster stories ever told. This includes the werewolf, a monster that ends up playing an especially important role throughout the film. This is because Van Helsing inevitably becomes a werewolf himself, becoming the very thing he set out to destroy.
Hugh Jackman’s iconic performance has, in part, attributed to this film’s continued popularity. Aside from this, Van Helsing manages to be fun from beginning to end, not intending to scare but rather to be an interesting look at so many different figures from literature. It is fun to watch for that reason alone, showing off several stories that have been adapted over the years in a unique way.
4
The Curse Of The Werewolf (1961)
One Of The Classic Monster Movies From The ’60s
Taking place in 18th-century Spain, The Curse of the Werewolf is a classic werewolf movie filmed in color in the 1960s. The film is incredibly dark, featuring a beggar who descends into madness and the tragic birth of the film’s main character, Leon. It is Leon who becomes the тιтular werewolf, struggling against his bloodthirsty nature.
The Curse of the Werewolf was created by the same production company that created Frankenstein and Dracula.
The Curse of the Werewolf is outstanding for a variety of reasons, most notably for its focus on the characters rather than the monster itself. Here, the werewolf is a sympathetic creature. This puts the werewolf and, by extension, Leon himself, in direct contrast to several other werewolf films, further expanding on the genre itself.
3
The Howling (1981)
An Essential Werewolf Film By Gremlins Director Joe Dante
Another werewolf horror film based on a novel, The Howling starts out with one reporter’s close encounter with a terrifying serial killer. After helping the police to catch this serial killer and barely escaping with her life, reporter Karen White takes a vacation to a secluded resort known as The Colony. This vacation is anything but restful, however, as she and her husband quickly realize that The Colony is filled with dangerous werewolves.
The Howling currently holds a 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many attributing this high score to the film’s impressive effects at the time. Though the film has plenty of silly moments, it still succeeds at ultimately being a horror film. This is only amplified by effects that, impressively, stand the test of time compared to other ’80s films.
2
An American Werewolf In London (1981)
Comedy And Horror Come Together Perfectly In This Film
Perhaps one of the most well-known werewolf films, An American Werewolf in London is a comedy-horror film that plays on many of the tropes of the genre. It stars a pair of American graduate students who have an unfortunate run-in with a werewolf while trekking across England. This causes one of them to become a werewolf, leading to all sorts of increasingly ridiculous scenarios.
An American Werewolf in London won the first ever Academy Award for Best Makeup in 1982.
Not only is An American Werewolf in London considered one of the best werewolf movies ever made, but it is simply one of the best movies in general. It is incredibly funny throughout, with moments of genuine horror to surprise viewers. It is one of the successes of the genre, and though it will surely be different from 2025’s Wolf Man, it still takes inspiration from the original.
1
The Wolfman (1941)
The Original Film Is Necessary Viewing For The Remake
Featuring the iconic actor Bela Lugosi of Dracula fame, the original 1941 film The Wolf Man is still one of the best werewolf movies ever made. Like its subsequent remakes, the film features a man returning to his ancestral homeland, only to be attacked and made into a terrifying werewolf. It is a tragic film, one that does not shy away from the horrors that its main character commits as a werewolf and as a monster.
Because this film is the basis for the new film Wolf Man, it is important to watch if only to see where many of the ideas for the new film originally came from. There will no doubt be changes to the original film and story, but seeing the birthplace of many of these ideas can be so much fun in and of itself. Aside from this, the original 1941 film is a great watch, even today, and it is an important part of film history.
