We’ve known for some time that Universal is trying to breathe new life into its catalogue of classic movie monsters, with Dracula Untold introducing a new bloodsucker in the form of Luke Evans, and a new Mummy on the way that will find Alex Kurtzman (executive producer, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) directing from a script by Jon Spaihts (Doctor Strange). Now, a new rumor has surfaced claiming that the studio wants Prisoners scribe Aaron Guzikowski to write a new take on The Wolf Man, one of its most treasured monsters.
News of Guzikowski’s involvement was embedded in a Deadline report on Universal’s plans for new Fast & Furious movies earlier today. Nothing else has yet come out about The Wolf Man, but the report indicates that the studio is doing its best to expedite the resurgence of its Universal Monsters franchise. Guzikowski, whose work on Prisoners was roundly acclaimed and even courted Oscar at one point (though a nomination never materialized), would be a very good get for the studio.
Now, even though 2010’s The Wolfman reboot with Benicio del Toro fell flat, the character is still one of the most iconic of the classic monsters, so it will be great to see him howl again on the big screen. Universal’s plan appears to be to introduce some of the more famous monsters in their own movies before bringing them together in sequels that would find various monsters either teaming up or throwing down, so getting The Wolf Man into theaters early on is definitely a great call on the studio’s part.
Elsewhere, Universal has Fargo creator Noah Hawley scripting a separate monster movie, and it has also courted Guillermo del Toro for a Frankenstein reboot. Other members of Universal’s Monsters universe sure to come to the big screen sooner or later include The Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Invisible Man, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera and Bride of Frankenstein. Which titles we’ll see first is anyone’s guess, but I’m wagering that The Mummy and The Wolf Man will be followed by Frankenstein and another Dracula flick sooner rather than later.
The Mummy will be reborn June 24th, 2016. Another monster movie will follow on April 17th the next year, expanding what Universal surely hopes will be a highly lucrative franchise.
