7 Best Werewolf Films and Shows Streaming During the Creepy Season

7 Best Werewolf Films and Shows Streaming During the Creepy Season

Werewolves have plagued the medium for as long as mankind has been writing folklore to explain the unexplainable (or at least phenomena that science has not yet understood) With nearly every culture having some mythology surrounding werewolves or shapeshifters, the genre has a wide range of original works to keep it fresh: from the 1913 film “The Werewolf” and the '40s classic “The Werewolf” to modern adaptations like “Teen Wolf” and “The Originals,” werewolf lovers werewolf enthusiasts can find a movie or TV show to suit every mood

There is a reason we keep coming back to monsters like vampires and werewolves: It is fascinating to delve deep into the human psyche and consider what makes people into monsters For decades, these two beasties have floated in and out of public favor, but they never seem to disappear completely Here are some werewolf shows and films that you should definitely watch

The 1981 cult classic “An American Werewolf in London” has the kind of '80s humor you'd expect to find in a comedy, but the special effects make it a horror movie masterpiece as well Here we have a scary-looking werewolf who participates in enough jump scares to raise your heart rate The film's ability to switch between creepy and genuinely frightening horror has allowed it to stand the test of time (though you'll quickly learn that it's an 80s film)

So what's the story? First, an American werewolf comes to London College friends David and Jack didn't know what they were getting themselves into when they traveled to England A local werewolf manages to turn one of the two into a snack, and the other walks away with a graze As werewolf fans know, that is usually not a good sign As a result, a new werewolf is born in London, and a number of lost souls follow the attack Written and directed by John Landis, the film features actors David Norton (David), Jenny Agutter (Nurse Alex), and Griffin Dunne (Jack)

Watch on Prime Video

“The Originals” is a spin-off of “The Vampire Diaries,” but with a big spotlight on werewolves The show centers on Klaus (Joseph Morgan), an original vampire/werewolf hybrid; his werewolf baby mama, Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin); and Klaus' original vampire brothers Elijah (Daniel Gillies), Rebecca (Claire Holt), and Kol (Daniel Sherman/Nathaniel Buzolic)

Anyone who has been to New Orleans can attest to the magic that can be felt in the air Naturally, the place provides the perfect setting for a power struggle between vampires (led by Marcel, played by Charles Michael Davis), werewolves, and witches Like its parent series, “The Originals” stands out by delving into the creatures' ancient origins Many fans even consider it the best of the three series that exist in the same world Julie Plec's four-season show ran from 2013 to 2018 While “The Vampire Diaries” provides a deeper understanding of the original family, it is enough on its own; the “Legacies” series also features Klaus and Haley's teenage daughter Hope, who is now a teenager

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Movie:

As everyone knows, jocks are generally known as an incredibly inclusive and accepting bunch So it makes sense that when “Teen Wolf” protagonist Scott Howard wolfed down the middle of a basketball court in the 1985 film, he was heartily welcomed by his teammates Even if his wolfy makeup is goofy and unrealistic, Michael J Fox can bring any character to life and make audiences fall in love with him

The premise of the film is simple: unpopular teenager Scott discovers he is a werewolf and uses his newfound athletic abilities to rise up the social hierarchy of his school, get good girls, and win basketball games That's basically all there is to it Of course, we can't forget the appearance of his nerdy best friend Stiles (Jerry Levine) The film was written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Wiseman and directed by Rod Daniel

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TV:

More than 20 years later, in 2011, Jeff Davis loosely adapted the film “Teen Wolf” into an MTV show of the same name The similarities between the two projects end in that Scott (Tyler Posey) and Stiles (Dylan O'Brien) share a first name and are high school students trying to elevate their jock status with Scott's werewolf skills comedic moments that match the tone of the OG While there are plenty of them (thanks mainly to Stiles), the series is more gritty and darker

Davis is not afraid to kill characters, and the stakes of surviving Beacon Hills High (and a lacrosse game) are more intense than “do the popular girls like me?” However, that doesn't stop “Popular Love” The show features a much larger ensemble cast But as in the film, the relationship between Scott and Stiles is the axis of the series The feature-length story also gave the writers the opportunity to delve into a number of other supernatural species, such as foxes and crabmouths

The cast includes Tyler Hoechlin (Derek), Holland Roden (Lydia), Crystal Reed (Allison), Colton Haynes (Jackson), and Arden Cho (Kira) Of course, we have “Teen Wolf” to thank for launching the career of beloved star Dylan O'Brien And while “Teen Wolf” also has a movie coming out in 2023, there's certainly a case to be made for pretending it doesn't exist

Watch on Prime Video

The only thing more stressful than trying to blend in with humans while hiding your secret werewolf identity is being the only female werewolf in existence, and for Elena (Laura Vandervoort) of “Bitten,” it's a human-werewolf It means straddling the line between human and werewolf and having to fend off an exorbitant amount of aggressive advances

Based on Kelley Armstrong's “Women of Another World” series, the three-season Canadian show centers on found families, culture, and the war between rogue wolves and packs201 Produced by Daegan Fryklind, the series includes Greyston Holt ( Clayton), Greg Bryk (Jeremy), Steve Lund (Nick), Michael Xavier (Logan), and Genelle Williams (Rachel)

Rent/Buy on Amazon or Apple

Everyone loves a good, classic monster movie Frankly, films like 1941's “The Wolf Man” are no longer being made, and before the advent of CGI, monster movies relied on SFX makeup to anthropomorphize the monsters that appeared in them One of the advantages of this approach is the authentic physicality of the actors doing the character work and movement, rather than relying on post-production magic

One of the most iconic movie monsters in history is, of course, the werewolf The black-and-white nature of the film adds a level of creepiness not seen in modern horror The werewolf prowling the forest in eerie shadows is particularly effective, preventing the prosthetics and makeup from becoming too goofy and scary Like many classic monster movies, the film's plot is quite simple An aristocrat returns to his hometown to search for his missing brother, and while a werewolf prowls the town, he gradually uncovers the secrets surrounding his fangs and the intricacies of his family

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Despite the werewolf's rich history of folklore as a shapeshifter and various origin stories, most werewolf shows and films make no or minimal use of it However, the 2007 film “Blood and Chocolate” depicts a werewolf legend we don't often see, the culture and family ties of Romania's Loup Garou tribe Romania has a special reverence for wolves, which is evident in its architecture and large numbers of wolf statues

The protagonist of Blood and Chocolate is 19-year-old Viviane (Agnes Bruckner), who rebels against her family's deadly (and frankly sexist) habits Despite the fact that her family was killed by hunters when she was a child, Vivian is not interested in the “human hunting” life that the herd protects (nor is she keen on becoming the trophy wife of the herd leader for seven years until he sets his eyes on a young model) Naturally, she falls in love with humans in this film But the film is deeply rooted in family, wolf culture, and outdated customs, creating a compelling and expansive story

Watch on YouTube

Sarah Michelle Gellar of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” returns to her supernatural roots in “Wolf Pack,” starring Jeff Davis At first glance, the series appears to be a spin-off of “Teen Wolf,” but the 2023 series will feature an entirely different mythology

Davis adapted the show from Ed Van Belkom's book series of the same name The plot centers on a small town in California where (not surprisingly) a beast awakens after being plagued by a fire The werewolf bites, the teens become psychically connected, and that's where the procedural investigation comes in

Rent/Buy on Apple

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