There are many werewolves moviesbut only a select few center on the character that made the Wolf Man famous as part of the Universal Monsters pantheon. With by Leigh Whannell Werewolf Man—a Universal Monsters riff renaming Lawrence “Larry” Talbot to Blake as part of its rebooted storyline—arrives this week, we’re taking a look back at all the great Wolf Men of yesteryear.

(If you’re more of a vampire fan, io9 also has “Field Guide to Cinematic Draculas” from a few years ago to sink your teeth into).

The Wolf Man (1941)

He followed Universal Monsters’ now-classic take on Dracula, Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Invisible Man into theaters, but Lon Chaney Jr. makes an indelible impression as Larry Talbot, a fish out of water in his ancestral home in Wales. even before his fatal encounter with a particular type of wolf.

Some great subtext going on here: Claude Raines, star of The Invisible Manplayed Larry’s estranged father, and Bela Lugosi, Count Dracula himself, playing the werewolf (also called Bela) who creates our Wolf Man. The Wolf Man is, of course, now the cultural touchstone for every werewolf movie that followed, from Chaney’s memorable transformation scene to the script’s inclusion of monster lore. That includes the power of silver and the poem “wolfbane” which emphasizes the idea that “even a man who is pure in heart” can fall victim to the werewolf’s curse.

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)

Lon Chaney Jr. returns to star, and Curt Siodmak writes again, in this follow-up to The Wolf Man which took a turn with Larry Talbot (reversing his tragic on-screen death at the end of that film by opening his full moon-enabled revival). Chaney’s co-star is also, once again, Bela Lugosi, but this time he’s donning tons of make-up to play Frankenstein’s monster.

Now fully aware of his creature’s status, Larry must not only contend with being a werewolf, but also the fact that the authorities don’t think werewolves are real—concerns that drive him to seek out Dr. . Frankenstein, or at least the strange-scientific notes he left behind, to find a cure. Instead, he found the frozen-in-ice monster, which was difficult to deal with once he was brought back to undead life. Universal’s first foray into monster crossovers wasn’t a hit with critics at the time, but it’s since become a fan favorite, not least because of a boozy, toe-tapping musical number when the characters are convinced to attend at the nearby “Festival of the Bagong Bino.” Both animals die at the end of act three…or do they?

House of Frankenstein (1944)

A story by Curt Siodmak about a mad scientist (played by Boris Karloff) who has a plan Dr. Frankenstein-esque creation of a new body for his hunchback assistant became the basis for this crossover, which also features Chaney as the Werewolf, John Carradine as Count Dracula, and Glenn Strange as the monster. said Frankenstein. Things are set in motion by an incredible sequence of events (a prison escape with the help of an earthquake; a vampire transformation after his dead body emerges from a traveling sideshow … the Monster enters the story when they are resurrected from their own frozen graves.

Despite his circumstances, Larry retains enough animal magnetism to arouse the romantic interest of a local girl, though it doesn’t go well for either of them, with the Wolf Man succumbing to the silver linings. Bullet. Or is he?

House of Dracula (1945)

There’s the gang (Chaney as Wolf Man; Carradine as Dracula; Strange as the Monster) again, albeit this time with two Wolf Men and Dracula descends on the castle of an eccentric scientist who hopes to cure their terrible diseases. Frankenstein’s monster, which seems to have died with the House of FrankensteinThe mad doctor, resurrected (again) to bring more chaos to the proceedings.

While many of the House of Dracula revolves around vampires—never trust Dracula, especially when blood transfusions are introduced—it’s notable that Larry actually recovered in this one due to a brain operation that prevented him from regenerating or into his werewolf form. Dracula is dead, the mad scientist is dead, the Monster is dead… but Larry Talbot is alive, heroic at that!

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

Finally, Universal knows what monster movies have been missing these days: jokes and gags! Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein was a hit—reviving the waning Universal Monsters genre in the process—the comedy duo began a string of similarly titled movies, Meet The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and more. yet. But it’s hard to beat the hijinks here, with Larry Talbot (Chaney, of course) as a key figure on the periphery of a story about Dracula’s (Bela Lugosi) attempt to drop a bag -one brain for Frankenstein’s monster (Glenn Strange). Larry (in wolf form) and the Count (in bat form) seem to die at the end, but we all know that means nothing in the ever-spinning creature part of the circle of life.

Transylvania 6-5000 (1985)

Mountain-sized actor Donald Gibb (Revenge of the Nerds) plays “Larry the Wolfman” in this crazy comedy starring Jeff Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr. as tabloid reporters sent to Transylvania to investigate an apparent sighting of… Frankenstein’s monster? They find, of course, the scoop motherlode, which reveals a werewolf, a vampire, a swamp thing, and a shadowy doctor who may have created a monster made of human body parts. . Critic Leonard Maltin famously gave what was happily received Transylvania 6-5000 a one-word review (“Stinks!”), but the cast is funny enough to garner at least some curiosity; in addition to the leads, it features Geena Davis, Carol Kane, Norman Fell, a pre-scandal Jeffrey Jones, and a pre-Seinfeld (and before his own scandal) Michael Richards.

The Monster Squad (1987)

Although not a canon entry in the Universal Monsters pantheon—for one thing, Fred Dekker’s horror comedy wasn’t made by Universal—this cult favorite features a group of monster-obsessed kids who think also in their idol worship when the Universal Monsters came to life. in their neighborhood and cause near-apocalyptic disturbances. Frankenstein’s monster is the only cool guy in the group, but it’s the furriest menace among them that raises The Monster SquadMost quotable line: “Nardo is Wolfman!”

Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman (2000)

After they met Frankenstein (and his monster) in 1999, the animated critters returned for more Universal Monster mashing in 2000, with veteran voice actor Maurice LaMarche (Futurama, Pinky and the Brain, The Real Ghostbusters) co-starring as Lawrence Talbot—the new next-door neighbor of Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and Dave. Mr. Talbot has a secret (can you guess what it is?), but amidst mild fears Alvin and the Chipmunks meet the Wolfman presents a novel cure for werewolf-ism: when a werewolf bites another werewolf, the effect reverses the curse on both victims.

Van Helsing (2004)

Director Stephen Sommers has created a cinematic delight in Brendan Fraser’s Mummy movies, but unfortunately can’t quite pull off the same mojo in this similarly big-budget, effects-filled adventure starring Hugh Jackman as the legendary vampire hunter. There isn’t really a “Wolf Man” character – most of the drama revolves around Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh), his evil brides, and his sinister plot to rule the monster adjacent to Frankenstein’s world. .

but Van Helsing very much cut from the Universal Monsters cloth. It threw Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and creates a werewolf plot involving the sick brother of Kate Beckinsale’s character, who briefly passes the curse on to Van Helsing… winning?

House of the Werewolf (2009)

I never heard Home of the Wolf Man before I started compiling this Wolf Man list, but the fact that this indie film shot by black-and-white stars Ron Chaney—grandson of Lon Chaney Jr. He didn’t play the Werewolf, though; He plays a mad scientist who turns a variety of familiar monsters (including, yes, a werewolf) out of greed to become heirs to his fortune.

The Wolfman (2010)

Joe Johnston (Captain America: The First Avenger, The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park III) directed this oft-forgotten Universal release that still managed to garner a Best Makeup Oscar for Rick Baker (who won the very first award given in that category for 1981’s An American Werewolf in London) and collaborator Dave Elsey.

So the make-up is very nice! The rest, unfortunately for a cast that includes Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, and Hugo Weaving, is not, even though it is a remake of the 1941 original.

Werewolf (2025)

by Leigh Whannell Invisible Man (2020) gives new hope to Universal’s dreams of reclaiming its monster-movie mantle, updating the story of the original film with real scares and timely themes. His Werewolf Manstarring Christopher Abbott as a non-Larry Talbot take on the title character, and Julia Garner as the man-wolf who is understandably terrified of the estranged wife, generate similar success? It arrives this Friday, January 17, for viewers to howl… hope to be happy.

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