Werewolf by Night: Release date, cast and news for Marvel special

A brand-new trailer for the special recently whetted fans’ appetites, teasing one of the most stylistically different projects we've ever seen from the MCU.

And, with the special scheduled to arrive very soon on the streamer in the run-up to Halloween, there isn't long left to wait until we get to watch it.

Of course, Disney isn’t known for its scary output, but in an interview with Den of Geek, director Michael Giacchino explained that he looked to classic monster movies such as The Wolf Man, King Kong for inspiration when creating Werewolf by Night, rather than "sadistic" modern horror stories.

“I feel like the world has gone into this thing where all the scary stuff has gotten too sadistic,” he explained. “And we’ve lost the heart of it as well. It was important to me that this has a real heart to it, that it’s not just blood and guts, that it actually has a real moral center.”

Giacchino’s comments echo those made by Marvel boss Kevin Feige, who previously called the special "fun scary".

So, when does Werewolf by Night come out on Disney Plus? Read on for everything you need to know about the Marvel special.

Werewolf by Night release date

We now know that Werewolf by Night will debut on Disney Plus on Friday 7th October 2022. It will be a one-off Halloween special, meaning there won't be multiple episodes or instalments.

It is expected to be an hour-long, and will be entirely black and white.

Werewolf by Night trailer

You can watch the full trailer for Werewolf by Night, as was first revealed at D23, right here.

What will Werewolf by Night be about?

The official synopsis for Werewolf by Night says: "On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader.

"In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader's life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic - a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster."

When it comes to MCU connections, it's not yet clear how this will fit into the wider universe. However, it's worth noting that the original Werewolf by Night comic book series marked the debut of Moon Knight, before he was spun-off into his own series. Could we see Oscar Isaac making an appearance here? For now, it seems we'll have to wait and see...

Werewolf by Night cast: Who stars in the special?

Gael García Bernal (Coco, Old) will star as Jack Russell AKA Werewolf by Night, while Laura Donnelly (Outlander, The Fall) will play Elsa Bloodstone, a monster hunter and the daughter of Ulysses Bloodstone.

Meanwhile, Harriet Sansom Harris (Licorice Pizza, Desperate Housewives) plays Verusa, a member of the monster hunter group.

Here's a full list of the confirmed cast so far for Werewolf by Night:

• Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell/Werewolf by Night
• Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone
• Harriet Sansom Harris as Verusa
• Jaycob Maya as TBC
• Eugenie Bondurant as TBC
• Kirk Thatcher as TBC

When it comes to other characters set to feature in the special, we know from the trailer that it will feature Ulysses Bloodstone, Elsa's father, classic Marvel character Man-Thing and members of the TVA, the organisation first seen in Loki.

The special has been directed by Michael Giacchino, who has previously directed short-films but is best known as a composer, whose scores have been used for many major films including Marvel movies Spider-Man: No Way Home and Thor: Love and Thunder.

Werewolf by Night will be released on 7th October 2022 on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year.

Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

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