Wolf Man’s Director Talks Creature Leak, Gosling and First Trailer

After seeing the first trailer for Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man, I had many questions. Is the entire film set in a single location? Is it linked with the director’s earlier Common Monster film, Invisible Man? And did he deliberately pay homage to Jurassic Park with that first sequence?

Fortunately, Whannell hopped on a video name with io9 earlier this week to talk about all that and more. The co-creator of Noticed and Insidious additionally defined how not simply covid, but additionally the tough, painful realities of life influenced his tackle this character. He cleared up questions surrounding the leak from Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights that seemingly revealed his completed creature earlier than any footage was launched. And we additionally talked about how the movie modified after star Ryan Gosling dropped out and Christopher Abbott joined the solid in his place.

In case you haven’t already seen the trailer for the January 17 launch, watch it under, then learn our in-depth Q&A with Whannell.

Germain Lussier, io9: Wolf Man, werewolves, they’ve such a wealthy historical past throughout all media. What was the scariest factor about tackling the character within the franchise?

Leigh Whannell: Most likely that. The idea is so identified, as you stated. Once you’re coping with one thing that’s embedded in worldwide tradition you’re developing in opposition to a whole lot of expectations. In case you’re writing an unique film, you’ve acquired an uphill climb to get individuals to concentrate. However the good facet of that’s no person is aware of the principles. The issue with Wolf Man is everyone is aware of the principles. And if you happen to’re going to bend them or break a few of them or transfer left of heart, then it’s a must to be ready for some backlash from some corners. However I actually was decided to offer individuals one thing new with this. In order that was in all probability the scariest half.

io9: The trailer appears prefer it’s very remoted, secluded, and possibly even a one-location film. I suppose we’ll see. However is that true? And was {that a} approach in your movie to differentiate itself from the others?

Whannell: Positively. I believe I needed to include it just a little extra. I needed to cope with this idea in a really intimate approach. , we filmed throughout covid. The primary draft of this movie was written in 2020. And that was a really particular mindset, as you keep in mind. Prefer it’s humorous now, trying again on it, I used to be simply speaking to somebody the opposite day about 2020. What a bizarre blip in human historical past.

io9: Completely.

Whannell: It’s bizarre what it does to the mind once you don’t go away the home for months on finish. And it’s not even like my circumstances had been unhealthy. Some individuals actually had been struggling. I used to be at residence each day, however I used to be capable of feed my children and go on with life. However even then, the insanity, the cabin fever that units in, I believe that actually contaminated this script. And although I might not name this a covid film in any approach, I might say that the script displays the mindset of that point. The isolation, the confinement to at least one place.

io9: Okay. That’s cool. The trailer hints at it, however clearly you talked about belongings you count on from a Wolf Man—you count on an epic form of transformation. It looks like possibly it’s just a little drawn out right here. So I ponder if you happen to may inform us or tease just a little bit about your tackle the Wolf Man transformation within the film.

Whannell: Effectively, all of it comes from that need to do one thing individuals hadn’t seen earlier than. I really feel like once you’re coping with a personality that’s very well-trodden, it’s a must to provide up one thing completely different. And generally I believe individuals don’t know what they need till they see it. I imply, even considering of one thing like Heath Ledger in The Darkish Knight. That’s an iconic character. Chris Nolan’s coming into this film. There’s so many alternative methods you possibly can go together with the Joker, proper? As we’ve seen. I really feel like he made a acutely aware determination to offer individuals a Joker that they had not seen earlier than. And it labored. And in order that was my considering going into this was “What do I do?” And I felt like you possibly can’t compete with Rick Baker and what he did on American Werewolf in London.

io9: Proper.

Whannell: So what if I took extra of a illness method? And approached it extra like one thing like The Fly?

io9: Which the trailer very briefly teases although we don’t get to see the complete Wolf Man. Nonetheless, one thing that got here out of Halloween Horror Nights a couple of weeks back seemed like it was. Was that your Wolf Man? And what are you able to say about how that each one went down?

Whannell: No, I imply, with out spoiling something, that’s not our Wolf Man. And I suppose, motion pictures have so many alternative individuals concerned. It’s like this enormous octopus with many tentacles and you’ll’t at all times management each single facet of one thing. So generally one thing may get on the market that doesn’t characterize what you’re doing and it simply falls by way of the cracks. So no, it doesn’t characterize [our movie]. I believe I might say Arjen Tuiten, who was our prosthetics designer and make-up artist on this film, he’s an excellent artist. I might put my cash on him that he’s at all times going to offer you one thing proper.

io9: And I believe you in all probability have the identical status by this level too.

Whannell: Effectively, yeah. And so it’s not enjoyable if one thing will get on the market that possibly misrepresents the movie, particularly within the web age when issues can unfold round shortly. However all you are able to do is say, “Effectively, let’s look ahead to individuals to see the film after which [they’ll] make up their minds,” as a result of I’m actually assured in what Arjen and I did with the film.

io9: I can’t wait. Now that is the query you’re going to be requested a billion instances, however I’m right here early so I’m going to get on it. You made Invisible Man. You made Wolf Man. That is secluded so I don’t assume we’re going to see any crossover, however in your thoughts, do they happen in the identical universe?

Whannell: I might say, in a acutely aware approach, I didn’t need that to occur. Nonetheless, the household is in San Francisco. And I do consider this movie as like a non secular cousin to Invisible Man in some methods. However I might say it doesn’t happen within the literal identical universe—however it very a lot takes place in the identical vibe. To me, it seems like a non secular cousin and that’s my method to those monster motion pictures, a extra grounded method like I did with Invisible Man.

io9: Okay wonderful. Now, Chris Abbott is superior. I’ve beloved him for years and it’s so cool to see him as a title character right here. However he clearly wasn’t the primary Wolf Man. It was Ryan Gosling. How did the film change as soon as Ryan left and Chris got here on?

Whannell: Yeah, Ryan’s manufacturing firm was concerned to start with and he was it as one thing to behave in. After which in fact, schedules change and the years go by. I’m actually glad he stayed on as a producer, however I’m actually so pleased with what Chris did. I’ve identified his work for years and I’ve at all times been a fan of his. However when it occurred to me that he may play this position, I used to be obsessive about that concept. I imply, as a film fan, if I wasn’t concerned with this film, I might be excited to see Chris Abbott play a job like this.

io9: Oh yeah.

Whannell: There’s sure actors you already know they’re going to offer you one thing completely different.

io9: Sure, and I believe Julia Garner is a type of individuals. She’s acquired a 12 months developing subsequent 12 months and watching the trailer, once more, it’s referred to as Wolf Man. However she appears to be the lead character. Am I getting the best vibes after I watch that right here?

Whannell: I might say it’s genuinely equal. I believe once you see the film, you’ll see what I imply. Prefer it’s a household unit. And I really feel like all of them have a giant piece on this so I wouldn’t tip it come what may.

io9: I additionally beloved the form of chilly open of the trailer, the truck within the tree. Gotta ask, had been the Jurassic Park vibes intentional? 

Whannell: Effectively, I do love that sequence in The Misplaced World when Julianne Moore is trapped in that kind of truck that’s hanging off the cliff. Yeah, possibly. I imply, I really like Jurassic Park. It had such a giant impact on me. And I believe what occurs with motion pictures like that’s they go into your unconscious. And even if you happen to’re not consciously writing it, you’re making an attempt to create one thing that evokes that very same sense of worry that I felt watching Jurassic Park within the theater. So it’s in there on a unconscious stage for positive.

io9: You won’t wish to reply this and that’s okay if not. However I really like the final shot of the trailer. About when does that occur within the film, if you happen to can say?

Whannell: I don’t wish to give it away. However that’s not the climax of the film, I’ll say that.

io9: Okay. So we’ve got a daughter and a spouse being hunted by the daddy. Are daddy points a theme on this film?

Whannell: For me, I wouldn’t say it’s daddy points. I believe it’s about household. One of many lovely issues about being with household is that this intense love you could have in your youngsters, in your partner, if you happen to’re fortunate. Not everyone will get that. However what’s tragic about it’s you already know you’re going to lose these individuals. , I’ve been eager about my mother and father lots these days as a result of they’re getting older and this sense of mortality creeps in. All people is aware of that the deal is, the cut price is you’re not going to be with everybody eternally. That day’s going to come back. You get a telephone name and it’s like, “It’s your sister or it’s your uncle” and so they say, “I’m actually sorry to inform you, your dad simply handed” or no matter. And everyone knows that day is coming. We attempt not to consider it as a result of it might be miserable to stroll round all day and assume, “Oh, sooner or later I’m going to lose my spouse, my father, my mom.” We keep away from that dialog. However it’s coming. And what I do after I write horror movies is, I take into consideration the questions that nobody talks about. This unstated factor. And so I needed to make a film not about daddy points however about the concept we solely have a brief period of time with individuals. Finally, we’re going to lose them.

I’ve needed to watch pals of mine die. Any individual misplaced their associate early. A very good pal of mine, his spouse was recognized with a severe terminal sickness. And over the course of the subsequent two years, she disintegrated. And it was a really onerous factor to look at. And it’s the real-life model of the horror film. My pal really described it to me sooner or later as “It’s like a horror film.” There’s the enjoyable half once you get married or no matter then there’s the half the place you’re cleansing somebody up on the bathroom. The Michael Haneke movie Amour was a really severe… I did a movie pageant throughout pre-production. Each Wednesday evening we’d watch a film. It was referred to as the Full Moon Movie Membership.

io9: Good.

Whannell: And Amour was one of many motion pictures we watched. So that’s what I used to be making an attempt to get at with this film is that concept, versus like, “I hate my father as a result of he beat me up.”

io9: Effectively, that’s an unbelievable reply. It makes me wish to see it that rather more and I’m positive I’ll speak to you in a few months.

Whannell: I can’t wait so that you can see it when it comes out.

Wolf Man hits theaters January 17, 2025.

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