Universal’s Upcoming Remake Of 83-Year-Old Horror Classic Is More Exciting After $116M Emma Stone Movie’s Villain

Universal has an upcoming remake of a classic 83-year-old monster movie, Wolf Man, and it’s made even more exciting by the casting of the villain in a recent Emma Stone movie. Out of dozens of Universal Classic monster movies, 1941’s The Wolf Man is one of the most iconic, establishing a complex horror villain who’d appear throughout the franchise and various other iterations. After nearly a century, the 1941 version is still the most well-regarded, and, like many other Universal monsters, a new Wolf Man film is in the works.

With The Mummy in 2017, Universal attempted to create a shared fictional universe centered around their various monster character properties. Surely, a Wolf Man movie would’ve been part of this, though the “Dark Universe” was scrapped after one film, which bombed critically and commercially. Now, various classic monster movies, including Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, on top of Wolf Man, are being rebooted as individual stories. There’s plenty of exciting news about the Wolf Man reboot, including the casting for the lead character, which is made more compelling after Poor Things.

Christopher Abbott’s Poor Things Role Makes His Wolf Man Casting Even Better

Poor Things Draws Heavy Inspiration From Classic Monster Movies

Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things was both an Academy Award-winner and commercial hit, led by Emma Stone as Bella Baxter. Christopher Abbott plays the film’s antagonist, Alfie Blessington, who arrives toward the end of the film to marry Bella. Abbott will also lead the Wolf Man film, playing the lead role. Ryan Gosling was originally attached to Wolf Man, but Abbott is a fascinating choice, particularly after his detestable character in Poor Things. He’ll be joined in the cast by Julia Garner.

Poor Things takes significant inspiration from the Universal Monster movies, most notably Bride of Frankenstein. In its aesthetic and production design, Lanthimos attempted to make a film in that classic style, using primarily practical effects and extensive sets. Christopher Abbott’s role in Wolf Man will be more complex than the dastardly villain of Poor Things, but his success in a similar-styled film is promising for the reboot. Wolf Man will be a chance for him to truly show off his talents in a versatile role.

The Wolf Man Continues An Incredible Horror Movie Streak For Christopher Abbott

Christopher Abbott Has Had A Streak Of Successful Horror Movies

Returning to a successful genre is a common path to success for actors, and Christopher Abbott has cornered his market with horror movies. In 2017, he co-starred with Joel Edgerton in the critical darling It Comes at Night. In 2018, he starred in the psychological horror film Piercing. Lastly, in 2020, he starred in the sci-fi horror movie Possessor, directed by David Cronenberg’s son, Brandon Cronenberg. Horror is a profitable genre, especially for a young star, and the Wolf Man reboot could be a breakout hit for Christopher Abbott.