Marvel Studios has plenty of known entities coming over the next couple of years thanks to the announcements at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, which will surely continue with this weekend's D23 Fan Expo. But amongst everything known, one unique property still remains nearly a complete mystery - the Werewolf by Night-starring Halloween special.
The project has a couple of confirmed actors in Gael Garcia Bernal (Werewolf by Night) and Laura Donnelly, and it will feature regular MCU composer Michael Giacchino taking on a new role as the special's director. But with only a couple of months until the Halloween special would likely premiere on Disney+, there has been no confirmation about its development or release from the Marvel Studios brass.
Late June 2022 brought the most recent update on this special, with Giacchino calling it "an incredibly challenging process" and teasing that the team would "share a lot more about it" quite soon.
Now, during Marvel Studios' long-awaited D23 panel, Werewolf by Night's moment finally arrived.
Werewolf By Night Confirmed at 2022 D23
During Marvel Studios' major panel at the 2022 D23 Fan Expo in Anaheim, California, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige officially confirmed the MCU's Halloween Special, which will go under the title Werewolf By Night: A Marvel Studios Special Presentation.
The title card for this new entry can be seen below:
Feige also described the special as "darker" and "scarier" while still bringing the same element of fun that Marvel Studios is known for. Additionally, Gael Garcia Bernal was adamant about keeping the surprises intact, as shared by Twitter user @AgentM:
"Bernal wants to share things but wants to keep surprises. 'It's a little darker, a little scarier. but still fun' - Feige on Werewolf by Night"
Additionally, Marvel unveiled the first trailer for the special, confirming that it will debut on Disney+ on Friday, October 7.
The trailer starts off with an image confirming its place as a "Special Presentation" from Marvel Studios, which marks the first programming of its kind from the MCU. This will likely be the same thing that happens with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Laura Donnelly makes her MCU debut as Elsa Bloodstone, who is featured prominently throughout the trailer. She's known as one of Marvel's most prominent monster hunters, which will likely lead her to come face-to-face with the titular werewolf.
Also shown off in this footage is the MCU's take on Man-Thing, who was rumored to be a part of the special in April 2022, although he's only seen for a split second.
The trailer also seemingly includes Time Variance Authority Minutemen, who were first seen in last year's Loki on Disney+. Their presence in the story wasn't rumored or teased until now, and they appear to be heavily involved in some kind of battle with other powerful creatures.
Along with the trailer, Marvel released the first official poster for Werewolf by Night, featuring Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell and his werewolf alter-ego.
The full trailer can be seen below:
Albert Hitchcock Meets Marvel in Halloween Special
This short trailer confirms that the special will be unlike anything fans have ever seen before in the MCU. Going entirely in black and white and bringing the feel of old '50s and '60s horror films into the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, this entry will give Werewolf by Night the perfect opportunity to shine in his MCU debut.
This special will most likely be similar in length to the Guardians' Holiday Special, although it will be something scarier than anything fans have seen in the MCU to date - and that includes this year's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Throw in Marvel's first lycanthrope alongside monster hunters and other monsters of all variations, and the stage is set for something that will capture the spirit of Halloween from Marvel Studios.
Even with all of this confirmed information, there are still few details about what Jack Russell and the cast of this special will be up to or how it connects to the larger MCU. But with the practical effects from the footage shining in this trailer and the classic horror vibes shown in full, Marvel appears to have something special in store.
The best part of it all is that this special is less than a month away from making its debut on Disney+, coming near the end of Marvel's run for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The MCU is truly expanding into more different storytelling styles than it ever has in the past, and this will hopefully set Werewolf by Night up for a long future in the supernatural side of the MCU's adventures.
Werewolf By Night: A Marvel Studios Special Presentation will debut on Disney+ on Friday, October 7.
