Based on the Marvel comics character of the same name, Werewolf by Night pays homage to a bygone era of horror-centric features that the company ran alongside its superhero books. The Marvel Studios holiday special details the succession contest a group of monster hunters competes in after their leader, the wealthy and highly connected Ulysses Bloodstone, passes away. As his subordinates compete against each other on the grounds of his estate for both his position and the powerful artifact that represents it, a sinister being approaches to complicate things. Even before its release, Werewolf by Night was heralded as the most distinct visual offering that the Marvel Cinematic Universe had put forth in a long while.
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On release, Werewolf by Night did not disappoint, as it was praised for its atmosphere, application of practical effects, and overall change of pace from the almost formulaic content of other Marvel Cinematic Universe rollouts. It also earned debuting director Michael Giacchino praise for the successful outing in addition to reiterating his Oscar-worthy talent as a composer. Likely in part thanks to the warm reception, it has been confirmed that Werewolf by Night will receive a complementary project documenting the behind-the-scenes process of bringing the project to completion (via Alex Zalben).
The Werewolf by Night documentary likely serves as a means to bolster parent company Disney’s streaming service, Disney Plus This is where the documentary will be released similar to the Marvel Studios: Assembled documentary series or the Star Wars project Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return, which documented the making of the Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries and premiered earlier this year. This content strategy, coupled with the potential merging of the service with popular competitor Hulu based on a potential deal with Comcast ahead of consolidation of stakes in 2024, will certainly go a long way to consolidate the streaming platform going forward.
A behind-the-scenes documentary seems appropriate for Werewolf by Night, which has been impactful on almost every facet of its presentation with audiences and is believed by many to heavily prototype and influence Marvel Studios’ future Disney Plus strategy, making the BTS content a must-see for anyone that follows the MCU’s offerings closely. For others, this project will simply offer a look at the impressive practical effects, costuming and makeup, special effects, and composing that made the special’s distinct look possible.
All in all, the reception to Werewolf by Night is certainly a green light for similar future projects, as it was a massive success despite many fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe having to ask who the Werewolf by Night was when the project was first announced. While Giacchino has mentioned several times that the project was made as a one-off standalone, he has also admitted to having prepared for a possible continuation if the execs at Disney are of the mind to greenlight one. A documentary like Director by Night could possibly be a step in the right direction to create an audience clamoring for a sequel.
Director by Night will be available for streaming on Disney Plus from the 4th of November 2022.
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Source: Alex Zalben/Twitter
