12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (2025)

12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (1)

Last Updated on May 17, 2024 by Fangoria Editor

On the day when An American Werewolf In London, which is famous for its excellent werewolf transformation scene, turns 42 years old, who wouldn't want to discuss werewolves? It's the perfect day for a list of some of horror's scariest werewolves and fantastic werewolf special effects. An American Werewolf in London set the bar for modern werewolf movies and epic transformations. Fangoria loves a good werewolf story, and the very first issue of Fangoria featured Rick Baker, one of the greatest special effects designers and artists ever, talking about his work on An American Werewolf in London. You can read it on the website.

  • The Howling (1981)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (2)

    The Howling is also hitting its 42nd anniversary since it was released the same year as An American Werewolf in London, namely 1981. Rick Baker was the original special effects artist on The Howling but left the film to work on American Werewolf instead. John Sayles and Joe Dante co-wrote the film, and Joe Dante directed the film. Rob Bottin (pronounced BO-TEEN), another legendary special effects artist, took over and delivered great werewolf makeup effects. Bottin's most innovative technique was using air bladders underneath the werewolf makeup that he could pump up with air to create an effect where the skin seemed to expand. Bottin was responsible for the incredible makeup artistry in John Carpenter's film The Thing, and you can bet that Fangoria has an interview with Rob Bottin about that classic film.

  • Ginger Snaps (2000)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (3)

    Ginger Snaps is a different kind of werewolf film. It concerns a teenage girl, Ginger, who becomes a werewolf. Most werewolf tales are about men, and Canadian director John Fawcett wanted to tell a transformative film with girls as the main characters. He convinced a female writer, Karen Walton, that he wanted to make a horror film with a female perspective. Paul Jones Effects Studio did the effects for the film, and Kathrine Isabelle, who plays Ginger, told stories of how the practical makeup took five hours to apply and another two hours to remove. The makeup and Isabelle's performance make the werewolf Ginger so distinctive and beautiful in a way that no other film has really achieved. You can read an archived review of Ginger Snaps, part of the Gingold Files, at Fangoria now.

  • Fright Night (1985)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (4)

    Okay, you are thinking, "Wait a minute, Fright Night is a movie about vampires. What gives?" In the film, written and directed by Tom Holland, the character of Evil Ed turns into a wolf, showing one of the less acknowledged powers of the vampire, shape-shifting. Stephen Geoffrey, who plays Evil Ed, spent 18 hours in make-up for the werewolf transformation and death scene. Richard Edlund was head of make-up effects, and artist Mark Bryan Wilson worked on that specific make-up transformation. The difference between this scene and nearly all other werewolf transformations is that Evil Ed instantly turns into an actual wolf off-camera. The change takes place after vampire hunter Peter Vincent mortally wounds him. He slowly and pitifully transforms back into his more human form. It is not only a terrific reverse transformation; Stephen Geoffrey's performance makes the scene an emotional highlight of the film. It is similar to the final change of Lon Chaney in The Wolf Man. Fangoria Issue number 47 has an excellent article for the original release of Fright Night. in their internet archive.

  • The Wolf Man (1941)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (5)

    We can't neglect the classic make-up of one of the greatest Universal Monsters, The Wolf Man, directed by George Waggner and starring Lon Chaney Jr. Hollywood studio make-up artist Jack Pierce originally designed the make-up used in The Wolf Man for another film and kept it in reserve when it was not used. The Wolf Man does not contain the type of transformation sequence you see in most werewolf films today. The effects were more subtle and done through a lap-dissolve process. In one scene, Chaney removes his socks, and you see his feet become larger and hairier. In the end, when he is killed, there is a reverse transformation back into his human form. Fangoria has an article about the origins of The Wolf Man and screenwriter Curt Siodmak's work on the script. Check it out!

  • Silver Bullet (1985)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (6)

    Silver Bullet, a werewolf story from Stephen King, directed by Dan Attias and an uncredited Don Coscarelli, has a creature make-up design from make-up effects and creature designer Carlo Rambaldi. The story goes that King wanted the werewolf to look more like a wolf, and his idea was much less fantastical than other films, to the chagrin of the producer Dino de Laurentiis. Rambaldi and King stuck to their guns, resulting in a more realistic monster that looked more like an animal than a morphing of a human being and a wolf. Another scene with more fantasy is when the Reverend, the concealed werewolf, has a dream where his congregation starts turning into werewolves.

  • WolfCop (2014)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (7)

    WolfCop is a comedic Canadian horror film about a cop who, you guessed it, becomes a werewolf. It is another werewolf film that uses practical effects rather than CGI to effect the werewolf look. The transformation of Lou Garou, the WolfCop in question, is hilarious and scary at the same time, especially if you are a guy. It answers one of our weirdest questions about what happens to all of a human being's body parts when they go wolf in the funniest way. In case you are wondering what I might suggest in this family magazine, he's going to the bathroom when he turns for the first time. Self-taught effects artist and designer Emersen Ziffle designed the make-up, giving the wolf greenish skin and a smooth and more recognizable face with a wild mane of hair. The film was directed by Lowell Dean and stars Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio, and Sarah Lind. Sarah Lind starred in one of 2022's best horror films, A Wounded Fawn, and you can watch the Convo X Fango episode with Sarah Lind and Josh Ruben on the website.

  • The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (8)

    This Hammer Horror werewolf film is much more old school and closer to The Wolf Man than to The Howling, but I still have great affection for it. It does star Oliver Reed in his first feature film starring role, so that's a big help, Terrance Fisher directed it, and Hammer Studios films are always a great watch. Roy Ashton, who worked for Hammer Films as a make-up designer, was very proud of the make-up, and it must be said that it looks excellent on Reed's face. Ashton said he was not influenced by Jack Pierce's work on Werewolf of London.

  • Dog Soldiers (2002)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (9)

    Dog Soldiers, directed by Neil Marshall, is a beloved action-oriented horror film. Marshall wanted to stay away from CGI effects and stick with practical effects and avoid the trope of the sad, cursed werewolf. In this film, the werewolves are hungry hunters with no moral quandaries versus a tough bunch of soldiers. The special effects make-up and animatronics are by Image FX. The other big difference is that the werewolves are giants, with tall man-shaped bodies with huge canine heads. It gives them a weird, otherworldly quality that many other cinematic werewolves don't have. The film stars Sean Pertwee, Liam Cunningham, Kevin McKidd, and Emma Cleasby. You can read about the book about the making of Dog Soldiers at Fangoria now.

  • Werewolf by Night (2022)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (10)

    Michael Giacchino's TV special, Werewolf by Night, is an example of a modern werewolf film that used the retro style of the werewolf and monsters films from the 1940s in modern times. The films stars Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, and Harriet Sansom Harris. The make-up artist is Ellen Arden, who also worked on the Fear Street franchise. The touchstone for the look of Bernal's character Jack Russell is the design from Werewolf of London created by Universal master Jack Pierce, and while you can still see the actor's face, the wolf is more hairy than usual. It's a wonderful-looking werewolf.

  • The Company of Wolves (1984)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (11)

    The fairy tale horror film has a lot of werewolves in it. Chris Tucker, the make-up artist who had done the make-up effects on The Elephant Man, wanted to use more innovative ideas in the film. There is the transformation of one werewolf who rips his skin off and another where the wolf's snout comes through a person's mouth. It really puts the fantasy aspect of this dark fairytale forward. The Company of Wolves has four different stories within the main story. It was directed by Neil Jordan and stars Angela Lansbury, David Warner, and Micha Bergese.

  • Trick 'r Treat (2007)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (12)

    Michael Dougherty's Halloween delight is an anthology film with six stories. The fourth is Surprise Party which stars Anna Paquin as Laurie and Dylan Baker as Principal Steven Wilkins. The surprise is that the beautiful young women who have invited many men to a party in the woods are actually werewolves looking for their dinner. The special effects artist on Trick 'r Treat was Bob Comer, who Dougherty called a genius. The werewolf's transformation uses the idea of werewolves ripping off their skin to transform and have golden eyes. While the concept has been used before, the execution of the scene is flawless.

  • Werewolves Within (2021)

    12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (13)

    Werewolves Within is a personal favorite partly because of the performance of the actress Milana Vayntrub as Cecily Moore and the reaction of Sam Richardson as Finn Wheeler. The transformation is short but savage and effective. Constantine Sekeris created the werewolf's design, and special effects makeup is by Louie Zakarian, and what we see looks nice and scary. Sometimes, especially in filmmaking, less really is more. You can read the exclusive interview with the actor Harvey Guillén from the film at Fangoria.

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12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (20)

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12 Werewolf Movies With The Best and Most Inventive Werewolves (2025)

FAQs

What is the No. 1 werewolf movie? ›

1. An American Werewolf in London. American college students David Kessler and Jack Goodman on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. Jack dies.

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What movie does a girl turn into a werewolf? ›

Ginger Snaps (2000)

Ginger Snaps is a different kind of werewolf film. It concerns a teenage girl, Ginger, who becomes a werewolf.

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What was the name of the very first werewolf movie? ›

The first werewolf film was the 1913 short "The Werewolf". It was 18 minutes long and now considered lost as all known copies were destroyed in a warehouse fire in 1924.

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What werewolf is the most feared? ›

The Primordial werewolves are the first werewolves, as such are the most feared and most powerful of all in existence. They first came into existence in the beginning of 7,000 BC to 5,000 BC.

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Who is the strongest werewolf the order? ›

Silverback is one of the Hides of The Knights of Saint Christopher and is described to be "the most powerful". Its current champion is Jack Morton.

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Can you turn into werewolf? ›

It is said that humans can be turned into werewolves by having been bitten by another werewolf. Getting scratched is a questionable way of becoming a werewolf, but most don't believe in it. However, both of these only work if the werewolf in question is in wolf form.

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What is the two sister werewolf movie? ›

Two death-obsessed sisters, outcasts in their suburban neighborhood, must deal with the tragic consequences when one of them is bitten by a deadly werewolf.

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Who is the little girl with werewolf syndrome? ›

Two-year-old Jaren Gamongan was born with 'werewolf syndrome,' also known as hypertrichosis, which only affects one in a billion people and causes excess hair to grow all over the body.

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What movie did Jason Momoa play a werewolf? ›

Wolves is a 2014 Canadian action horror werewolf film written and directed by David Hayter, and starring Lucas Till, Stephen McHattie, John Pyper-Ferguson, Merritt Patterson and Jason Momoa. The film received a negative critical response.

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What is the silent werewolf movie? ›

The Werewolf is a 1913 silent film short directed by Henry MacRae. The film is about a Navajo woman becoming a timberwolf.

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What is the most famous werewolf in history? ›

Perhaps the most infamous example is the case of Peter Stumpp (executed in 1589), the German farmer, and alleged serial killer and cannibal, also known as the Werewolf of Bedburg.

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What is the highest grossing werewolf movie of all time? ›

The highest grossing werewolf movie of all time is Wolf (1994), which had grossed $131m (£87m) worldwide by 31 December 1994. Comments below may relate to previous holders of this record.

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What is the highest ranking werewolf? ›

A pack of werewolves typically has a werewolf Alpha, Beta, and Omega. A pack also has a Luna and Gamma. The Alpha holds the highest position in the pack. The Beta has the second-highest position, while the Gamma holds the third.

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What is the movie called where people turn into wolves? ›

An American Werewolf in Paris

An American man unwittingly gets involved with French werewolves who have developed a serum allowing them to transform at will.

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