The Wolfman and his Website

http://www.thewolfmanmovie.com/

Follow the link above to access the new website recently launched for the upcoming “Wolfman” film set for release around Valentine’s Day in 2009. While the story synopsis says its “inspired” by the original Universal film that starred Lon Chaney Jr as Lawerence Talbot, most people will see this as a remake. However, as the plot synopsis shows, this film will be moving in a different direction from the original at least in terms of the plot.

The only other thing on the website right now is an images page…with only one image, that of Benecio Del Toro (the star of the film) in his Wolfman garb.

While I’ve been skeptical from the start…I mean just look at what Van Helsing did to these immortal horror film characters…I am seeing better and better signs. First, they aren’t going with a CGI Wolfman, which immediately is a great bonus. Second…the cast is really top notch. Joining Del Toro are Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins, and Hugo Weaving. Blunt plays the fiancee of Talbot’s brother, Hopkins as been cast as Talbot’s father and Weaving will play an investigator who arrives in Talbot’s hometown. No word on if the gypsy woman who appeared in many of the Wolfman films will make an appearance. Not much more you can ask for than that. Additionally, they are taking the story in a slightly different direction, so as far as the remake thing goes…at least we aren’t getting another shot for shot remake that will beg the question of “WHY!!!!!?”

Finally, for hardcore fans of the original like me, you’ll be happy to know that they have the “old gypsy poem” correct and its currently on the front page of the site:

“Even a man who is pure at heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the Autumn moon is bright.”

Van Helsing (again) changed it to be “when the moon is full and bright”…for no apparant reason. So at the very least, they are honoring the source material here. Whether or not this film ends up being good or not, well that remains to be seen. But at the very least the filmmakers are NOT setting themselves up for failure, which is nice.

More on this film as we get closer. I would guess a trailer will be coming out sometime soon….perhaps with The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor? (Its a Universal film after all).