Werewolf by Night

Monster hunters gather at the Bloodstone Temple after their leader's death. A memorial becomes a dangerous contest for a powerful relic, bringing the guests into contact with a monster. Werewolf by Night takes Marvel into the atmosphere of an old-fashioned creature feature, with Michael Giacchino directing and composing the score.

Watch the shadows, the framing and the rhythm of the score as closely as the action. The special draws on horror cinema of the 1930s and 1940s, making its compact running time feel like a deliberate change of pace. Its appeal is discovering an unfamiliar gathering and gradually learning whom to trust.

Start with the special itself. Its opening establishes the gathering and the contest, so leave the identities and motives of the visitors for the story to reveal.

This page covers the original 2022 special, presented primarily in black and white. Begin here for its introduction to the Bloodstone gathering. You can approach it as a focused monster story without turning the viewing session into a complete MCU rewatch; the comparison links below are optional ways to explore other tones afterward.

This film is not on the current reviewed Doomsday preparation list. That is separate from its value as a film or a starting point.