The full moon must be high in the sky tonight because we’re about to rank the best werewolf movies of all time.
Yes, so far, we’ve put together a list of the best horror movies and the best zombie movies, but we’ve never gotten around to the furriest genre. So, with Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man now in theaters (read our Wolf Man review here), we thought now was the perfect time to tackle these wonderful creature features.
Below, you’ll find a pack (pun unintended) of brilliant films from across multiple genres, including romantic movies (yes, romantic werewolf movies exist) to coming-of-age tales… or should that be tails? The only thing these films have in common is that they’re all fantastic… and feature someone turning into a wolf at some point.
So, what are you waiting for, a silver bullet? Get your teeth into our list of the best werewolf movies ever made.
10. Wolf (1994)
Director: Mike Nichols
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Spader
What it’s about: After New York editor Will Randall is bitten by a wolf, he begins to undergo a strange transformation that makes him stronger and more vital than ever before. However, Will’s joy soon turns to terror when it becomes clear the wolf gave him more than superpowers as he slowly turns into a violent creature of the night.
Why we love it: More often than not, werewolf movies lean into the fear of losing control of one’s body and the visceral thrill of savage bloodshed. Wolf, however, treats infection in a rather different way. Instead of being about becoming a monster in the moonlight (although there’s plenty of gore on offer) Will’s transformation is treated more like some mid-life erotic awakening; it’s about discovering long dormant parts of yourself and the excitement and horror that comes with that. It won’t work for everyone, but a decent werewolf romance movie is a rare thing so we wanted to give Wolf its flowers.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 62%
9. Underworld (2003)
Director: Len Wiseman
Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly
What it’s about: Set in a world where werewolves and vampires have fought a centuries-long war, our hero is Selene (Beckinsale), a vampire Death Dealer who falls in love with a newly turned lycan called Michael Corvin. As you can imagine, this doesn’t impress Selene’s bloodsucking bosses, and she’s forced to choose between her people and her beloved.
Why we love it: Underworld is pure unfiltered schlock. Stylish schlock, yet schlock nonetheless. Still, in all honesty, the film’s sheer bombast (I don’t care who you are, werewolves fighting vampires is a cool idea) and the sincerity with which it tackles the bonkers premise make it an easy film to love, especially in a genre that, to be blunt, is normally a bit depressing.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%
8. The Company of Wolves (1985)
Director: Neil Jordan
Cast: Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Sarah Patterson, Graham Crowden
What it’s about: A young girl named Rosaleen dreams that she lives in an idyllic fairytale forest with her parents and sister. Yet beyond the safety of the forest path lurk things with dark desires and empty bellies.
Why we love it: You might expect an adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood to be a bit twee, but The Company of Wolves is a surprisingly gnarly picture that balances gruesome transformation scenes with an eerie, unforgettable atmosphere. It’s like a dark fairy, possessed of a sort of ethereal quality that makes it a difficult and sometimes nightmarish watch.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
7. Werewolves Within (2021)
Director: Josh Ruben
Cast: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, George Basil, Sarah Burns
What it’s about: After the body of a man is discovered in the small town of Beaverfield, forest ranger Finn Wheeler must try and uncover which of the town’s residents is secretly a werewolf.
Why we love it: A rare example of a good video game movie, Werewolves Within is a delightfully funny murder mystery that just so happens to feature a savage lycanthrope. Arguably, the film’s secret weapon is its exceptional cast of comic actors who help keep the tone light but thrilling.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%
6. Ginger Snaps (2000)
What it’s about: Ginger and Brigitte – two outcast sisters obsessed with the macabre – face puberty, high school drama, and a hairy problem when one is bitten by a werewolf in this darkly comic horror.
Why we like it: Ginger Snaps makes getting your period scarier than any biology class ever could. It’s bloody, biting, and full of 00s teen angst – think The Craft, but instead of witchcraft it deals with claws and carnage.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%Words by Daisy Phillipson
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5. Teen Wolf (1985)
Director: Rod Daniel
Cast: Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Scott Paulin, Susan Ursitti
What it’s about: Scott Howard appears to be your average high school student, but his family has a secret: they’re cursed to become werewolves. Surprisingly, though, Scorr finds the curse a blessing and uses his new powers to become the most popular guy in school, but who do his classmates really love: Scott or The Wolf?
Why we love it: A charming mix of John Hughes-esque fun and werewolf action, this entertaining coming-of-age film might not feature as many maulings as other films on this list, but it’s got plenty of basketball, and that has to count for something. In all seriousness, what makes Teen Wolf so good is Michael J. Fox. He’s the full moon that transforms Teen Wolf’s uninspired script into a cult classic, delivering a performance that’s far better than the rest of the movie around him.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 46%
4. The Wolf Man (1941)
Director: George Waggner
Cast: Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, Ralph Bellamy, Evelyn Ankers
What it’s about: After returning home to bury his brother, Larry Talbot meets and falls in love with local girl Gwen Conliffe. Sadly, while on their first date, Larry is bitten by a wolf and is cursed to transform into a dangerous human-wolf hybrid when the next full moon rises.
Why we love it: Wolf Man may seem tame by modern standards but this is probably one of the darkest movies on this list. There’s no joy to be found in Larry’s transformations, no catharsis to be gleaned from his rampages, just horror at what he’s becoming, and it all comes to an inevitably horrible end. Perhaps, though, what earned this film a top five spot on the list was that it effectively established the “rules” every werewolf movie has followed since.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
3. The Howling (1981)
Director: Joe Dante
Cast: Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone
What it’s about: After LA news anchor Karen White helps police take down a serial killer, she and her husband head off to a countryside retreat for some much-needed rest. Sadly, what should have been a relaxing trip turns into something far stranger when the retreat turns out to be home to a colony of werewolves.
Why we love it: As you’d probably expect from a Joe Dante picture, The Howling balances a pitch-black sense of humor with a clear love of the genre. As a result, the film has a slightly mischievous tone. There’s a sense that just by watching it, Dante has let you in on some secret gag. That can make it a difficult watch, but if you can get past its impish spirit, you’ll be treated to one of the best monster movies ever made and some genre-definition special effects courtesy of Rob Bottin.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%
2. Dog Soldiers (2002)
Director: Neil Marshall
Cast: Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Emma Cleasby, Liam Cunningham
What it’s about: A group with incredible language skills who are also soldiers find themselves trapped in a house besieged by ravenous werewolves.
Why we love it: Bloodier than a trip to the butcher’s backroom, Dog Soldiers is a film with gore baked into its celluloid. Yet beyond the excitement of seeing multiple characters disemboweled (who knew people were filled with sausages?), what makes Dog Soldiers such a delight is its claustrophobic atmosphere and ghoulish sense of humor.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%
1. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Director: John Landis
Cast: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine
What it’s about: As American students David Kessler and Jack Goodman hike across the Yorkshire moors, they’re attacked by a strange beast. While Jack is mauled to death by the creature, David survives, yet as the full moon rises, he transforms into a merciless monster and terrorizes the people of London.
Why we love it: An American Werewolf in London is the definitive werewolf movie for many, largely thanks to its incredible creature effects. And, yes, David’s hideous and painful transformation at the movie’s climax is reason enough to watch, but there’s more going on under this film’s shaggy fur. It’s a genuinely subversive and shocking exploration of otherness that also happens to be a viciously entertaining creature feature. Yes, it can be silly at times, but the film’s macabre sense of humor is just part of An American Werewolf in London’s charm.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
We were lucky enough to sit down with Leigh Whannell and talk about how the death of the Dark Universe breathed life into his monster movies or why we won’t be getting a Wolf Man 2. Need more? Well give our list of the most violent horror movies a read.
