In horror, werewolves are one of the most iconic movie monsters ever. From their early start in the Universal Classic Monsters to more modern interpretations of the creatures, there's always been an allure to a person letting their animal side free and causing mayhem. But even though these films have, for the most part, been hits among the fanbase, there's a crucial factor that hasn't been capitalized on enough and could make a huge difference -- female werewolves.
For decades, the werewolf genre has been dominated by male protagonists, from the tragic tale of Larry Talbot in The Wolf Man to more empowering tales like Lucian in the Underworld franchise. Male wolves have always been a focal point and had many stories of breaking free of their chains and embracing the monster within. However, even though this has been a larger demographic since the '40s, select films have shown time and again that female werewolves could bring much more to the table.
Female werewolves have been around for decades, with one of the earliest films being 1946's She-Wolf of London. But rather than an outright monster story, it's more of a murder mystery and asks audiences if there ever was a werewolf, to begin with. That said, there are also films like Ginger Snaps, which took the concept of a woman reaching maturity and used lycanthropy as an allegory for that change. It helped drive home the appeal of female werewolves as it showed every aspect of nature, nurture and a bond of sisterhood without skimping on the gore and monsters.
Female-led werewolf films could also offer an outlet for many fans of the genre who are women and serve as a commentary on today's social status and how women have been treated in society. So many instances of unfairness in the workplace and harassment are brought to light in many different professional avenues. Therefore, a story of a woman who embraced her primal side and took back her strength would not only promise some amazing kills and special effects but also an empowering story told in the style of a classic monster tale.
However, while the genre could serve as a great foundation to speak on the various societal challenges still faced by women today, there's still room for a classic monster tale that just so happens to star a female lead. A great example of this would be the film Cursed, which followed two siblings who were bitten by a werewolf and slowly began to change. It's revealed that their aggressor was actually the older sister's colleague, and she was not only intimidating but loved being a werewolf. It was a unique twist on the norm and showed that even women loved to unleash their werewolf side now and again.
Werewolf films are an amazing platform because, even though it's largely male-dominated, it doesn't have to be. Anyone could relate to being held back and finally having a chance to strike out. As a result, these films, which were already great, have a chance to grow into something more by giving fans a wider range of characters to relate to. In addition, as some earlier attempts have shown, audiences may be surprised to see how magnetic and utterly terrifying a female werewolf could be.