Universal's long-gestating reboot of The Wolfman has just moved one step closer to becoming a reality.
Deadline reports that Derek Cianfrance will both write and direct the new Wolfman film starring Ryan Gosling. Cianfrance replaces previous director Leigh Whannell, who left the project due to scheduling conflicts. Gosling, Ken Kao and Blumhouse head Jason Blum will produce the film for Universal, which has long been working on a new version of the character.
"Horror movies were my first love — my entry into what cinema was capable of narratively, psychologically and aesthetically," Cianfrance said of the announcement. "Coupled with the opportunity to collaborate with Ryan again, this is truly a dream come true. I’m thrilled and inspired to work with the good folks at Blumhouse and Universal to bring this monster back to life in our collective unconscious."
Though details are scarce on the new film, Gosling pitched his vision of the project to Universal, who felt it aligned with its vision for how to move forward with its various monster properties. The studio attempted to craft a shared universe of monster movies, dubbed the Dark Universe, starting with The Mummy starring Tom Cruise in 2017. That film failed to perform as expected, however, and plans for a Dwayne Johnson Wolfman movie and an Invisible Man feature fell apart.
Universal and Blumhouse would end up making a new take on the latter story with 2020's Invisible Man starring Elizabeth Moss. Gosling's Wolfman will likely take a similar approach, as it's reported to take place in the modern-day and fit with Universal's new vision for its monsters.
Cianfrance landed an Oscar nomination for his work writing Sound of Metal, and he's previously worked with Gosling on Blue Valentine and Place Beyond the Pines. On the directing side of things, Cianfrance hasn't tackled a feature in some time, but he recently directed all six episodes of the series I Know This Much Is True starring Mark Ruffalo.
Universal's take on the werewolf mythos has appeared in numerous films, beginning with 1941's The Wolfman. A new version of the story arrived in 2010, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Benecio del Toro. The movie underperformed at the box office and with critics, and by 2014, Universal was ready to reboot Wolfman with its shared universe plan. The idea of an interconnected series of films seems to be off the table now, however, with Universal and Blumhouse hoping the modern takes on the characters can provide them with more successes in the vein of Invisible Man.
Source: Deadline