Although it's been given a rating of TV-14, Werewolf by Night director Michael Giacchino revealed that he thought Marvel Studios' upcoming Halloween special would be rated TV-MA.
While speaking to THR, Giacchino was asked if the special being in black-and-white color was to ensure the TV-14 rating, to which he responded that he wasn't sure. "We had always assumed it would be TV-MA, but I wasn't always involved with what was happening on that end in terms of ratings and all of that," he said. "And so I’m not sure, but I am sure you are absolutely right that the black and white did help keep us within a certain range."
Disney+ is no stranger to having TV-MA properties. Not only does the streaming service possess the Marvel Netflix shows, but will soon welcome the Marvel Zombies animated series, which itself will have a mature audience rating. As for Werewolf by Night, Giacchino explained that Marvel Studios President and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige was bewildered by the director's desire to tackle a relatively obscure Marvel character.
Werewolf By Night Howls Onto Disney+
"It was funny because [Kevin Feige] was talking to me and said, 'So what would you want to do?' And I was like, 'I want to do Werewolf by Night,'" said Giacchino. "And he looked at me like, 'Really? Like really? Werewolf-' I'm like, 'Yeah, that's what I want.' He was like, 'Wow. Okay, alright. Let's talk about that.' And the conversation just kept going, and going, and going, and then, and here we are now."
Additionally, Marvel Studios producer Brian Gay delved into the special's ties to the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, noting how it introduces people to "a different area of the universe," one that's home to "a world of monsters" underneath the MCU's fantastical elements. "That was the idea that we wanted to set up this concept that, 'Hey, everything that you thought you knew, there was even a layer that you had no idea about,'" he said. "So, we want to introduce Jack [Russell], and Elsa [Bloodstone] and all these other characters as part of a world that just makes the MCU feel even bigger."
Despite these connections, Giacchino confirmed there will be no cameos from major MCU characters in Werewolf by Night. However, the special won't be the last time viewers see the titular lycanthrope and his fellow monster Man-Thing, as Gay stated the characters will come back in future projects.
Werewolf by Night premieres Oct. 7 on Disney+.
Source: THR