Credit: MarvelAfter the events of The Marvels and the upcoming Deadpool 3, it might be some time before fans see anything new from the MCU. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll want for much on Disney+. As Marvel revisits a former classic this fall, some big changes are underway, but perhaps not for the better.
Although some might dispute that Multiverse of Madness claims the title, this writer will attest that Werewolf By Night is the first legit horror movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Everything about it just screams classic creature feature at the top of its lungs. Yet Marvel wants to botch it.
Marvel Mangles Movie in Glorious Technicolor
Halloween is a great season for Disney+ subscribers, as the streaming platform already has a spectacular selection of spooky cinema. Marvel’s Werewolf By Night is certainly one of the most intense thrills on the menu, simply because it gets away with so much under the guise of a vintage horror movie.
Related: The Avengers Assemble Robot Dinosaurs in New Marvel Project
The special takes a lot from the Universal Monster movies and horror comics that inspired it, and it’s blatantly obvious that the creators involved did their homework. Everything about it positively drips with greatness and gore, but one change is going to ruin the entire experience.
Werewolf by Night tells the story of Jack Russell, a lycanthropic monster hunter who must battle a team of fellow slayers for the coveted Bloodstone. Utilizing themes and imagery seen in Lon Chaney’s Wolf Man films, the monster movie Marvel made is an absolute feast for horror fans.
Spoilers for Werewolf by Night beyond this point!
Unfortunately, the Studio plans on ripping part of its identity away with its upcoming colorization. While that might sound like a neat idea to some, it takes away a huge chunk of what separates the film’s identity from other MCU entries.
While the movie does go to color before the credits roll, this is an artistic choice that doesn’t conflict with the motifs and intent for the rest of the story. Watching it happen without existing in monochrome first takes away part of the Bloodstone’s mystifying element.
The use of black-and-white techniques not only lend the movie a distinct visual style, reminiscent of James Whale’s movies, but it’s also a great way to hide the uncommon amount of violence and gore seen in this Marvel production.
Related: Report: ‘Captain America’ Star To Suffer Heart Attack in Upcoming Movie
Movies like Multiverse of Madness might get away with some rotting flesh or unsightly injuries, but people are absolutely torn apart in Werewolf By Night. Imagine seeing all that carnage in full color on a Disney-owned streaming service. Suddenly that PG-13 rating starts to tip.
While we can’t really say how fans will receive the altered version of Marvel’s main monster movie at this point, going to color might not be the best idea. Unless it comes with a grainy filter in the style of Hammer’s host of horror flicks, it’s definitely going to dilute the experience.
Would you watch Werewolf By Night in full color? Tell Inside the Magic in the comments below!