Even the most famous cinematic werewolf, the titular Wolf Man introduced by Universal Pictures in 1941, has struggled to stand out. Watching these movies back-to-back forces you to confront a reality that goes beyond the vampire-vs.

Wolf Man is the next instalment in arguably the oldest franchise in cinema history. Universal Monsters, which evolved through the silent era, features iconic characters like Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy and, of course, the Wolf Man.

Wolf Man director Leigh Whannell discusses why classic creatures like the werewolf, Nosferatu, and Frankenstein’s monster still matter, and what Hollywood can do to get them right.