Here’s How Doctor Strange 2 Story Could Set Up Marvel’s Werewolf Hero!
For a long time, there have been rumors that Marvel is eying on Werewolf by Night as the lead for horror-focused Disney+ Series. And recently it was reported by The Wrap that Marvel is looking to cast a Latino actor as the main protagonist for a Halloween special based on the Werewolf by Night comics.
There are two characters who have used this name in the comics but the presumption is that the special will center on the original aka the most important incarnation of the character which is Jack Russell. According to The Wrap, Marvel’s intention is for its Werewolf by Night to enter production sometime around 2022.
Marvel hasn’t confirmed the same but its willingness to take risks, it’s much possible. And it is already making one seasonal release with its Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Here’s why the MCU may set the stage for Russell’s werewolf transformation with Scarlet Witch’s Doctor Strange 2 story.
The Origin
Just like most werewolf stories, Marvel’s take on lycanthropy is a mystical curse that turns people into super-strong, wolf-like beasts under the full moon. The curse can be given to another through a bite or by genetics. As for how it got started in the comics, it was explained in the 1970s that the curse is connected to the Darkhold, an ancient and powerful spellbook that contains dark magic.
There were werewolves in Jack Russell’s family that foes all the way back to a battle with Dracula that took place hundreds of years ago. That’s when the curse first came into their family when a werewolf minion of Dracula bit one of Russell’s ancestors. It was purged from their family generations later but when Jack’s father, Gregory accidentally reactivated it, when he found the Darkhold and read the werewolf curse on one of its pages. When Jack reached the age of 18, the curse was passed down to him despite his transformation not being any fault of his own.
After that Jack spent much of his time on the road trying to navigate his problems. He also searched for answers in the Darkhold, which could very well be responsible for the existence of werewolves in the first place. He even teamed up with Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and Iron Man. He was then able to evolve into a vigilante character for Marvel Comics thanks to partial removal of the curse. Jack then figured out how to transform into a werewolf and remain in control of his actions.
Scarlet Witch May Cause His MCU Origin
Depending on how much Doctor Strange draws from Scarlet Witch’s WandaVision story, she could have the Darkhold with her when she teams up with Sorcerer Supreme. The title implies that they’ll be up against a villain that is set to threaten the entire multiverse. Wanda or Strange may use Darkhold to be used in their efforts to save the world.
If Darkhold comes into the picture, it’s possible that Darkhold could get lost in the chaos. A fight that could go the wrong way for Scarlet Witch and would result in her losing track of the book and ending up in the wrong hands. Maybe they could drop hints in the post-credit scenes.
When Can Werewolf By Night Be Expected In The MCU
It would make more sense for Jack to have a meaningful role in the MCU before he gets his own project. The holiday special planned for the Guardians of the Galaxy will be about the length of a TV episode, so it is possible that Werewolf by Night will have a similar runtime. If Werewolf by Night’s Halloween special is his first full MCU appearance it will be limited.
So if Marvel teases him in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it can follow up on his setup first in Phase 4’s Moon Knight show!
