The Top 10 Werewolf Movies To Watch Before Robert Eggers’ ‘Werwulf’

The Universal Classic Monster, The Wolf Man (1941), brought the werewolf legend to mainstream media as a man named Lawrence Talbot is bitten by a werewolf while trying to save someone. Unsure if the cure is real or not, he grows more paranoid and scared until the next full moon.

The Wolf Man is a tragic film that explores the five stages of grief in amazing ways and also gives us an incredible look at practical effects. No one can forget the Wolf Man's underbite, and this film is the reason why. We likely wouldn't have the key elements of Werwulf without what The Wolf Man popularized.

The Howling (1981) took the idea of werewolves and gave it a fun twist that asked the viewer how they would act if they found out they were stuck in a resort filled with a pack of werewolves. Following a journalist traumatized by a past experience, the goal is to help her overcome her past; instead she finds something completely new to be scared of.

The effects of the film are just as much a standout as the premise, but compared to Werwulf, which may have a massive werewolf, The Howling also has multiple giant wolves that hunt and kill. It's a great example of how a normal person could combat such powerful enemies.

A great dark comedy, An American Werewolf in London (1981) feels like a revisiting of The Wolf Man in terms of how it tells such a similar story. But this time, an American backpacker is mauled by a werewolf while his friend is killed by it. Seeing the spirit of his friend, he learns he is now a werewolf and has to die before he changes.

An American Werewolf in London is praised because of how it showcases a brutal and painful transformation. While it's a highlight and a feat in practical effects, it's part of a fun story that's to the point and sticks the landing. Werwulf won't be as fun or funny as this, but it has a chance to top its transformation.

Not to be confused with the recent reimagining, Wolf Man (2025), The Wolfman (2010) is a remake of the 1941 film that leans heavily on the violence and effects that were held back in the original. Lawrence Talbot is still the main character in the film, but now we see what happens when the Wolfman is unleashed in the forests and streets of London.

The film has some great transformations but is mostly remembered for the brutality of the Wolfman. Eggers' Werwulf has an opportunity to top the violence in a big way, but if you want an idea of how violent it could get, The Wolfman is the way to go.

Van Helsing (2004) is not unlike The Mummy (1999), as the same director brought action to the Universal Classic Monsters with a brand-new hero. The film sees a younger Van Helsing traveling to Transylvania to stop Dracula but also encountering other monsters. The Wolfman is simply the muscle, but he's still a hulking creature that's feral and terrifying.

The only thing that held back Van Helsing's werewolf was the CGI. However, what makes this a key film to watch before Werwulf is how the villagers deal with the lycanthrope and how the monster has a stranglehold on them. The group's fear is not unlike what Eggers will explore.

Underworld (2003) is an edgy action horror film in which two star-crossed lovers are caught in a war between vampires and lycans. The action is fun, and the story is strong. Even though the franchise lost steam over the years, the highlights of the film are definitely the monster effects, specifically the werewolves.

The transformations of the lycans were interesting but relied very little practical effects. However, seeing the giant monsters in action could easily serve as a template for how Eggers' werewolf could move. Instead of being intelligent creatures like those in Underworld, it's a chance to be different and experience an animal that was once a man, rather than a man who is also an animal.

Stephen King's Silver Bullet (1985) is a werewolf movie in a world where the characters know what werewolves are. When a young, wheelchair-bound boy begins to suspect a werewolf is killing people in his town, his sister and uncle help him uncover the truth.

The film is fun and doesn't overstay its welcome, but it doesn't stand out in terms of gore or effects. That said, watching it before Werwulf is a chance to get an understanding of werewolf lore that could be used in Eggers’ film to understand just how old this mythological creature is.

Howl (2015) is an overlooked werewolf movie where a train is stuck on its tracks, and those inside have to survive attacks from a massive werewolf. Being set in the modern day, it leaves its characters on the back foot, as they don't know what they're dealing with and without many weapons to combat it.

The monster looks amazing, and the story is simple and fun. However, what makes this a great film to watch before Werwulf is that it gives you an idea of how the people in the film, who may not know what a werewolf is, would have to deal with a monster that can easily rip them apart.

The Cursed (2021) is a period piece and mystery where a man travels to a French village to investigate violent animal attacks. As the film goes on, it becomes clear that there’s a lot more going on below the surface, with the story leaning into the supernatural and werewolves. But it's the way the story unfolds that makes this film so fun.

The Cursed doesn't have the same grittiness as Werwulf, but it does try to do something unique with the werewolf lore. While Eggers always aims for accuracy, The Cursed is a great way to explore a werewolf story that isn't reliant on shock but actually wants to build a story.

The one film cited as an influence on Werwulf, The Company of Wolves (1984), is a unique werewolf movie as it leans more on the fairy tale of it all rather than the outright horror. While the story focuses on a Little Red Riding Hood-esque lead, there are multiple stories in one that make this film unique.

From the wolf transformations to the imagery, Werwulf is heavily influenced by The Company of Wolves. As a result, of all the films on this list, this is the one that feels the most important and also feels as dreamy as Eggers' vision.