Disney+ Announces Surprise Re-Release Of A Huge MCU Hit - With A Colorful Twist
A black-and-white adaptation of a hit Marvel Comics series is returning to its vibrant comic book roots and will be presented for the first time in living color. According to What's on Disney Plus, "Werewolf by Night" — a hit 52-minute MCU special that debuted on Disney+ on October 7, 2022 — is getting an upgrade on October 20 of this year. As suggested by its title, "Werewolf by Night in Color" will be presented entirely in color. Meanwhile, the original black-and-white version of the special, which was directed by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino, will remain on the streaming service as well.
Gael Garcia Bernal stars in "Werewolf by Night" as Jack Russell, who competes with Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly) and other monster hunters to find a mystical stone that will control all monsters. Complicating matters is that Jack is a monster himself, cursed to become a werewolf.
"Werewolf by Night" is a unique release, as the black-and-white presentation is designed to harken back to the black-and-white horror films of the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. What makes the original version of "Werewolf by Night" distinct is that the stone at the center of the hunt is red throughout, with a color scene appearing only at the end. Now, of course, the entire special will be presented in color, like the panels in the original "Werewolf by Night" comic book.
The film's makeup head says it could have originally been released in color
"Werewolf by Night" makeup department head Ellen Arden told Looper in an exclusive interview in October 2022 that while she had designed the makeup to work for a black-and-white production, the colors her department had chosen allowed for a color presentation if need be.
"We knew that the film could potentially be in black and white or potentially in color," Arden told Looper. "We had to marry those two things and choose colors that were bright and visually striking in color, but also would play well if it was turned black and white — keeping in mind there were a set of scenarios that could happen in post[-production], too, like contrast and all that stuff. We veered toward colors that were more middle gray."
Disney+ also formally announced the release of "Werewolf by Night in Color" via tweet. The updated version of the special is part of the streamer's "Hallowstream" presentation, which will include the new Disney film "Haunted Mansion." Disney-owned streaming service Hulu will also stream the black-and-white version of "Werewolf by Night" on Friday, September 15.