Ryan Gosling Horror Blockbuster Reboot Dead?
Everyone’s out trying to start a cinematic franchise, and Universal Pictures has been desperately trying to turn its Monsters characters into a cinematic universe ever since 2017. Unfortunately, their first attempt, The Mummy, was a massive failure, despite featuring Tom Cruise as lead and Russel Crowe as Dr. Henry Jekyll/Mr. Hyde—who was, perhaps, the real star of the movie. But without any new releases on the horizon, we have to ask whether Ryan Goslin’s Wolfman has been stopped dead in its tracks.
The Wolfman Reboot Shuffles Directors
According to World of Reel, that remains to be seen. The movie just recently switched directors—again—and with the new change in the director’s seat might come a new lead for the movie. This doesn’t mean that Ryan Gosling was replaced as the eponymous Wolfman, but it most certainly isn’t unheard of that a struggling movie swaps its directors and stars, and whatnots, only to release as a concoction of poorly mixed fantastic elements. Just look at the original Justice League or Tom Cruise’s The Mummy.
Derek Cianfrance Replaces Leigh Whannell
Following the success of the latter Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man—a true horror indie experience that set a good foundation for the expansion of Universal’s Monsterverse—Whannell was announced as the director for Ryan Gosling’s Wolfman, which is apparently a reboot of the 1941 gothic horror movie that significantly influenced Hollywood’s depiction of the legend of the werewolf. Unfortunately, the news was short-lived, and Whannell was soon replaced by Derek Cianfrance, who previously worked with Gosling on A Place Beyond The Pines.
The Wolfman Back On Track?
The initial reports stated that Whannell exited the movie due to scheduling issues at the time. Soon after, the pandemic hit, and once everything was stable again, the SAG-AFTRA strike came about; both events have turned the cinematic and television industry on its head, but they apparently also resolved any schedule conflicts Whannell might’ve had, putting him back into the director’s chair on Wolfman, but with Cianfrance’s script still in use for the shoot. So, the work on the Wolfman, starring Ryan Gosling, continues.
Dwayne Johnson Originally Attached
Admittedly, this isn’t a lot to go on, but considering that we’ve waited a long time for an update on the movie, this particular news is an indication that the Ryan Gosling Wolfman—a rather interesting choice after Ken—is still very much alive. Interestingly enough, the movie changed more than just its director since its announcement. Initial reports suggested that Dwayne Johnson was supposed to star as the eponymous Wolfman.
No Release Date In Sight
In 2020, Ryan Gosling was officially cast as the Wolfman protagonist. The actor also had a massive influence on the film’s script and was also in talks to direct the movie. However, following Whannell’s return to the movie, the script was scrapped in favor of Cianfrance’s work, and Gosling decided to focus entirely on acting in the upcoming movie.
Unfortunately, while the idea of another Wolfman sounds very interesting, and we’d definitely like to hear more about the project, all other details associated with the movie are rather scarce. It doesn’t even have a release date yet.
