Best in Show: The 10 Best Werewolf Movies

What are the best werewolf movies?

Few cinematic monsters carry the primal weight of the werewolf. From gothic curses to modern bloodbaths, lycanthropy endlessly evolves, channeling human anxiety through razor-sharp fangs and jaw-dropping transformations. Now, with visionary auteur Robert Eggers poised to unleash his medieval horror vision, “Werwulf”, the full moon rises once again on the silver screen’s favorite hairy, hangry monster.

To mark Eggers’ impending descent into feral madness (and the spooky season), I’ve compiled this list of the 10 best werewolf movies ever made. It has everything: 1980s horror-comedies, tragic Universal classics, visceral siege thrillers, subversive feminist allegories and more. These were-flicks represent the absolute apex of cinematic howling, so double-lock your doors and meet the undisputed alphas of monster cinema.

10. “Cat People” (1982)

A pack of werewolf movie fans might howl “Sacrilege!” when they see Paul Schrader’s 1982 remake of Jacques Tourneur’s 1942 original “Cat People.” To that, I yowl back: “Meowwwwwwwwwwrrrr!” The sensual story of a brother (Malcolm McDowell) and sister (Nastassja Kinski) descended from an incestuous, cat-worshiping cult is basically a werewolf movie.

The siblings are slaves to a curse that causes them to transform into panthers if they fornicate outside the family — and they can return to human form only after a kill. McDowell’s “Paul” embraces his true nature and is sneaky, menacing, and weird in human form. Kinski’s “Irena” struggles with her duality and resists until she can’t. The story’s even set in New Orleans, home of the loup-garou (a French word loosely translating to “werewolf”). And, of course, there is rippy, shreddy, squishy violence.

9. “Bad Moon” (1996)

“Bad Moon” writer-director Eric Red wrote two outstanding horror movies in “The Hitcher” (1986) and “Near Dark” (1987), covering itinerant serial killers and vampires, respectively. His werewolf movie semi-frequently makes these lists — but that just goes to show you what lycanthrope fans will forgive, sometimes, if you deliver on at least some of the main tropes.

After a grisly, intense opening sequence, “Bad Moon” starts behaving like a family film, probably owing to its source material, Wayne Smith’s 1992 novel “Thor,” where the story is told from a dog’s point of view. Thor (played by Primo) still plays a big part here, being the first one to realize there’s a werewolf in the family.

But the warm, happy score (and, sorry, Mariel Hemingway and Michael Paré, uneven acting) playing in daylight scenes creates a cheesy tonal shift that both neuters and enhances the pretty solid, and gory, werewolf action. It’s like the film itself is a werewolf: happy by day, horrifying by night.

Ultimately, though, “Bad Moon” is enjoyable for what it is. You’ll gleefully mock the badness while still digging the decent creature design and gooey gore effects. And you’ll probably go back for a rewatch — I’ve seen it at least four times.

8. “Late Phases” (2014)

Moving into a new neighborhood is always a gamble, but what if you’re a blind, clinically depressed senior citizen and at least one of your new community members is a werewolf? That’s the situation Ambrose McKinley (Nick Damici, “Stake Land”) finds himself in when his son (Ethan Embry) talks him into relocating.

It’s a good thing Ambrose is a decorated war veteran who gets along just fine despite his age or affliction. In fact, he’s not shy about asserting this, much to the chagrin of his well-intentioned new neighbors, who begin to turn against him — in more ways than one.

When the satisfyingly bloody werewolf action happens, Ambrose immediately susses out exactly what he’s dealing with and is more than ready, setting traps and shooting like he has a sixth sense. The thing is, the werewolf costumes are a rare miss from special effects legend Robert Kurtzman. They look great until you glimpse their faces, which are kinda cute, thereby curbing the scare factor. The transformation scene, though, is one of the best I’ve seen in years.

7. “WolfCop” (2014)

“Half man. Half wolf. All cop.” What does that tagline conjure in your mind? How ’bout “Here comes the fuzz.”? Those snappy one-liners, the title, and the note-perfect poster art by The Dude Designs help you sniff out “WolfCop’s” essence: It’s a wacky, gory, raunchy, R-rated Saturday morning cartoon of a were-flick.

The plot of Lowell Dean’s film is simple: Underachieving, alcoholic cop Lou Garou (Leo Fafard) tangles with a werewolf and survives, transforming — spectacularly — into the film’s titular creature. But instead of going on moon-fueled murder benders, Garou uses his powers for good, cruising around town in a badass WolfCop-mobile, turning pig-masked thugs into pulled pork, and boinking smokin’ hot bartenders. There’s not much more to the film than that — but that’s all “WolfCop” needs to be fun.

Bonus watches: The 2017 sequel, “Another WolfCop” is just as much fun. And so is the mullet-and-temple-powered 1987 music video for Lawrence Gowan’s “Moonlight Desires,” which sublimely soundtracks the sex scene in “WolfCop.”

6. “Ginger Snaps” (2000)

Good werewolf movies are rare; good movies where the main wolf is a woman are even more so. In John Fawcett’s 2000 Canadian cult classic “Ginger Snaps,” death-obsessed sisters Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins) survive an attack.

You know what happens next: Ginger gradually transforms into a she-wolf which, in this gory feminist fright flick, is a metaphor for female puberty, unchecked sexuality, and complex sisterly devotion. In that sense, “Ginger Snaps” is more elevated than your average werewolf movie, subverting tropes in the male-dominated form while still delivering what we want from were-flicks: blood, guts, a fantastic werewolf design, and even a few laughs.

5. “The Wolf Man” (1941)

George Waggner’s iconic Universal classic “The Wolf Man” isn’t scary anymore. But the story of Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) probably was frightening eight-and-a-half decades ago, when horror films didn’t have to be fast-paced, splattery thrill rides. Driven by foggy, gothic atmosphere and Jack Pierce’s legendary makeup, the film relies on rich psychological suspense rather than cheap, visceral shock values. Instead, “The Wolf Man” dwells on Talbot’s situation and desperate search for a cure, making it more of a dark drama compared to the were-flicks that followed it. It treats the lycanthropic curse as a deeply mournful, unavoidable fate. As such, it’s more interesting than frightening — but still more than deserving of its status.

4. “Dog Soldiers” (2002)

Helmed by director Neil Marshall (“The Descent,” 2019’s “Hellboy” reboot), this high-octane cult creature feature plunges a British military unit training in the misty Scottish Highlands straight into a bloody fight for survival. After stumbling upon the slaughtered, gored remains of a rival unit, the stranded squad realizes they are being stalked by a relentless, unknown threat. Escorted by a mysterious local zoologist, the surviving soldiers hole up inside an isolated rural farmhouse to make a desperate last stand.

What erupts is a visceral siege against towering, chillingly intelligent lycanthropes determined to tear their way inside. A permanent fixture on top-tier werewolf movie lists, Marshall’s kinetic thriller remains a fan favorite for its razor-sharp pacing, gallows humor, and phenomenal practical effects—delivering hulking, spine-tingling monster suits that easily stand toe-to-toe with classics like “The Howling.”

3. “Silver Bullet” (1985)

This standout 1985 creature feature is adapted from Stephen King’s 1983 novella “Cycle of the Werewolf.” You know it from how the film, like King, expertly balances nostalgic, idyllic small-town charm with savage monster horror. Opening with a chilling, gory encounter between a shitfaced rail worker and a lurking beast, the film quickly establishes the cozy, summer-soaked atmosphere of Tarker’s Mills, Maine, right as the town prepares for Fourth of July festivities.

At the center of the mayhem is Marty (Corey Haim), a resilient disabled teenager who copes with local bullies thanks to the fiercely protective love of his family. That bond is anchored by his wild, warmhearted Uncle Red (Gary Busey), who surprises Marty with a high-powered custom motorized ride.

When a streak of vicious, gooey slayings throws the community into panic, Marty finds himself in the thick of the action, single-handedly piecing together the local lycanthrope’s secret identity. Delivering an irresistible blend of Stephen King lore, bloody practical effects, and delightfully unhinged, ad-libbed performance beats from Busey, “Silver Bullet” remains an absolute fan-favorite horror classic.

2. “The Howling” (1981)

When I was 9 or 10, I happened to walk into a friend’s living room when their parents were watching Joe Dante’s “The Howling.” It was right when Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo) had Karen White (Dee Wallace) trapped among the venetian blind shadows in Dr. Waggner’s (get the reference?) office. The way Eddie talked through his intense transformation into a hulking bipedal wolf scared the bejesus outta me; I ran from the room. (This, even though I’d already seen and loved “An American Werewolf in London.” Go figure.) Ah, core memories.

I was so scared by what little I saw of “The Howling” that I didn’t see the full movie until I was almost an adult. It’s definitely the grittiest, sexiest, scariest werewolf movie on this list, so it’s good I didn’t see the entire thing when I was that young. If so, I’d have really freaked out seeing White and her husband (Christoper Stone, Wallace’s real hubby) lured into an entire colony of werewolves, leading to that ending. (Actually, I think I’d have peed the bed well into my teens.) Instead, I’ve now seen it at least a half-dozen times and I have a huge tattoo of mid-transformation Quist. “The Howling” rocks.

Bonus watch: “Howling II: Your Sister Is A Werewolf” (1985) totally sucks — but also kinda rules.

1. “An American Werewolf in London” (1981)

When American backpackers David Kessler (David Naughton) and Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne) are turned out by secretive pub locals with a cryptic caution: “Beware the moon.” When a horrific beast strikes, Jack is slaughtered, forced to walk the earth as a gory, decaying ghost begging David to take his own life before the next full moon. Meanwhile, David recovers, falling in love with nurse Alex Price (Jenny Agutter) while having terrifying nightmares featuring Muppets and a gang of four Nazi werewolves. Eventually, David transforms into a wolf and goes on his own murderous rampages.

Landis masterfully balances razor-sharp, tension-relieving humor with heart-wrenching tragedy and sheer terror. At its center is Rick Baker’s legendary, Oscar-winning practical effects, showcased in a jaw-dropping, bone-snapping transformation sequence set to a cheeky, moon-themed needle drop. Featuring delightful cameos from Muppets legend Frank Oz and Rik Mayall (“The Young Ones,” “Drop Dead Fred”), along with a chaotic, emotionally devastating London climax, this dynamic classic isn’t just a phenomenal monster movie—it’s an endlessly satisfying cinematic triumph, the undisputed apex of werewolf cinema.

More of the best werewolf movies

• “Blackout” (2023)
• “The Company of Wolves” (1984)
• “Curse of the Werewolf” (1961)
• “Good Manners” (2023)
• “Howl” (2015)
• “Wer” (2013)
• “Werewolf of London” (1935)
• “Werewolves Within”( (2021)
• “When Animals Dream” (2014)
• “Wolf” (1994)
• “Wolfen” (1981)

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