Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation: Werewolf By Night took everyone by surprise at the D23 Expo. The black and white teaser of the classic monsters’ horror-inspired television special was well received by the audience. It was praised for its perfect blend of creepy horror and Marvel-style humor. The special will introduce several new characters from the comics into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Elsa Bloodstone, Verusa, and Man-Thing, alongside Jack Russell’s incarnation of the titular character played by Gael García Bernal.

We don’t know at what point in the MCU’s shared continuity will Werewolf By Night take place, but these Marvel monsters will establish a retrospective place in the franchise. Werewolf By Night’s monster species will find a centuries-old history in the franchise through the special, thus confirming their long presence in the continuity.

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The special’s executive producer Brian Gay confirmed this in an interview with The Direct. Gay revealed that Werewolf By Night would explore a particular corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, delving into the long-hidden existence of monsters and monster hunters in the continuity. He said,

Brian Gay also revealed that these characters would eventually turn up in other MCU entries at the right time.

I think one of the very cool things about the special is it’s just peeling back the corner of monsters in the MCU, right? So there’s not just the monsters that are part of Werewolf by Night, but the ones that were up on the wall, there’s some of that artwork as well. What all this lends to is the idea that for centuries there have been monsters within the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and they’ve been being tracked or hunted or kept at bay by these hunters.

Marvel Cinematic Universe is expanding its character’s catalog faster than ever, and in this Multiverse Saga, everyone has a place of their own. Several Marvel Comics stories intertwine these characters and can be adapted into live-action. Thus, the ones introduced to us in Werewolf By Night will reappear in similar collaborations within the MCU.

And I think, well, we don’t know exactly where they’ll pop up next, the idea is that, with this wide swath of different species and types, they’re going to pop up again. You’re going to see these guys in different ways, of course.

Early Reviews of Werewolf By Night are All Praising the Show

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Marvel’s Halloween Special has received many positive responses after the first screenings. Several critics are already calling it Marvel’s best to date. The special was a surprise pitch to Kevin Feige by Michael Giacchino, who has scored several films set in the MCU.

Introducing Werewolf By Night opens the way for several Marvel projects to take shape, including Midnight Sons, a Moon Knight-Werewolf by Night crossover, and even a collaboration with Mahershala Ali’s upcoming Blade. Though the special’s director has refuted claims of crossovers or MCU cameos in Werewolf By Night, things always spun out of nowhere in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Though the character’s future may not be sure yet, the special itself will be a long-awaited adventure for the audience to sink in. Werewolf By Night will stream on Disney+ on October 7, 2022.

The special’s synopsis reads:

On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.