Werewolves: Hairier, scarier, and a lot more moonlight (horror film trailer).

If you’ve ever thought, “Zombies are great, but what if they had fur and some serious dental issues?” then Werewolves, coming this December, might just be the cinematic horror you’ve been waiting for. Directed by Steven C. Miller—who seems determined to put his own spin on the “apocalypse, but make it fuzzy” genre—the film promises to do for werewolves what 28 Days Later did for zombies. It’s got action, it’s got horror, and it’s got a supermoon, which, frankly, sounds like the perfect excuse to break out the emergency razor blades.

The plot? Oh, it’s simple enough. In Werewolves, a supermoon event has activated some sort of ancient gene that, surprise, surprise, makes everyone susceptible to becoming a werewolf for one night. Now, you might be thinking, “Great, everyone’s a werewolf—what could possibly go wrong?” Well, how about everything? Because not only do these people get all fangy and clawed, they also seem to enjoy tearing each other apart. You know, classic werewolf behaviour. Enter Frank Grillo (because of course it’s Frank Grillo) as Wesley Marshall, a grizzled hero who’s seen it all and yet somehow seems surprised that his night is now ruined by people turning into oversized murder puppies.

Let’s talk cast. Katrina Law plays Dr. Amy Chen, one of the two scientists scrambling to stop this lunar-driven lycanthropy pandemic. She’s got the brains, the looks, and probably a tragic backstory involving a loved one who’s already gone full wolf. Ilfenesh Hadera stars as Lucy Marshall, likely the person who has to stop Frank Grillo from going completely rogue and trying to solve the problem with his fists alone. Then there’s Lou Diamond Phillips as Dr. Aranda—because no 90s kid can ever resist the sheer nostalgic pull of Lou Diamond Phillips battling werewolves in 2024.

The premise? It’s a big one. Apparently, this supermoon triggered a global gene mutation, meaning anyone and everyone could go full Teen Wolf for one specific night. Forget your typical horror movie where the werewolf is the only one—you’ve now got whole packs of the things roaming around, all because they happened to look up at the wrong moment. Think of it like a full-moon rave, but instead of glow sticks and bad decisions, it’s claws and carnage. Fun, right?

Now, the production of this furry fright fest has had its own journey. Filmed in Puerto Rico, the movie was originally titled Year 2—which sounds more like a sequel to The Purge than a movie about people turning into werewolves, but we digress. It’s got action, it’s got thrills, and it’s got a script by Matthew Kennedy, who probably spent a lot of time figuring out how to make werewolves scary again. Because let’s be honest, the last time werewolves were genuinely terrifying was… okay, it’s been a while.

So, what can we expect from Werewolves? Well, think apocalyptic vibes, but instead of viruses or zombies, you’ve got every random person who stepped outside on the night of the supermoon turning into a beast with anger management issues. The film’s going for a more action-packed, visceral take on lycanthropy, which means we can probably expect a lot of chase scenes, a lot of gnashing teeth, and hopefully a few moments where someone gets a tranquilizer dart in the face.

But here’s the real question: Can Werewolves elevate lycanthropy to the same level of horror coolness as zombies or vampires? Well, considering it’s Frank Grillo and Lou Diamond Phillips running around with shotguns while people mutate into werewolves, we’re willing to bet it’s going to at least be a howling good time. (Sorry, not sorry.)

The film’s release date is set for December 6, 2024, which is just in time to make you rethink any moonlit strolls. Whether or not it’ll turn out to be the 28 Days Later for the werewolf genre or just a hairy mess is still up in the air. But either way, grab your popcorn and maybe a silver bullet or two—you know, just in case.