The Marvel Universe may be packed full of colorful heroes and villains, but it's also a place where monsters dwell. Disney Plus’ Werewolf by Night special has begun peeling back the curtain on the monsters of the MCU, and we’re about to meet even more terrifying creatures in upcoming movies like Blade. Even Kevin Feige has teased that this special is the start of big things to come for MCU horror characters.
From vampires to zombies to a certain teleporting swamp monster, let’s break down the important monster characters of the Marvel Universe and why these creatures will probably play a key role in the future of the MCU.
Marvel has two major werewolf characters, but only one of them has a Disney+ series to their name. Werewolf by Night is the codename of Jack Russell, an ironically named man cursed by lycanthropy, and who tries to put that curse to good use as a nocturnal hero. Russel is played by Gael Garcia Bernal in the Disney+ special.
Marvel’s other werewolf character is Man-Wolf, better known as John Jonah Jameson III. Yes, the son of *that* guy. An experienced astronaut, John became the Man-Wolf after discovering a mystical amulet on the moon. Luckily for him, he’s friends with Spider-Man.
The Werewolf by Night special is also introducing Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone. The daughter of legendary monster hunter Ulysses Bloodstone, Elsa has inherited her father’s responsibilities as well as his enchanted amulet. Though it appears the MCU version of Elsa is a little more reluctant about entering the family business.
Not to be outdone, even Man-Thing is making his MCU debut in Werewolf by Night. This lumbering beast was once a human scientist named Dr. Ted Sallis. Now he stalks the swamps of Florida and terrifies criminals everywhere. There’s a reason the saying goes “Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch!"
Man-Thing isn’t a mindless monster, but he is difficult to control or communicate with. That hasn’t stopped various heroes from making use of Man-Thing’s abilities to create interdimensional portals.
Any shared universe worth its salt has a version of Dracula, and Marvel is certainly no exception. Marvel’s version of this iconic villain even had his own monthly series called Tomb of Dracula, a series that also introduced the world to Blade (more on him in a bit).
Marvel’s Dracula is basically the version popularized in Bram Stoker’s classic novel, though he’s had a few run-ins with other Marvel characters over the centuries. Dracula is depicted as being far stronger than normal vampires, due to drinking the blood of an ancient sorcerer named Varnae. Originally, Dracula’s appearance was modeled after the classic Hammer horror films, but in recent years he’s been given a makeover with red armor and long white hair. He also has children named Xaric and Lilitih. To say they don’t get along would be an understatement.
Dracula is arguably the most powerful vampire in the Marvel Universe, but he’s hardly the only one. Dracula’s most famous nemesis is definitely Blade, a character who originally debuted in Tomb of Dracula before spinning out in his own comics. Dubbed the Daywalker by the vampire community, Blade has all the powers of a vampire and few of their weaknesses, making him a one-man vampire-slaying machine.
Blade was famously played by Wesley Snipes in the pre-MCU days. Blade: Trinity even gave us a version of Dracula, but the less said about him, the better. Now Mahershala Ali is taking over the role in the upcoming reboot. We even got a small tease in 2021’s Eternals, where Ali appears in a vocal cameo during the post-credits scene.
If Marvel has a Dracula, it’s only fair there’s a Frankenstein’s Monster, too. Like Dracula, Frankenstein sticks pretty close to the source material and the classic horror movies. This undead monster has been shunned by polite society, but that hasn’t stopped him from battling the forces of evil and teaming up with heroes like Spider-Man.
It’s also worth pointing out that Marvel has FrankenCastle, a version of the Punisher who was reanimated after being sliced to pieces by Wolverine’s son Daken. Frank eventually got better with a little help from the Bloodstone. Introducing FrankenCastle to the MCU could be one way of making the hyper-violent Punisher work within the confines of this PG-13 universe.
Marvel even has a mummy character to round out the classic, Universal Monsters-inspired lineup. N’Kantu is a North African chieftain who’s enslaved by an Egyptian pharaoh and subjected to a horrifying mummification ritual. The so-called “Living Mummy” awakens in modern times. After a brief rampage, his mind is restored and N’Kantu becomes a hero protecting mortals from the supernatural realm.
The Marvel multiverse has no shortage of zombies. There’s an entire universe overrun by a zombie plague, the premise behind Marvel Zombies and its many sequels. That universe also inspired the one seen in Season 1 of Marvel’s What If…?
There’s also a character named Zombie. Businessman Simon Garth was captured and sacrificed in a voodoo ritual, transforming him into a super-strong, undead brute. Though he only has small traces of his humanity left, Zombie has just enough free will left to resist being used as a pawn. Zombie is also expected to make his MCU debut in Werewolf by Night.
The Marvel Universe is home to several demonic characters who may or may not be Satan. One of those demons, Marduk Kurios, fathered two children, Daimon and Satanna Hellstrom. Daimon, the self-proclaimed “Son of Satan,” is committed to ridding the world of his father’s evil. Satana is… a little more morally flexible than her brother.
Both characters previously featured in Hulu’s short-lived Helstrom series. It’s unclear whether that series is connected to the MCU or if the two roles will be recast when they inevitably return.
Finally, who could forget Ghost Rider, everyone’s favorite motorcycle-riding daredevil with a flaming skull for a head. While Johnny Blaze is Marvel’s most famous Ghost Rider (especially after being played by Nicolas Cage in two live-action movies) there have been many to carry the mantle of Ghost Rider over the centuries.
Marvel introduced the Robbie Reyes version in Agents of SHIELD: Season 4, where he was played by Gabriel Luna. That character was even slated to get his own spinoff on Hulu, but it was ultimately canceled. Only time will tell whether the MCU focuses on Robbie, Johnny or another Ghost Rider entirely.
Slowly but surely, Marvel Studios is making monsters a bigger focus in the MCU. Werewolf by Night is introducing several key characters in addition to Jack Russell. Blade is getting a movie reboot. And it’s a safe bet that at least one or two of Marvel’s upcoming untitled projects will have a horror focus.
Blade’s cameo in Eternals gave us our first clue as to how these monster characters are meant to fit together. Blade approaches Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman just as he’s about to touch the Ebony Blade. That scene suggests Blade is interested in more than just slaying vampires, but is keeping an eye on the various supernatural artifacts of the MCU.
That scene may be hinting that Dane has a part to play in the Blade movie, where we may see him take up the mantle of Black Knight. Meanwhile, several monster characters will be in play thanks to Werewolf by Night. All of this could be building toward a full-fledged horror team-up, with Blade joining forces with Black Knight, Elsa Bloodstone, Werewolf by Night, Zombie and Man-Thing to battle a supernatural threat.
Could a Midnight Sons movie be on the horizon? That’s definitely a possibility, especially with the video game drawing more attention to that particular team. The MCU is a bit lacking in the superhero team department these days. Even with the Avengers returning in 2025’s The Kang Dynasty, there’s probably room for the Midnight Sons to carve out their own corner of the world.
Do you want to see a Midnight Sons movie? Which Marvel monsters deserve to team up with Blade? Let us know what you think in the comments. And for more on Werewolf by Night, be sure to check out IGN's full review of the MCU special and brush up on the full history of Werewolf by Night.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
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From vampires to zombies to a certain teleporting swamp monster, let’s break down the important monster characters of the Marvel Universe and why these creatures will probably play a key role in the future of the MCU.
Werewolf by Night and Man-Wolf
Marvel has two major werewolf characters, but only one of them has a Disney+ series to their name. Werewolf by Night is the codename of Jack Russell, an ironically named man cursed by lycanthropy, and who tries to put that curse to good use as a nocturnal hero. Russel is played by Gael Garcia Bernal in the Disney+ special.
Marvel’s other werewolf character is Man-Wolf, better known as John Jonah Jameson III. Yes, the son of *that* guy. An experienced astronaut, John became the Man-Wolf after discovering a mystical amulet on the moon. Luckily for him, he’s friends with Spider-Man.
Elsa Bloodstone
The Werewolf by Night special is also introducing Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone. The daughter of legendary monster hunter Ulysses Bloodstone, Elsa has inherited her father’s responsibilities as well as his enchanted amulet. Though it appears the MCU version of Elsa is a little more reluctant about entering the family business.
Man-Thing
Not to be outdone, even Man-Thing is making his MCU debut in Werewolf by Night. This lumbering beast was once a human scientist named Dr. Ted Sallis. Now he stalks the swamps of Florida and terrifies criminals everywhere. There’s a reason the saying goes “Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch!"
Man-Thing isn’t a mindless monster, but he is difficult to control or communicate with. That hasn’t stopped various heroes from making use of Man-Thing’s abilities to create interdimensional portals.
Dracula
Any shared universe worth its salt has a version of Dracula, and Marvel is certainly no exception. Marvel’s version of this iconic villain even had his own monthly series called Tomb of Dracula, a series that also introduced the world to Blade (more on him in a bit).
Marvel’s Dracula is basically the version popularized in Bram Stoker’s classic novel, though he’s had a few run-ins with other Marvel characters over the centuries. Dracula is depicted as being far stronger than normal vampires, due to drinking the blood of an ancient sorcerer named Varnae. Originally, Dracula’s appearance was modeled after the classic Hammer horror films, but in recent years he’s been given a makeover with red armor and long white hair. He also has children named Xaric and Lilitih. To say they don’t get along would be an understatement.
Blade
Dracula is arguably the most powerful vampire in the Marvel Universe, but he’s hardly the only one. Dracula’s most famous nemesis is definitely Blade, a character who originally debuted in Tomb of Dracula before spinning out in his own comics. Dubbed the Daywalker by the vampire community, Blade has all the powers of a vampire and few of their weaknesses, making him a one-man vampire-slaying machine.
Blade was famously played by Wesley Snipes in the pre-MCU days. Blade: Trinity even gave us a version of Dracula, but the less said about him, the better. Now Mahershala Ali is taking over the role in the upcoming reboot. We even got a small tease in 2021’s Eternals, where Ali appears in a vocal cameo during the post-credits scene.
Frankenstein’s Monster
If Marvel has a Dracula, it’s only fair there’s a Frankenstein’s Monster, too. Like Dracula, Frankenstein sticks pretty close to the source material and the classic horror movies. This undead monster has been shunned by polite society, but that hasn’t stopped him from battling the forces of evil and teaming up with heroes like Spider-Man.
It’s also worth pointing out that Marvel has FrankenCastle, a version of the Punisher who was reanimated after being sliced to pieces by Wolverine’s son Daken. Frank eventually got better with a little help from the Bloodstone. Introducing FrankenCastle to the MCU could be one way of making the hyper-violent Punisher work within the confines of this PG-13 universe.
N’Kantu, the Living Mummy
Marvel even has a mummy character to round out the classic, Universal Monsters-inspired lineup. N’Kantu is a North African chieftain who’s enslaved by an Egyptian pharaoh and subjected to a horrifying mummification ritual. The so-called “Living Mummy” awakens in modern times. After a brief rampage, his mind is restored and N’Kantu becomes a hero protecting mortals from the supernatural realm.
The Marvel Zombies
The Marvel multiverse has no shortage of zombies. There’s an entire universe overrun by a zombie plague, the premise behind Marvel Zombies and its many sequels. That universe also inspired the one seen in Season 1 of Marvel’s What If…?
There’s also a character named Zombie. Businessman Simon Garth was captured and sacrificed in a voodoo ritual, transforming him into a super-strong, undead brute. Though he only has small traces of his humanity left, Zombie has just enough free will left to resist being used as a pawn. Zombie is also expected to make his MCU debut in Werewolf by Night.
Daimon & Satana Hellstrom
The Marvel Universe is home to several demonic characters who may or may not be Satan. One of those demons, Marduk Kurios, fathered two children, Daimon and Satanna Hellstrom. Daimon, the self-proclaimed “Son of Satan,” is committed to ridding the world of his father’s evil. Satana is… a little more morally flexible than her brother.
Both characters previously featured in Hulu’s short-lived Helstrom series. It’s unclear whether that series is connected to the MCU or if the two roles will be recast when they inevitably return.
Ghost Rider
Finally, who could forget Ghost Rider, everyone’s favorite motorcycle-riding daredevil with a flaming skull for a head. While Johnny Blaze is Marvel’s most famous Ghost Rider (especially after being played by Nicolas Cage in two live-action movies) there have been many to carry the mantle of Ghost Rider over the centuries.
Marvel introduced the Robbie Reyes version in Agents of SHIELD: Season 4, where he was played by Gabriel Luna. That character was even slated to get his own spinoff on Hulu, but it was ultimately canceled. Only time will tell whether the MCU focuses on Robbie, Johnny or another Ghost Rider entirely.
The MCU’s Monstrous Future
Slowly but surely, Marvel Studios is making monsters a bigger focus in the MCU. Werewolf by Night is introducing several key characters in addition to Jack Russell. Blade is getting a movie reboot. And it’s a safe bet that at least one or two of Marvel’s upcoming untitled projects will have a horror focus.
Blade’s cameo in Eternals gave us our first clue as to how these monster characters are meant to fit together. Blade approaches Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman just as he’s about to touch the Ebony Blade. That scene suggests Blade is interested in more than just slaying vampires, but is keeping an eye on the various supernatural artifacts of the MCU.
That scene may be hinting that Dane has a part to play in the Blade movie, where we may see him take up the mantle of Black Knight. Meanwhile, several monster characters will be in play thanks to Werewolf by Night. All of this could be building toward a full-fledged horror team-up, with Blade joining forces with Black Knight, Elsa Bloodstone, Werewolf by Night, Zombie and Man-Thing to battle a supernatural threat.
Could a Midnight Sons movie be on the horizon? That’s definitely a possibility, especially with the video game drawing more attention to that particular team. The MCU is a bit lacking in the superhero team department these days. Even with the Avengers returning in 2025’s The Kang Dynasty, there’s probably room for the Midnight Sons to carve out their own corner of the world.
Do you want to see a Midnight Sons movie? Which Marvel monsters deserve to team up with Blade? Let us know what you think in the comments. And for more on Werewolf by Night, be sure to check out IGN's full review of the MCU special and brush up on the full history of Werewolf by Night.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Continue reading...