Nosferatu, Abigail, Werewolves… why is Hollywood suddenly loving monster movies again? Director of new horror Wolf Man has a theory

Supernatural horror is having a moment right now, particularly when it comes to classic monsters like bloodsuckers and beasts. Over the last year or so, we've seen the release of Abigail, Werewolves, Nosferatu to name just a few, and in just a couple of days' time, Leigh Whannell's Wolf Man will be unleashed, too.

In the run-up to the film clawing its way into cinemas, GamesRadar+ asked Whannell why he thinks Hollywood is suddenly loving monsters again. "It's interesting because these trends, they happen so organically, you're never quite sure why. It's just something in the zeitgeist that seems to claw it into existence," he replies.

"I think that these are pretty unstable, uncertain times for a lot of people. There's a lot of upheaval. The world is just in a certain place and maybe monsters are the best metaphor for that," Whannell continues. "Maybe people are craving these monsters to exorcise the worst of society through a film, you know? At least in a monster movie, you can point at the monster. In our real lives, people are pointing at each other and it's hard to unpack information. We're living in a time where information is misinterpreted, it's coming from all directions. In a monster movie, the truth is clear. You can point to who the monster is. Maybe people need that right now."

Starring Poor Things Christopher Abbott and Ozark's Julia Garner, Wolf Man takes inspiration from the 1941 movie of the same name. Bringing the tale up to the modern day, it sees Blake suggest to his distant wife Charlotte that they take their daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) to remote Oregon for the summer, as he clears out his family home following the death of his father. On the evening of their arrival, though, the trio get attacked by an unseen creature in the woods, leaving Blake gravelly wounded.

With no other option, the threesome rush into the house Blake grew up in and barricade the doors. But the night soon takes another terrible turn when Blake starts to change...

It lands in theaters on January 17. For more, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming horror movies heading our way.