Acclaimed filmmaker Leigh Whannell confesses his obsessive-compulsive tendencies might drive him to complete a monster movie trilogy – and he’s already eyeing his next potential creature feature. Fresh off directing the upcoming Wolf Man reboot, Whannell has disclosed that his compulsion for symmetry and numerical patterns could influence his future project choices in the Universal Monsters universe. The revelation comes as anticipation builds for his lupine thriller starring Christopher Abbott and Emmy winner Julia Garner, set to prowl into theaters on Jan. 25. Speaking to Empire Magazine (via ComicBookMovie), the Saw co-creator and Invisible Man director admitted his interest in helming another monster adaptation stems from an unexpected source: his own behavioral quirks.
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“My own weird filmmaker OCD is almost like, ‘Well I’ve made two, I have to do three.’ It has to be three,” Whannell explained. “But that’s got more to do with my own neuroses than me actually wanting to do it.” The Australian filmmaker elaborated on his compulsive habits, sharing, “In my general life, I’m a pretty strange guy with my habits. I have to leave when it’s an even number, like, 8:20, not 8:19, which is crazy. I’m probably revealing to you how crazy I am. So on that side of my brain, I gotta do a third one to complete the trilogy.”
Should Universal Pictures extend the opportunity, Whannell has already identified his dream project: a contemporary adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In a previous interview with Screen Rant, he revealed his long-standing fascination with the Victorian horror tale.
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“That book, when I was a kid, really creeped me out, the concept of it. Of all the monsters, that one used to really stay with me. There’s something about the hero and the villain being the same person. I think it would be a really good modern version of Jekyll and Hyde.”
The director’s current focus, Wolf Man, represents his second venture into Universal’s monster legacy following 2020’s critically acclaimed The Invisible Man. Whannell’s potential third monster movie would join an increasingly robust lineup of classic creature features in development.
Several high-profile projects related to Universal’s classic monsters are currently in the works, including a new interpretation of The Creature from the Black Lagoon from James Wan’s Atomic Monster production company. Additionally, Wan is producing a fresh take on Van Helsing, with Overlord director Julian Avery attached to helm. Non-Universal movies that are on the way include Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein for Netflix (featuring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Christoph Waltz), Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride for Warner Bros. (starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale).
The possibility of Whannell completing a monster trilogy represents a remarkable turnaround for Universal’s creature features. After the unsuccessful launch of the Dark Universe initiative several years ago, the studio’s partnership with Blumhouse Productions has revitalized these classic properties through focused, director-driven approaches rather than forced interconnected narratives.
Meanwhile, Whannell maintains a modest stance about his future involvement with the franchise, telling Empire: “That’s up to Universal. If they said, ‘We want you to be the monster guy,’ that would be flattering to me. Like, ‘Wow, they’re entrusting me with this thing that’s so important to them.’ But I’m not gunning for that role.” His track record suggests he might be the perfect candidate to continue modernizing these legendary horror tales.
Wolf Man arrives in theaters on January 25, 2025.
