27 Best Werewolf Movies Ever

In the realm of creature features and monster movies, the werewolf flick occupies a unique spot. Typically speaking, monsters are monsters and people are people, but werewolf films feature characters who shift back and forth between human and creature. Not only does that offer room for mystery and intrigue, but it also means filmmakers get a crack at executing a memorable transformation sequence. Of course, most don't take real advantage of the opportunity, but it's there all the same.

You already know the high-profile werewolf movies, and I've previously highlighted some fun lesser-known ones you've probably missed, but who's up for a list of the 27 best werewolf movies of all time? For our purposes, we'll be limiting the picks to movies featuring a werewolf as a central element (meaning no "What We Do in the Shadows" or "Trick 'r Treat") and in which the werewolf is real (as opposed to ones that reveal it was just a serial killer, lion in a costume, etc.).

Keep reading for a look at the 27 best werewolf movies ever made!

A jungle vacation leaves a man doomed to a life of lycanthropy, but he hopes to find solace in a visit with his sister. Unfortunately for him, their family dog isn't interested in welcoming lupine visitors. The source novel, Wayne Smith's "Thor," tells its tale from the point of view of the family dog. While the film drops that angle, it still affords plenty of screen time for the German Shepherd, as he's ultimately the real hero. Solid practical effects (marred slightly by some optical nonsense), copious bloodletting, and an engaging family dynamic make for a good time. 

• Starring: Mariel Hemingway, Michael Paré, Mason Gamble
• Director: Eric Red
• Year: 1996
• Runtime: 80 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 30%

An eccentric millionaire invites friends and colleagues to his lavish estate for a single purpose: He believes one of them to be a werewolf. Think werewolf movie by way of an Agatha Christie mystery, and you'll be on the right page with this '70s gem that revels in its whodunnit nature. It's cheesy at times, and the werewolf's final form is essentially a dog, but the mystery is solid. You can't knock a film that literally pauses during the third act for a "werewolf break" to give viewers time to lock down their suspicions.

• Starring: Calvin Lockhart, Peter Cushing, Charles Gray
• Director: Paul Annett
• Year: 1974
• Runtime: 93 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 50%

An adopted boy grows into a man and discovers that his blood bears a devilish curse. He is doomed to become a werewolf unless he finds someone to love him for who he is and not the upper-class position he holds. There are admittedly far too few werewolf shenanigans to be found here, but they satisfy once unleashed in the film's third act. Instead, the big draw here is its look at class, power, and the abuses born by each. And let's be honest, you can never go wrong with young Oliver Reed.

• Starring: Oliver Reed, Clifford Evans, Yvonne Romain
• Director: Terence Fisher
• Year: 1961
• Runtime: 91 minutes
• Rating: n/a
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 50%

British soldiers on a training exercise in the Scottish Highlands find more than they bargained for when a werewolf begins tearing through their ranks. Familiar genre beats get a breath of fresh air when placed within unexpected setups and locations, and that's just what we get here as military men come face to face with a supernatural nightmare. Practical effects bring the uniquely designed beasts to bloody life while a strong cast grunts, wails, and fights their way towards one end or another. There's a fittingly gritty feel to all, thanks as much to being filmed on 16mm as to the intense, earthy atmosphere of it all.

• Starring: Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Liam Cunningham
• Director: Neil Marshall
• Year: 2002
• Runtime: 105 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

A teenager is attacked by a beast shortly after her first period strikes, and she soon realizes she's been turned into a werewolf. Why it took until the year 2000 for a film to link the monthly curse of lycanthropy with menstruation is anyone's guess, but the wait was very much worth it. The focus here is on a pair of sisters who are local outcasts even before things get hairy. Their story is as much one of female empowerment as it is about oppression within a patriarchal society. It's no dry sermon, though, and instead finds fun, drama, and terror in the sisters' journey. Fans can continue the story with the sequel and prequel (as well as a possible television series that may be heading our way).

• Starring: Katharine Isabelle, Emily Perkins, Mimi Rogers
• Director: John Fawcett
• Year: 2000
• Runtime: 108 minutes
• Rating: n/a
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

Passengers on a late-night train are upset when it breaks down in the middle of a forest, but at least they're not under attack by a vicious werewol — Oh, never mind. There are some visual flaws here, as the budget results in some underwhelming optical effects, but the practical makeup more than makes up for it. The beast is big, muscular, and coiffed with the finest heavy metal haircut you've ever seen. And it means business, as the passengers soon see their numbers dwindling with nothing but torn flesh and pools of blood to show for it.

• Starring: Ed Speelers, Shauna Macdonald, Elliot Cowan
• Director: Paul Hyett
• Year: 2015
• Runtime: 89 minutes
• Rating: n/a
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 63%

A blind war veteran relocates to a tired retirement community expecting to be bored, but it's anything but dull thanks to a spate of killings that might just be the work of a werewolf. Spoiler: They are, and soon, the monster has the blind man in its sights. There are more than a few movies about blind protagonists pursued by villains, but this is the first to introduce a werewolf into the mix. The result is a solid survival tale with a strong lead character, terrific practical effects, and a curious werewolf design choice.

• Starring: Nick Damici, Ethan Embry, Lance Guest
• Director: Adrian Garcia Bogliano
• Year: 2014
• Runtime: 95 minutes
• Rating: n/a
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 62%

A paraplegic teen suspects someone in his small town is a werewolf, but only his sister and their irresponsible uncle believe him. Stephen King's "Cycle of the Werewolf" gets the feature adaptation here, and the result is a highly entertaining coming-of-age tale. We watch through the free-spirited eyes of youth as a cynicism towards authority figures is earned, and we have fun all the while. Gary Busey is having a blast, Corey Haim is enjoying an early lead role, and the werewolves tearing it up during a sermon is an all-timer of a scene.

• Starring: Corey Haim, Gary Busey, Everett McGill
• Director: Daniel Attias
• Year: 1985
• Runtime: 95 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%

A botanist returning to London sees his arrival set off a string of attacks throughout the city. It seems he brought back something more than flowers from his Tibetan vacation. This might surprise you, but Universal Pictures produced this werewolf tale a full six years before nailing the formula with 1941's "The Wolf Man." Makeup legend Jack Pierce worked on both creatures, and it's interesting seeing the choices made between them. This film also plays up humorous elements with mixed results, but it's worth a watch for its place in genre history.

• Starring: Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson
• Director: Stuart Walker
• Year: 1935
• Runtime: 75 minutes
• Rating: n/a
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
  

A newly assigned park ranger finds his quiet town turning into a bloodbath just as a winter storm isolates them from the rest of the world. Horror comedies are tough business, but this riotously funny werewolf flick nails the assignment. Bloody killings, big laughs, and a legitimate mystery as to who among them is the beast make for a wonderfully entertaining time. The cast and script are pitch-perfect in delivering both the humor and the red herrings leading to a surprising and thrilling finale. Make it a double feature with "The Beast Must Die," and you'll be in werewolf mystery heaven.

• Starring: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, Harvey Guillén
• Director: Josh Ruben
• Year: 2021
• Runtime: 97 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

An over-the-hill book publisher loses out on a promotion and is then bit by a werewolf. His day gets better, though, when he realizes he can use his new powers to woo Michelle Pfeiffer. The werewolf antics are genre dressing on a tale of male politics, literary in-jokes, and big acting, but that's not a knock. Jack Nicholson's ranting and howling are worth the price of admission — cheap for us, but $70 million for Columbia Pictures in 1994 — and the battle between him and James Spader delivers an entertaining and amusing time.

• Starring: Jack Nicholson, James Spader, Michelle Pfeiffer
• Director: Mike Nichols
• Year: 1994
• Runtime: 125 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 63%

Akira Inugami (Shin'ichi "Sonny" Chiba) is a crime-fighting werewolf. Do you honestly need more than that before seeking out this wild, weird, and thrilling Japanese gem? He's the last of his kind, and his latest case involves an invisible tiger slashing its way through unwary victims. The story moves fast, almost as fast as the fists, feet, and blades flying through the film's numerous fight scenes. The filmmaking is equally energetic with its zooms, pans, and bold colors. Does it make any sense? Who's to say? But it sure is a lot of bonkers '70s fun!

• Starring: Shin'ichi "Sonny" Chiba, Kyosuke Machida, Yuriko Azuma
• Director: Kazuhiko Yamaguchi
• Year: 1975
• Runtime: 86 minutes
• Rating: n/a
• Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 18%

Lou Garou (Leo Fafard) is a cop battling boredom and alcoholism, but both take a backseat when he crosses paths with a creepy cult and wakes up with heightened sense, hairy palms, and a pentagram carved into his chest. As werewolf comedies go, this silly slice of Canadian cheese is a barrage of broadly crafted humor that you'll either enjoy or despise. It's gleefully R-rated, as evidenced by a transformation scene that starts with Lou's giblets before moving throughout the rest of his body. The laughs don't always land, but there's enough goofy joy here to make for an entertaining romp in the moonlight.

• Starring: Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio, Sarah Lind
• Director: Lowell Dean
• Year: 2014
•  Runtime: 79 minutes
• Rating: n/a
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%