10. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
What We Do in the Shadowsis actually about vampires, but I’m including it because it has one of the most memorable showings of werewolves.
The first time you see these vampires face off with werewolves, threatening each other with Kiwi accents, you’ll bust out laughing. (“We’re werewolves, not swearwolves!")
It doesn’t matter whether Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement meant for this to be a commentary on the internal battle that werewolves face. It’s fantastic satire of a well-known mythological creature.
Related:The Best Movies About Vampires
9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
While the werewolf aspect of Harry Potter’s third-year adventure wasn’t necessarily central to the plot, it certainly made the film several times more exciting and memorable.
Near the end, from out of nowhere, we’re treated to an epic battle between two enormous beasts, with one being a werewolf.
Of course, it was only David Thewlis and Gary Oldman, but these two exceptional actors madePrisoner of Azkaban’s werewolf component that much more compelling. And probably even a little frightening for some of the younger audience…
Related:The Best Harry Potter Movie Scenes and Moments, Ranked
8. The Company of Wolves (1984)
Now we’re starting to delve into the classics of werewolf cinema. Directed by Neil Jordan,The Company of Wolvestakes the traditional folktale of Little Red Riding Hood and gives it a fantastic new interpretation.
The plot follows Rosaleen (played by Sarah Patterson), a young girl who’s staying with her grandmother (played by Angela Lansbury) after her sister is run down and eaten by a pack of wolves.
After a while, she decides to return to the village—but before she can leave the house, Granny gives Rosaleen a chilling warning: “Never stray from the path, never eat a windfall apple, and never trust a man whose eyebrows meet.”
Related:The Best Folk Horror Movies (What Is Folk Horror? Explained)
7. The Howling (1981)
InThe Howling, Karen White (played by Dee Wallace) is the unfortunate target of a serial-killing stalker. In an attempt to catch him once and for all, she cooperates with the police and meets him in a theater.
Sound like a bad plan? Of course it is.
After a bloody shootout, Karen loses consciousness and forgets everything that happened. Traumatized, she speaks with a therapist who recommends that she and her husband take a holiday retreat to an isolated resort in the far countryside.
However, it becomes clear that things are amiss in this cult-like encampment, and soon things become much more sinister than anything Karen could have imagined.
Related:The Best Movies About Cults and Creepy Religious Groups
6. Ginger Snaps (2000)
One of the better horror comedies out there,Ginger Snapsis a great film for any teenager who wants to ease into their first horror experience. This one’s a bit scary, but it’s also tons of fun.
Brigitte (played by Emily Perkins) and Ginger (played by Katharine Isabelle) are two teenage Goth friends who have a flair for all things dark and deathly. However, after Ginger has her first period, she’s attacked by a wild animal in the woods.
The bonds of their friendship start to be tested when it transpires that Ginger has, in fact, become a werewolf. It’s an allegory for puberty, of course, and it’s both insightful and biting.
Related:Brilliant Movies With Symbolism That Elevate Their Stories
5. Wolfen (1981)
It’s fair to say that 1981 was a good year for werewolf movies, with three of them featuring on this list. We already hadThe Howling, and now we haveWolfen. (You’ll have to keep reading for the third one!)
Wolfenfollows a police officer (played by Albert Finney) who’s tasked with solving a series of increasingly violent, animalistic murders.
He initially believes they’re animal attacks, but as he finds each one more grisly and gruesome than the last, he suspects there’s something worse at play—something darker, something unscientific, and something much more ancient…
Related:The Best Psychological Horror Movies That Are Disturbing & Twisted
4. The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
The Wolf of Snow Hollowswings back to a more modern interpretation of the lycanthrope mythology, with writer/actor/filmmaker Jim Cummings taking on the trope in horror comedy fashion.
PJ (played by Jimmy Tatro) and his girlfriend Brianne (played by Annie Hamilton) take a vacation to Snow Hollow, Utah. They’re hoping for a most pleasant trip, but things only go from bad to worse.
After getting into a fight with a duo of hunters, PJ finds his girlfriend savagely murdered by an animal—and the only thing left by her body appears to be a large paw print.
Even if it’s a bit uneven in parts,The Wolf of Snow Hollowis one of the better contemporary films about werewolves.
Related:The Most Creative Deaths in Horror Movies, Ranked
3. Werewolves Within (2021)
If you’re in search of a movie that successfully turns an old folktale into a compelling narrative for contemporary audiences, then look no further thanWerewolves Within.
A forest ranger (played by Sam Richardson) moves to a paradise mountain town only to encounter all of its crazy inhabitants and their internal conflict: some want a pipeline to come through the mountain while others want to refuse and preserve the natural scenery.
Josh Ruben’sWerewolves Withindoesn’t just highlight the internal conflict between man and beast when someone is bitten by a werewolf, but also the internal conflict in societies.
Funny, scary, and intelligent,Werewolves Withinis one of the most underestimated movies of recent years, let alone one of the best movies about werewolves since the turn of the millennium.
Related:The Best Modern Comedy Horror Movies Since 2000, Ranked
2. The Wolf Man (1941)
George Waggner’sThe Wolf Manis a must-watch classic for any fan of werewolves. It’s an iconic look at one character’s internal struggle between man and beast, and it was the film that elevated the concept of man turning wild into a philosophical masterpiece.
On top of that,The Wolf Manwasn’t just a profound take on werewolves, but also technologically impressive with its filming techniques.
While it has aged quite a bit (which we understand, given that it came out more than 80 years ago),The Wolf Manis still a fantastic film that influenced all werewolf movies that came after it.
Related:The Best Classic Monster Movies Still Worth Watching Today
1. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Of all the werewolf movies in cinema history, John Landis’sAn American Werewolf in Londoncomes out on top as a clear winner.
It centers on two American tourists who are visiting London. They come across a small, provincial town that just so happens to harbor a deadly, supernatural threat—and their luck falls through as they unfortunately stumble across the beast themselves.
What makes this film so fantastic is that it humanizes the animalistic side of man (and beast) in a poignant way. It infuses the story with romance, comedy, and horror, but most importantly, there’s an aspect of tragedy that elevates this film above the rest.
For those reasons,An American Werewolf in Londonsits atop our list of best movies about werewolves ever made.
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