Wondering if Marvel’s Werewolf By Night is ok for kids? This Halloween Special is a peek into what Marvel can do with the horror genre. Not as gruesome as it could be, Werewolf By Night will be too scary for some kids, but it’s a spooky win for some tweens and teens. Here’s what parents need to know in this Werewolf By Night Parents Guide.
Werewolf by Night Parents Guide
On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader, Ulysses Bloodstone. In a strange memorial to his life, the attendees are thrust into a deadly competition for the bloodstone, a powerful relic, but first they must hunt a deadly monster and survive. Not only must they survive being killed by the monster, but they must evade the other hunters. Nobody is safe.
Inspired by horror films of the 1930s and 1940s, the chilling special aims to evoke a sense of dread and the macabre, with plenty of suspense and scares along the way as they explore a new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Werewolf By Night Age Rating
Why is Werewolf by Night rated TV-14? Werewolf By Night is Rated TV-14 for some language, blood and gore, and scary elements.
Is Werewolf By Night Kid Friendly?
You can expect to see some blood and gore, some violent scenes with weapons and fighting, jump scares, and profanity used by some of the characters. To sum it up, Werewolf By Night is not kid-friendly and may induce nightmares for little ones.
However, for a horror special, it is tame compared to many slasher films. It’s just not as kid friendly Marvel as people are used to.
Language
There is some language in Werewolf by Night including a use of sh*t, two uses of bastard and two uses of a**. There are also a couple uses of Deity.
Scary Content
There are some jump scares as well as fight scenes involving weapons like swords. Characters have their throats slit. Monsters bite people. There are scenes of death including blood splatters all over the screen, as well as some gore. A couple of scenes in particular can get gruesome and gross with the killings.
Mature Content
A character mentions having a lover.
Characters have family issues including one telling a daughter she is a disappointment.
Is Werewolf By Night Appropriate for Kids Under 14?
Werewolf By Night is a dark show channeling older monster movies and the macabre. While some scenes did make me jump, it’s a good introduction to scary films, especially for teen Marvel fans. If your tweens or teens are already horror genre fans, then even better.
If you’re looking for something to celebrate Halloween with a little scare but not so much fright, then I recommend Hocus Pocus 2, also streaming on Disney+.
Michael Giacchino does an excellent job of mixing in the old with the new. The film is shot in black and white, which softens the blow of some of the violence throughout the film. Those who do not appreciate Marvel’s sprinklings of humor in their films, at perhaps unconventional times, may not love this one. But the nuances, glances, and smirks made me chuckle.
Not usually a fan of horror, Werewolf By Night won me over. This is the kind of spooky I want at Halloween. The use of shadows and score set the mood and the story and humor drive it home. It may be an uncomfortable departure for traditional MCU fans, but Werewolf by Night is weird and campy Marvel, and I’m loving it. Even though I want more, I hope they don’t overplay it and keep making random one-off Halloween specials.
