I'm mighty in love with the brand new teaser trailer for Josh Ruben's Werewolves Within (written by Mishna Wolff, how perfect is that), which is wholesome and pleasant until it's very much not.
Ahhh, this looks so good. The film – a horror comedy based on Ubisoft's virtual reality video game – is heading to Tribeca this month, and it stars the absolutely delightful Sam Richardson alongside a bunch of other delightful folks (Milana Vayntrub, George Basil, Sarah Burns, Michael Chernus, Catherine Curtain, Wayne Duvall, Harvey Guillén, Rebecca Henderson, Cheyenne Jackson, Michaela Watkins and Glenn Fleshler). Ruben's director's statement hits a whole lot of my sweet spots:
I grew up near the same small town where we shot Werewolves Within. As a kid, I’d freak myself out, making up monster stories, running through the woods, pretending I was Chief Brody, fighting creatures in the brush (I LOVED Jaws — hell, I loved horror). That hometown experience, where neighbors knew your business (whether you liked it or not) is so much of what makes Werewolves so personal. But, as much as I love horror movies, nothing scares me more than people. And as much as this movie is an homage to my love for Hot Fuzz, the Coen Brothers, and Arachnophobia, it’s also about the monster in all of us.
This movie is a tribute to those of us who are resolute that good conquers evil, and that “being good” is the best weapon we’ve got, against guns, knives, even claws… Sometimes, you just gotta be a good neighbor, no matter how wicked people are.
Name-dropping Hot Fuzz, Arachnophobia, small town horror and the triumph of humanity over wickedness? Give me this movie right damn now. Oh, you want something more concrete? Okay, here's the official plot synopsis:
After a proposed pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield, and a snowstorm traps its residents together inside the local inn, newly arrived forest ranger FINN (Sam Richardson) and postal worker CECILY (Milana Vayntrub) must try to keep the peace and uncover the truth behind a mysterious creature that has begun terrorizing the community.
Aaaand the teaser poster, which really doubles down on the cuteness:
Werewolves Within heads to theaters on June 25 and On Demand on July 2. Needless to say, I'll be there.
