I’m sure some killjoy is going to nitpick the hell out of Rick Baker’s latest lycanthropic creation, but fuck ’em. This is how you do a werewolf.
Just don’t take this as a sign that Universal is moving Joe Johnston’s The Wolfman into ’08; they’re still locked into a February release (guess the studio’s looking to capitalize on those good Cursed vibes), and I doubt they’re in any mood to rush for a Halloween bow given their recently resolved director situation. Frankly, I don’t know why they decided to reveal their monster eleven months out, but if the film’s as gorgeously realized and lovingly detailed as Baker’s work, this is going to be a classic. Then again, I said the same thing about Norbit. And I was right.
You can get high-res pics of Benicio Del Toro’s tragically hirsute hero over at Entertainment Weekly, where they’ve also got a nice little interview with Baker. Here’s a telling excerpt:
RICK BAKER: You never know how the movie’s going to be, but from what we’ve done so far, which, mind you, hasn’t been very much, what I would say to fans is that at least you know that the guy who’s doing the makeup in the movie is coming from the same place they are — as a fan. I have a real appreciation for the old Universal classics. The old fanboy in me is jumping up and down here!
Love it. “My work’s gonna be great. Can’t vouch for the rest of the clods.”
The Wolfman will start bayin’ for bucks February 13, 2009.