At D23, Disney surprised Marvel fans by announcing a streaming-only Halloween special called Werewolf By Night, which shook up the MCU’s plans for the holiday. Black and white horror film starring Gael Garca Bernal (Old) as a guy joined with a group of monster hunters all out for the same mystery and dangerous goal: to locate the impostor among them, the project itself grabbed interest because of the theme.
The fact that this is Michael Giacchino, the Academy Award-winning composer, making his directorial debut with such a high-profile film also made it an instant hit with audiences. Giacchino discussed his work on Werewolf By Night in a lengthy interview. Giacchino not only serves as the film’s director but also its composer; the latter is a duty he felt compelled to embark on after a career writing acclaimed film music. That’s why Steve Weintraub wondered if Giacchino would ever lead a movie with a different composer. Replying, Giacchino said I’d really feel horrible if that composer were in trouble. I’m sure I’d be a pain in the rear if I insisted on being really detailed. In my mind, I have a very clear picture of what I want and how I want to feel. Basically, you should never completely rule out an option. The fact that J.J. [Abrams] is a terrific composer in his own right and is so talented musically has always been a topic of conversation between us, and I’ve often thought it would be fascinating to have him soundtrack a film I directed. For sheer entertainment value, I’d be all for that.
It goes without saying that J.J. Abrams is the man responsible for reviving the world’s two most popular science fiction series (2015). Since 2001, when Giacchino wrote the theme song for Abrams’ smash series Alias, the two have collaborated on a number of projects, including the soundtrack for Lost, which earned him international acclaim and several Emmy Awards. Despite Abrams’ transition from TV directing to film directing, he continued to collaborate with his pal Giacchino, who scored Mission: Impossible 3, Star Trek, and Super 8. Giacchino’s history as a Disney composer begins with the 2004 film The Incredibles. With Ratatouille, he was nominated for the Academy Award for the first time; in 2010, with Up, he finally won. Since then, Giacchino’s musical contributions to Pixar films and superhero films have been more and more regular.
In 2022 alone, we heard music composed by Giacchino in four blockbuster movies: The Batman, Jurassic World: Dominion, Lightyear, and Thor: Love and Thunder. If Werewolf by Night is any indicator, we should expect to see even more of his work with Disney, but perhaps not in the director’s chair. It may be a while before we hear anything from Abrams on a soundtrack, but if Giacchino thinks he’s a terrific composer, count me in.
The Disney+ debut of Werewolf By Night is set for October 7.