Many people might recognize the "Teen Wolf" franchise from the Movies that were released in the 1980s. The first starred Michael J. Fox as a high school basketball player. One that also happens to discover that his family members have a tendency of turning into wolves. A sequel centered on a cousin of Fox's character, played by Jason Bateman. An animated series also followed the original movie.
The movies were not exactly a critical success. But if nothing else, their premise seemed to do enough to amass a following. And, eventually, a popular live-action television series would follow. And the franchise is poised to continue on.
A new movie is currently in development
Production ceased on the "Teen Wolf" television series several years ago. But almost immediately, talk began of some sort of revival. Such a thing has become relatively common in recent years. In some cases, it could be meant as a 'fix-it'. Such as what's been called for following the disastrous conclusion to "Game of Thrones".
That's not so much the case for "Teen Wolf". A flash-forward would be created to give hints of many of the main characters' futures. It was also apparently meant to leave the possibility of returning to the franchise open. Most, if not all of those characters are expected to return. According to Movieweb, the TV show's cast was in talks to appear in the new project.
Some of the characters would be set out on new adventures. Apparently, ones that lead them to travel far and wide, recruiting new members to their cause. But an early synopsis of the upcoming movie indicates they'll be coming back home. More specifically, the fictional city of Beacon Hills, California. Where they'll face "a new dangerous enemy."
Unlike the original movies, the new one does not at this point seem set for a full-on theatrical release.
Instead, it's more likely headed for a smaller release via Paramount+.
Also unlike its predecessors, the "Teen Wolf" series did receive a significant amount of critical acclaim. Made more notable by the fact that it was an MTV series. A network whose projects typically aren't received so well. It wouldn't be the first time something of that nature occurred. The "Teen Wolf" format has often been compared to what's become known as the "Buffyverse". And in some cases, the similarities between the franchises were direct and intentional.
Gizmodo indicates that MTV may have been interested in premiering the new movie. But its parent company of ViacomCBS ultimately decided that Paramount+ would be the destination for it.
A similar franchise adaptation is also in the works
In addition to the movie, "Teen Wolf" series creator Jeff Davis has been tapped for another role for Paramount+. He's to develop a series based on the "Wolf Pack" series of novels by Canadian author Edo Van Belkom.
There hasn't been an official connection between "Teen Wolf" and "Wolf Pack". But comparisons between the two have been easy to make. And, especially given the context, observers wonder if the new projects could be related.