The MCU is beginning to establish what the next 2-3 phases will look like, and although supernatural characters (like Moon Knight, Agatha Harkness, and the debut of Scarlet Witch) have made their way into the fold, no one could have predicted that Werewolf by Night would have been involved in any capacity. Kevin Feige, the man with more secrets than the American government, was just as surprised as fans that director (and award-winning, well-known composer) Michael Giacchino wanted to introduce this character for the MCU’s first Halloween special.

“I was just talking with Kevin one day and he was like, ‘There’s a lot happening. If there was anything you’d want to direct, what would you want to do?’” Giacchino says in the documentary, Director by Night, filmed and coordinated by his own brother, Anthony Giacchino. “I remember saying, ‘I like the fringe characters. I like the ones that are off the beaten path because you can do more interesting things with them. So, Werewolf by Night. It was a Marvel comic I had as a kid [and] I loved it.’ He looked at me like, Werewolf by Night? Wow, ok…”

Giacchino continued by drawing parallels between monsters and the human experience. “Monsters are struggling with something. There’s something going on in their lives that they can’t control and they’re trying to figure it out and make it work. All of these monsters and these creatures are allegories for the human hardships that we all go through. I don’t see it as just a thrill thing where it’s like, ‘Oh, there’s a crazy monster!’ To me, it’s the exploration of how they cope with the demons in their life.”

The Halloween special (which was shot almost entirely in black and white) was an homage to classic monster movies, and a clear nod to the old-school Universal horror films, which left some avid fans confused about where this particular piece of Marvel Studios content resides in the greater MCU. After all, just about everything Marvel Studios puts out has intention behind it, right? But, in his typically cryptic fashion, Feige answered simply, “We are introducing a world that will ultimately become quite important to the future of the MCU.”

Catch up on our reporting of the Halloween special’s announcement. Where will Werewolf by Night fit in the MCU? Will he go the TV route like Scarlet Witch in WandaVision and Moon Knight? Or, will he descend from the clouds in one of the next two movies and become a valuable asset? We’ll be waiting.

Photo via Disney+