Werewolves (2024) is a gripping horror thriller directed by Steven C. Miller. The film is set in the aftermath of a catastrophic Supermoon night, during which one billion people were transformed into werewolves. Scientists predict the horrifying phenomenon could repeat the following year, spurring them to develop a solution to prevent DNA mutation triggered by moonlight exposure.
However, the temporary cure has significant limitations, leading to chaos in the research lab as it proves insufficient. Amid the turmoil, two scientists, Amy and Wesley, embark on a desperate journey through the city, evading relentless werewolf attacks. Their mission is to reach Wesley’s brother, Sean, and his family to protect them from the looming threat.
This article contains spoilers.
Werewolves (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
One year ago, a Supermoon triggered a global event. In an interview, Dr. Aranda explains that a supermoon event occurs when a full moon is in its closest orbit to the Earth. This phenomenon can happen multiple times a year. However, the previous year was slightly different. In the last year, Supermoon time, one billion people were affected and violently transformed into werewolves for the entire night. For the current year’s Supermoon, Dr. Aranda asks people to ensure they do not get exposed to the moonlight. The advice is to follow a plan and stick to it. In the end, Dr. Aranda assures the citizens that the scientists are working round the clock to find a cure for people turning into werewolves.
How does Moonscreen work?
Elsewhere, Wesley, a CDC scientist and a former military man, spends time with his brother Sean’s family. After Sean passes away, Wesley helps and cares for Lucy (Sean’s wife) and Emma (Sean’s daughter). The entire day, Wesley spends time setting traps for werewolves around the house as well as securing the doors and windows of the house.
Since it will be a Supermoon night, Wesley ensures Lucy, and Emma are safe. Around that time, a neighbor, Regan, brings home cake to cheer Emma. Another neighbor, Cody, is a self-proclaimed wolf killer who practices firing a rifle in the backyard. Hearing the noise, Wesley stops over and asks Cody to keep it down as there are kids on that street. But Cody is determined as each man is for himself once the moon is out.
Since Wesley works with the CDC, he is on duty that night. Therefore, he gives some rules for Lucy and Emma to get through the night. The first is not to open the door for anyone, no matter who it is. The second is not to make any noise or draw any attention. If werewolves invade the house, then Wesley asks Lucy not to hesitate to shoot the werewolf down. Dr. Aranda tells the press about his team, who will have a nine-hour window to assess, test, and report the findings. Wesley Marshall, Global Response leader and lead molecular biologist, leads the team.
The second in command is Evan Radcliffe, and the last is Amy Chen, Chief Canis Lupus biologist and behavioralist. The Supermoon triggers rapid DNA mutation and is photosensitive to moonlight. This time, scientists hope to see if this mutation can be blocked. The team has developed the ‘Moonscreen’ liquid, hoping to act as a barrier between the moonlight and DNA. This discovery can help in finding a cure.
Does the Moonscreen work on the test subjects?
The minute the moon rises, the emergency services will be suspended until sunrise. Unfortunately, Dr. Chen’s husband, Miles, turned into a werewolf last year. This year, Miles has volunteered to be a test subject for Moonscreen. Four test subjects have volunteered to test Moonscreen, and the scientists are preparing for the test. There are 30 minutes left for canopy retraction, and Evan is nervous. So Wesley motivates Evan, and they head out to monitor the test subjects. Test subject three is Miles, who is now given the Moonscreen eye drop to protect his eyes. The rest of the subjects are administered with Moonscreen as well.
After that, the team sprays the test subjects before the canopy retraction. Now, the canopy is retracted. As soon as the moonlight falls on the test subjects, they don’t turn into werewolves. Everyone celebrates as the Moonscreen is holding. However, Dr. Aranda asks Amy to get comparative tissue and blood reports. Meanwhile, Regan cannot find her mother in the house and is unaware of a werewolf in her kitchen. While Wesley looks at the tissues, he notices the cells colliding as a form of immunological defense system. As Wesley looks at the tissue, Miles turns into a werewolf. Unfortunately, the scientists are too late to spray Miles, making Miles a werewolf. Soon, the other test subjects turn into werewolves, creating mayhem in the lab.
How do Amy and Wesley escape from the first pack of wolves?
Evan is hurt, so Wesley and Amy are trying to help him. Sadly, Wesley and Amy are too late and cannot save Evan. Meanwhile, Cody shoots at a werewolf, but the werewolf attacks Cody’s house, exposing him to the moon. Inside the house, Lucy watches everything happening through CCTV cameras. In the lab, Amy and Wesley realize they need to get out as there aren’t any weapons to fight the werewolves except their respective guns. So they suit up, take the Moonscreen liquid, set a timer for sixty minutes (the duration Moonscreen works), and head out. Inside the lab, Amy faces Miles as a werewolf, so she distracts Miles and escapes with Wesley.
As Wesley and Amy drive, Wesley calls Lucy to check on the situation. Right now, Lucy panics as Cody turns into a werewolf. While on the call, Regan calls Lucy to help her, but before Lucy can decide, a werewolf takes Regan. At the same time, Wesley crashes into a bus. Now Wesley and Amy begin their journey to Lucy’s house on foot. On the streets, Amy and Wesley see a couple of werewolves ripping out cars. Using the cars, Wesley and Amy try to escape from the werewolves. When they realize a werewolf is walking in their direction, they hide under a car until the werewolf leaves.
How does the pack of wolves attack Lucy and Emma?
Unfortunately, the one-hour mark is up, Wesley and Amy need to take Moonscreen so they don’t turn into werewolves. At this time, they see a building’s gate closing, so Amy and Wesley hurry inside. Inside, a little kid asks Amy and Wesley to follow him. At this point, Wesley realizes these are underground tunnels that they can use to navigate. Unfortunately, the people inside are not as welcoming to Amy and Wesley as they hoped. So these people show Amy and Wesley to the entrance of the tunnels and leave. When Amy and Wesley reach a gate, a werewolf appears. Subsequently, they fight and kill the beast. They enter a Bodega to administer Moonscreen, but the temperature is too hot. So they put it in a refrigerator and wait.
After a while, Moonscreen is ready, but a child who has turned into a werewolf lurks around in the store. With a heavy heart, Amy kills the beast. Meanwhile, Cody and other werewolves target Lucy’s house, so Lucy shoots at the roof, where she can hear the werewolves lurking. A werewolf breaks down a tree, ensuring it falls on the house’s roof, cutting the powerlines. Inside the house, Lucy and Emma turn on all the emergency lights. On the streets, Amy and Wesley come across a group of men with weapons fighting the werewolves. Unfortunately, these men think of Amy and Wesley as enemies since they are not entirely covered and think they can turn into werewolves anytime.
Werewolves (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
In that chaos, a werewolf attacks one of those men, turning the man into a werewolf. Now, Amy distracts the pack of wolves while Wesley reaches for the weapon. Once that happens, Wesley starts shooting at the wolves. After that, Wesley gets inside the car and asks Amy to hop on, but a werewolf takes Amy away. With no other choice, Wesley drives away. At home, the werewolves slowly enter Lucy’s property, and she runs out of bullets. Thankfully, Wesley arrives at the right time and brings the pack to Wesley. Unfortunately, one werewolf is still inside the house, and Lucy kills it.
Does Wesley turn into a werewolf?
Outside, Wesley attacks and kills all the wolves, and Cody is also hurt. Inside the house, Wesley takes control of the situation, but Cody wakes up. So Wesley gives his watch to Lucy, saying that it is 15 minutes before sunrise and that they have until then to survive. Now Wesley walks out into the moonlight and turns into a werewolf. After turning, Wesley kills Cody and makes his way to the house.
However, Lucy tries to talk to Wesley and calm him down. Furthermore, Lucy shows pictures of Wesley’s family to him to bring out the human inside the beast. Despite that, Wesley is now on Lucy, but the timer goes off, so Lucy picks up a fallen bullet and fires at the roof so the sunshine can fall on Wesley. As soon as the sun falls on the werewolf, Wesley becomes a human again.
The film establishes its central premise from the very first scene, immersing viewers in a gripping journey to resolve the werewolf crisis. Initially, the scientists celebrate, believing their Moonscreen liquid successfully prevents people from transforming into werewolves. However, their optimism is short-lived as they discover the liquid’s effects are temporary, plunging them back into chaos.
Wesley takes on the responsibility of protecting his late brother Sean’s family after Sean’s tragic death. It is suggested that Sean lost his life during the previous year’s Supermoon while heroically trying to save others. Meanwhile, Amy’s fate remains ambiguous—she is either killed by the pack of werewolves or succumbs to the transformation herself.
Though Wesley was never a family-oriented person, his newfound determination to protect Lucy and Emma drives his actions. In a climactic moment, Wesley willingly transforms into a werewolf to confront Cody and save his family. Lucy and Emma survive only because the sun rises just in time, returning Wesley to his human form. Despite some progress, the Moonscreen liquid offers only a partial and temporary cure, leaving the scientists scrambling to develop a more permanent solution to the werewolf plague.
