| Director | Joe Johnston |
|---|---|
| Budget | $150 million |
| Box office | $142.6 million |
In 1891, a man named Ben Talbot is killed by a humanoid wolf in the woods of Blackmoor. His mutilated body is found in a slaughterhouse. After learning of what happened, his brother Lawrence returns home, and reunites with his estranged father Sir John.
Some locals believe the killer to be a wild animal; many others blame the Romani camped outside Blackmoor. Another local claims that there was a similar murder twenty-five years earlier; a werewolf was the suspected killer. Lawrence tours his family's house. He recalls his childhood memory of seeing his mother Solana seemingly die by suicide, with Sir John standing over her corpse. He consequently suffered from delusions connected to the event and was sent to Lambeth Hospital in London for a year.
Lawrence visits the Romani during a full moon. The townspeople, led by Constable Nye, raid the camp to confiscate a dancing bear which they believe is the killer. The werewolf attacks the camp, kills Nye and some of the Romani and townspeople, bites Lawrence and escapes. Maleva, a Romani woman, sutures Lawrence's wounds. Another Romani insists that the now-cursed Lawrence should be killed before he kills others. Maleva says that only a loved one can release him.
After a night of feverish dreams, Lawrence recovers with unnatural speed and develops great vitality and heightened senses. Inspector Francis Aberline arrives to investigate, suspecting that Lawrence is responsible based on his mental history. Terrified of harming Gwen Conliffe, Ben's fiancée who is staying with the Talbots, Lawrence sends her to London. He later follows Sir John to Solana's crypt. There, Sir John locks himself in a room and gives Lawrence a cryptic warning. Lawrence turns into a werewolf before running off into the woods and killing hunters.
The next morning, Aberline and the police arrest Lawrence. Taken back to Lambeth, Lawrence is subjected to hellish treatments, both mental and physical, overseen by Dr. Hoenneger. Sir John visits Lawrence, explaining that twenty-five years before, during a hunting expedition in the Hindu Kush in India, he was bitten by a boy infected with lycanthropy. Sir John was the werewolf who bit Lawrence and is responsible for the recent murders, including Solana and Ben. He made Singh lock him up every full moon night and contemplated suicide for years. Now insane, Sir John has come to embrace his curse and has decided to let himself loose during his transformations. Knowing that the moon will be full, he leaves a razor in case Lawrence contemplates suicide.
By nightfall, Hoenneger conducts a lecture with Lawrence as a case study. Lawrence attempts to warn the attendees of the impending danger, but to no avail. Transforming once more, Lawrence kills Hoenegger and some orderlies before escaping and going on a rampage. The next day, Lawrence visits Gwen's antique shop for help. They admit their love for each other and kiss. Aberline waits outside Talbot Hall, arming himself and accompanying policemen with silver bullets. Gwen searches for Maleva hoping to cure Lawrence. However, Maleva says that there is no cure and that she must kill Lawrence herself.
Lawrence arrives at Talbot Hall, where Sir John has killed Singh and one of Aberline's men. He loads a gun with Singh's silver bullets and attempts to shoot Sir John. However, he realizes too late that Sir John had sabotaged the cartridges. As the two struggle, the full moon arises and the Talbots transform into werewolves. During their fight, they set Talbot Hall on fire. Lawrence eventually decapitates Sir John. Gwen and Aberline then arrive, and Lawrence attacks Aberline, biting him. Gwen picks up Aberline's pistol and flees into the nearby woods.
Still in his werewolf form, Lawrence pursues Gwen and corners her above a gorge. She pleads with Lawrence, and he spares her life. The hunting party approaches, distracting Lawrence long enough for Gwen to grant him mercy and end his life with shot in his heart from Aberline's gun. Lawrence reverts to human form, thanking Gwen for setting him free, and dies on her lap. Meanwhile, a wounded and horrified Aberline watches the full moon come into view. As Talbot Hall burns in the distance, the werewolf's howl is heard one last time.