Kumail Nanjiani is adding another major milestone to his diverse career by stepping behind the camera for his feature directorial debut. Having already left his mark across the MCU, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Fallout, Only Murders In The Building, Poker Face, and Taskmaster, the co-writer and star of The Big Sick is now taking charge of a werewolf movie titled Howl at Amazon MGM Studios' Orion Pictures, as reported by Deadline.
The Black List Screenplay and Premise
Penned by Madison Vanderberg, whose original screenplay landed on Hollywood's prestigious Black List in 2024, Howl draws conceptual parallels to classics like Network or Money Monster infused with a werewolf, or a lycanthropic horror comedy set amid a live television broadcast. According to the logline, the narrative follows a famous yet notoriously troubled actor who announces on a live talk show that he will transform into a werewolf on live television in less than an hour.
Dual Roles and Directorial Approach
Nanjiani is set to star as the lead in addition to directing the feature. Whether he leans entirely into classic werewolf tropes akin to An American Werewolf In London or portrays an unstable thespian remains to be seen, but the film's unique dual genre billing serves as its primary narrative hook.
An Incredibly Busy Slate
Howl arrives during an exceptionally packed period for the actor, whose first comedy special in over a decade, Night Thoughts, premiered just months ago. His upcoming acting roster includes the Kristen Stewart-led stoner comedy The Wrong Girls, the fourth season of The White Lotus set in France, and the Mel Brooks spoof spin-off Very Young Frankenstein. Additionally, alongside his wife Emily V. Gordon, he is developing the graphic novel adaptation Sex Criminals for Prime Video.
