10 Of The Most Memorable Wolves In Movies And TV
There are many stories about Wolves in Movies and TV but here are a few you need to know.
There are literally countless species of animals featured on the silver screen but none can lay a greater claim to coolness than the wolf.
Wolves have featured in movies for so long that it can be quite a task keeping up with all of them.
And, the roles are versatile too. From the cute to the tear-jerker to the downright mean and scary bad guy wolf.
From direwolves to gray wolves and even a couple of werewolves, here’s our rundown of 10 of the Most Memorable Wolves in Movies and TV. Even if you’re not much of a movie-watcher, you won’t want to miss out on any of them.
10 Of The Most Memorable Wolves In Movies And TV
10) Lobo: The Legend Of Lobo
Year Released: 1962
Summary: This American production follows the many adventures of a wolf named Lobo. Along with his parents and siblings, Lobo has to move from one place to the other to escape different dangers. Eventually, the family is forced to hunt cattle to survive. The cattle herders seek revenge and kill Lobo’s parents.
In the course of the movie, Lobo goes on to chew an armadillo’s ear, he befriends a turtle, and is cornered by a rattlesnake. Eventually, he finds a mate and forms his own wolf pack but they have no peace as cattlemen continue to encroach on wolf territory forcing the wolves to move about.
A huge bounty is placed on his head by the cattlemen and the film ends with Lobo and his mate once more forced to leave their home because of humans.
9) Maugrim: The Chronicles of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Year Released: 1988 (BBC), 2005 (Walden/Disney)
Summary: Maugrim is one of those scary wolves we mentioned earlier. This character holds the unenviable position of the Captain of the White Witch’s Secret Police. He’s one of the talking animals that chose to side with the White Witch during the Hundred-Year Winter in the magical world of Narnia.
The original book of the same title was made into a movie and describes this animal as a huge grey beast with flaming eyes.
8) Akela: The Jungle Book
Year Released: Most Popular Releases in 1967 and 2016 by Walt Disney Pictures.
Summary: Akela is also called the Lone Wolf or Big Wolf in the various adaptations of the classic Jungle Book tale by Rudyard Kipling.
He’s the leader of a wolf pack in this evergreen account of a young boy (Mowgli) growing in the jungle surrounded by a group of merry animals. Akela is large, most likely a gray wolf, and leads the pack with strength, honor, and cunning.
7) David: American Werewolf In London
Year Released: 1981
Summary: This horror/comedy gathered several critical acclaims for special effects even back then in the early 1980s when it was released. Two young American men are backpacking in Yorkshire when they are attacked by a werewolf.
One of the dies but the other friend (David) survives and gradually transforms into a full-blown, rampaging, nightmarish werewolf.
The film won several awards and maintains cult classic status to date. Well worth watching if you have the stomach for some really intense and scary footage.
6) Alpha Wolf: The Grey
Year Released: 2011
Summary: Liam Neeson starred in this unforgettable survival story.
An airplane conveying a team of oil workers crashes in Alaska: deep in wolf territory. The few survivors must get back to civilization using very little resources and their wits. However, they soon realize that they are well into wolf territory. A pack of gray wolves stalks them and some of the initial survivors die or are killed one-by-one.
This movie has one of the most talked about endings ever with John (Liam Neeson) fighting the Alpha Wolf.
You’ll need to see it yourself to understand how it all ends.
5) Direwolves: A Game Of Thrones
Year Released: 2011 – To Date
The Direwolf came to many people’s consciousness thanks to HBO’s fantasy drama TV series A Game Of Thrones.
This now extinct wolf roamed much of North America especially the USA just about 10,000 years ago. In A Game of Thrones, the children of one of the major houses (the Starks) find and adopt a litter of direwolf cubs taking one cub each.
Each direwolf is special in its own way but of particular relevance are Grey Wind (Rob’s wolf), Nymeria (Arrya’s wolf), and Ghost (Jon’s wolf).
Ghost in particular came in at the rear as the runt of the litter. But he quickly grew as big as his siblings and this wolf is no pushover with his stark-white color and deep red eyes.
The extinct direwolf came back to “life” through HBO’s A Game Of Thrones.
4) Jacob: The Twilight Saga
Year Released: Several sequels from 2008 to 2012
Summary: Love or hate this movie series, the wolves in The Twilight Saga earns their place among the most memorable wolves in movies and TV.
Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) and his cronies transform into relatively nice-looking but massive wolves in this movie. Not the usual evil-looking werewolf type common in Hollywood.
The story revolves around a vampire (Edward) in love with a female teenager (Bella). Though their love is complicated by several obstacles and hurdles including Jacob’s obvious affection for Bella.
Vampires vs Werewolves? Hmm.
This movie also received a lot of criticism and praise. Some loved it, some hated it. But whatever the case, the wolves did put up a good show.
3) Raksha: The Jungle Book
Year Released: Latest Release 2016
The she-wolf Raksha holds her place as a deeply caring and protective “mother” to the orphan boy, Mowgli. Voice over for the 2016 release is by none other than Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.
The 2016 adaption follows the same classic plot but with some pretty heavy live-action scenes and astounding computer generated imagery.
Though she doesn’t appear so many times, Raksha makes it clear that she will fight to the death to defend her cubs: including Mowgli.
2) White Fang: White Fang
Year Released: 1991
Summary: This eponymous movie is based on a novel by the same name about a wolfdog named White Fang. The events take place during the era of the Gold Rush.
A young Yukon gold hunter (Ethan Hawke) forges an unlikely friendship with the abused White Fang and saves him during a brutal dogfight. Basically, the story follows the many challenges of both parties especially White Fang and it has some really emotional moments.
Be warned! White Fang has some serious tear-jerking scenes.
1) Two Socks: Dances With Wolves
Year Released: 1990
Summary: In this epic Western, Kevin Costner plays a Union Army lieutenant named John Dunbar. He recovers from a grievous battle wound and then journeys over to the American frontier to find a military post.
Despite several myths and misinformation about the Sioux tribes surrounding him, he decides to interact with them and gradually earns their respect.
Dances With Wolves won not one, not two but SEVEN Academy Awards including Best Picture!
John befriends a wolf and many viewers say that the wolf (Two Socks) was the major star in this movie. He’s named Two Socks because of his white forepaws. This part was played by two trained real-life wolves: Teddy and Buck.
The character Two Socks will forever remain one of the best ever wolf portrayals in any movie production.
Dances with Wolves was selected in 2007 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Do you have any favorite wolves in movies and TV? Let us know in the comments.
