This classic fairytale could be damaging Europe’s wolf rewilding efforts
How Hollywood is impacting the reintroduction of wolves
- Public support for wolf reintroduction in the UK and Ireland remains low, with approval rates at 36 per cent and 52 per cent respectively, despite their ecological benefits.
- Centuries of fictional portrayals, from folklore to modern Hollywood horror, significantly influence public perception, depicting wolves as villainous and dangerous monsters.
- Recent films, such as Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein adaptation and Robert Eggers' Nosferatu, inaccurately depict wolves as aggressive home invaders or demonic figures, reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
- While concerns about wolves preying on livestock are valid, attacks on humans are extremely rare, contrasting sharply with their frequent portrayal as a direct threat in entertainment.
- Experts argue that horror cinema's ongoing reliance on wolves as symbols of evil undermines conservation efforts and the necessary public relations for promoting coexistence with these ecologically vital animals.