The MCU Introduces Its First Vampire Hunter – A Buffy, Not Blade

Werewolf-By-Night is introducing the MCU’s first major vampire hunter – a version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, not Blade. Marvel is finally beginning to embrace horror, and at D23 unveiled the first trailer for Werewolf-By-Night – a Disney+ special that looks different to anything Marvel has done before. Stylistically, it’s a homage to the classic Hammer Horror films, starring Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell – the titular Werewolf-By-Night.

The trailer seems to hint at a gathering of monster hunters, convened by Ulysses Bloodstone. In the comics, Ulysses Bloodstone is a quasi-immortal being who has made a career of hunting monsters. Here, his immortality appears to have come at a price, because he appears to be more like a zombie than a human being. The Werewolf-By-Night trailer is packed with supernatural Easter eggs, but it’s immediately clear one of Marvel’s premiere vampire hunters is not present; there’s no sign of Mahershala Ali’s Blade. Marvel has, however, confirmed the presence of another popular monster hunter from the comics.

Laura Donnelly will co-star as Elsa Bloodstone, daughter of Ulysses Bloodstone and frankly Marvel’s version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Like Buffy Summers, Elsa is a teenage girl who inherits a legacy of hunting monsters that creep in the dark. In the comics, she was brought up with no awareness of her magical heritage, only learning the truth after Ulysses’ death when she was left his ancient Bloodgem. This grants her enhanced physical abilities that perfectly parallel those of a Slayer, and it also gives her an immunity to many supernatural forces. Elsa’s main villain is Dracula, an enemy she shares with Blade.

What Role Will Laura Donnelly’s Elsa Bloodstone Play In The MCU?

There have long been rumors Elsa Bloodstone would soon make her MCU debut, and it’s exciting to see those confirmed. That said, Werewolf-By-Night‘s canonicity is highly debatable; it’s stylistically unlike anything seen before in the MCU, and it was mysteriously absent on the Phase 5 slate. This has led to some speculation the Disney+ special will actually be a stand-alone, a fun riff on the comics with no larger impact on the MCU. If that is the case, Elsa Bloodstone is a one-and-done character who won’t reappear.

The Werewolf-By-Night trailer subtly implies this isn’t the case, however. It also includes a glimpse of Man-Thing, a creature previously teased in the MCU that fits rather well with the overarching narrative of the Multiverse Saga. Man-Thing’s presence suggests Werewolf-By-Night will indeed have a larger impact on the shared universe, and thus it’s reasonable to assume Laura Donnelly’s Elsa Bloodstone will indeed return. She could potentially become an ally for Mahershala Ali’s Blade, or perhaps even an antagonist should she decide he needs to be slain as a Daywalker. She would certainly fit well with the MCU’s developing supernatural arc.