Wolf Pack, a new series on Paramount+ from Teen Wolf and Criminal Minds creator Jeff Davis, follows four teenagers — Everett Lang (Armani Jackson), Blake Navarro (Bella Shepard), and twins Luna (Chloe Rose Robertson) and Harlan Briggs (Tyler Lawrence Gray) — as their lives are forever changed in the midst of California wildfires. While Luna and Harlan have known they were werewolves since they were born, a twist of fate leaves Everett and Blake with bites that begin the transformation. Meanwhile, Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to television as Kristin Ramsey, an investigator trying to determine the cause of the wildfires. She has her sights set on these teens as her way to find the arsonist. Ultimately, the series has a large story to tackle with the potential to provide great storytelling going forward.
Are 'Wolf Pack' and 'Teen Wolf' Set in the Same Universe?
However, the question on everyone’s minds since the series was announced with Davis at the helm is whether it is a spin-off of MTV’s Teen Wolf, which ran from 2011 to 2017 and starred Tyler Posey, Dylan O’Brien, Tyler Hoechlin, and many other familiar faces. The series takes place in the fictional town of Beacon Hills, California. Scott (Posey) becomes the titular teen wolf and is sucked into a world of danger and monsters, putting his life and the lives of those closest to him at risk. He must learn how to be a werewolf and a hero and is forced to dig into the mystical rules of the universe. But with his best friend Stiles (O’Brien), there’s no threat too great to face. To further promote the new series Wolf Pack and provide some excitement for dedicated fans, the streamer also released Teen Wolf: The Movie for another journey with (most of) these beloved characters as an old foe rears its head and causes chaos once more.
Given the very obvious similarities between the two series, it’s easy to assume Wolf Pack is a continuation of the Teen Wolf universe, especially as there aren’t many werewolf stories being told in Hollywood. That’s not the case, though. They exist in different universes and have no connection in-show to one another. Davis has been very adamant about that fact in interviews, telling SFX Magazine, “There can be two werewolf shows that exist in separate spaces.” However, for those that were hoping for a different answer, there are still similarities that make Wolf Pack very accessible to fans of Teen Wolf.
What Do 'Wolf Pack' and 'Teen Wolf' Have in Common?
First and foremost, both shows are created by Davis. He and his writing team have worked hard to ensure that Wolf Pack feels like a separate entity, but it definitely still has his signature touch on it. The way the world and characters are being crafted feels familiar, which is helpful to enjoy the ride and trust in the story. Friendships and other platonic relationships are at the forefront, helping to delve into the characters deeply right away. Second, the series focuses on teenagers, again. While they are dealing with supernatural forces, they are still left to confront their own challenges and continue their uniquely difficult lives. In fact, the focus on their own lives is undoubtedly the heart of the show with Wolf Pack, particularly as the wildfires impact at least three of the four teenagers very deeply in the first episode. Lastly, it seems so far that some of the attributes of being a werewolf are the same across both shows, though this could potentially change as Wolf Pack explores the lore and the “rules” in this universe a bit more going forward. These are the most notable similarities, but not the only similarities.
Let 'Wolf Pack' Stand on its Own!
That said, it’s also exciting and quite a relief that the shows aren’t being forced to co-exist in the same universe. Teen Wolf had six seasons to tell a variety of stories that introduced new monsters and brought about new changes for the main characters about what it meant to be a werewolf (or any other monster). Plus, at a certain point in the series, every character in the universe had to become supernatural in some way or they didn’t have much to do when the town was being invaded by supernatural dangers on a near-constant basis. Simply put, the writers built an entire world for these characters. Adding them into a universe built for a different cast just wouldn’t feel right. Things had already become rather complex and convoluted by the end of the show — so much so that the recently-premiered movie rewrote and ignored much of the established lore about the Nogitsune to make the story work.
Wolf Pack is a chance for Davis and the other writers to do things differently, listen to the complaints fans had about the supernatural rules, and avoid the same mistakes that Teen Wolf made along the way (as any show does, eventually). Given how every tale about vampires has differences between them, let’s see a brand-new take on werewolves… though perhaps let’s not make werewolves sparkle in the moonlight, you know? It’s exciting to think about the unique potential this story has with four vastly different and compelling characters being forced together to create their own pack by something they don’t quite understand yet.
As the story continues, both the similarities and differences between the two shows are exciting to see come to life. All in all, while Wolf Pack is a separate entity of its own with an exciting story and brand-new incredible cast, it will never really be completely disconnected from Teen Wolf. It’s just not possible when telling a story about more teenage werewolves, especially with both shows being overseen by the same creator. There will be purposeful and accidental connections and blatant differences that the writers thought long and hard about. Characters that share similar traits to those we’ve seen before. But, that’s all the magic of television. Whether you love or hate that there's not a more obvious connection between the two, Wolf Pack is a show you don’t want to miss.
New episodes of Wolf Pack are being released every Thursday on Paramount+.