Today, Teen Wolf: The Movie debuted streaming on Paramount+, but many fans of the MTV series will not be watching. Why? Because the best character on the show, Stiles, is absent.
Teen Wolf: The Movie is directed by Russell Mulcahy, a crucial director on the series, and written by series creator Jeff Davis. It begins 13 years after we last saw Scott McCall, despite the fact that the show has only been off the air for six years. Almost all of the original stars from the first season return, including Tyler Posey as Scott, Tyler Hoechlin as Derek, Holland Roden as Lydia, Colton Haynes as Jackson, and Crystal Reed as Allison (who is, spoiler alert, brought back from the dead).
The obvious exception is Dylan O’Brien as Stiles, who has long been the series’ fan favorite. Not having O’Brien return for the picture is, to say the least, a significant setback for Paramount. Continue reading to see why Stiles is absent from Teen Wolf: The Movie.
Warning: This page includes Teen Wolf: The Movie spoilers.
Does Dylan O’Brien appear in the Teen Wolf film?
No. Dylan O’Brien makes no appearance in Teen Wolf: The Movie, not even as a cameo or flashback.
What is Stiles’ fate in Teen Wolf: The Movie?
Derek Hale mentions Stiles briefly when he urges Sheriff Stilinski that he should “call his son” in light of the presumably supernatural events occurring in Beacon Hills. “Right now, Stiles has his own fires to put out,” answers Stilinski.
In Teen Wolf: The Movie, this is the only hint we receive as to what Stiles may be up to. We also discover that Lydia and Stiles broke up because Lydia began to fear that her recurring nightmares about Stiles dying in a car accident were prophetic. Again, Stiles does not die, but he is absent from the film. However, at least his cherished Jeep makes an appearance.
Why is Stiles absent from the Teen Wolf film?
Dylan O’Brien informed Variety that he will not be a part of the Teen Wolf film since the project came together so rapidly, leaving him with little time to find a way to make it work for himself. “I was trying to make it work, but everything happened so quickly,” he added. “We didn’t really realize it was occurring, and they kind of tossed it at us, which is good because we all enjoy the performance. We were attempting to understand.”
He said that he did not feel the need to continue Stiles’ journey, stating, “Ultimately, I just decided it was left in a really good place for me, and I still want to leave it there.”
In a follow-up interview for Decider, when O’Brien was asked about his choice to leave the show, he stated, “It will always be tremendously meaningful to me. It was difficult for me to reach the conclusion I did, but I believe I made the one that was the most authentic to my current self. I cannot wait to view it.”
O’Brien was undoubtedly the biggest celebrity to emerge from the Teen Wolf series, and he is currently appearing in The Vanishings at Caddo Lake, an upcoming thriller directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Although O’Brien never addressed money, it appears that Paramount+ may not have been willing to give the actor his current salary. Arden Cho, who portrayed Kira in Teen Wolf, said that she was offered compensation that was less than half of what her white co-stars were offered, which is why she declined to return to the film. Cho stated in an interview with The Cut that she made a decision based on financial considerations and not out of anger or selfishness. “I was saying ‘no’ because I hope that in the future there will be more equality.”
O’Brien has not commented on Cho’s choice not to return to the film, but he has “liked” a tweet in Cho’s support.
The good news for Stiles and Kira fans is that Teen Wolf fanfiction will always exist.
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