Marvel Secretly Reveals The MCU's Original Vampire

Screen Rant

By Robert Pitman

Published Oct 16, 2022

Werewolf By Night may have just introduced the origin of the MCU’s vampires, hinting at an obscure comic character - and it has major implications.

The Nosferatu are one of the many creatures featured in Werewolf By Night, finally revealing the origin of the MCU's original vampires. Although vampires have been a staple of Marvel Comics for a while, the origin of the creatures is surprisingly complex, and Werewolf By Night actually sticks to this bizarre storyline. Werewolf By Night's Nosferatu cameo isn't just important for the MCU's lore though; it actually sets up future projects like Blade.

In the comics, the original vampire, Varnae, was an Atlantean sorcerer who was corrupted by the Darkhold. After being injured due to an evil ritual, the other Atlantean sorcerers transformed Varnae into an immortal vampire, with Varnae later transferring his powers to Dracula and the other vampires through blood. Werewolf By Night's vampire origin seems to stick fairly close to this, as text next to an image of the Nosferatu reads "A winged monster, by virtue and piety effectively and ominously corrupted." The Nosferatu are a sect of vampires, descendants of Varnae, and if this origin is accurate the MCU's original vampire may be the same as Marvel Comic's Varnae.

Werewolf By Night's Nosferatu Sets Up Blade

Nosferatu Vampires in The MCU Werewolf By Night

Werewolf By Night's Nosferatu are the biggest Blade setup so far, as it gives an account of the origin of the MCU's vampires. Throughout the original Blade trilogy, Blade faces off with a variety of vampires, each with different abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Connecting the Nosferatu to Varnae hints that, although they have a common ancestor, there can still be a variety of vampire types in the MCU, allowing for a much more dynamic Blade movie.

On top of that, the retelling of Varnae's origins suggests that the MCU will also introduce his successor, Dracula. There have been heavy rumors that Dracula will be the main villain in the MCU's Blade movie, and this version of the origin of vampires is a great way to introduce the iconic villain. While vampires are mostly in the background in Werewolf By Night, the special presentation is clearly setting up the story of Blade.

Vampires (& Vampire Setup) In The MCU So Far

Although vampires haven't yet been clearly seen in the MCU, they definitely exist. Blade appears in the Eternals post-credits scene, suggesting that he has been hunting vampires off-screen for a while. Vampires have also been confirmed to exist in the multiverse, as Loki contains a scene where Mobius explains that the TVA has removed vampires from the sacred timeline. Korg also makes a joke about fighting vampires in Thor: Ragnarok, further pointing to their existence, as a Kronan probably wouldn't know about vampires if they were merely a fable from Earth. Vampires have also been mentioned in shows like Cloak and Dagger, Runaways, Iron Fist, and even Agents Of SHIELD, in which Bessie the Hellcow is mentioned. Vampires may not have appeared in the MCU yet, but the upcoming Blade movie and Werewolf By Night's Nosferatu set-up show that they have been operating in the background for a very long time.