The beloved What We Do in the Shadows has created a cinematic universe that includes the TV show spin-off as well as Wellington Paranormal, based upon the Wellington Police Department seen in the original film. Across all of these works, there has been a range of disturbing and monstrous creatures.
Many of them are portrayed in quite a comedic manner, but there are also lots of monsters that are actually quite terrifying if they were to ever appear in the real world. There's plenty more mythology to pull from in the future of this franchise, although for now, there are many character types for the scripts to continue exploring.
Updated on July 21st, 2022, by George Chrysostomou: What We Do in the Shadows continues to innovate in its fantasy storytelling while adding new creatures from folklore. While there's always an inventive twist on these monsters, these dark beasts are arguably pretty scary for a variety of reasons. But which other animalistic characters will the show add in the future?
Trolls
Trolls were presented in a very literal sense to start with in What We Do In The Shadows. They lurked beneath bridges with laptops, causing trouble online. It was presented as if the troll on the other end of the line wasn't actually a mythical creature at all, but someone looking to stir trouble.
The disturbing creature that viewers are eventually met with though is definitely not what they were expecting. It's grotesque in its appearance, absolutely huge in size, and still carries with it, its vile thoughts which it will spew at every opportunity.
Baby Energy Vampire
While Energy Vampires will be discussed in detail, no one expected that they could also turn back into babies, but have the same proportioned head. It turns out, in Vampire lore, death can mean a resurrection of sorts, which is exactly what Colin has gone through.
The final look of the creature is absolutely disgusting and terrifying. Perhaps it's the way it has been portrayed, but there's something so unnerving about Colin looking like this. Audiences better hope he grows up fast so that this monstrosity is quickly gone.
Goëjlrm
The Goëjlrm is known as The Sire in the Vampire world and is one of the earliest Vampires on record. In fact, he has been alive so long that he has transformed into something very different, which feels as if it's another species unto itself, created by the mysticism of age.
The Sire is like a bat in its appearance but also exhibits features that are a little more dog-like. What was once a human, has now transformed into a powerful animal, but he still maintains complete control over his thoughts. It is thought that if The Sire dies then so too do all vampires.
Hellhound
The Hellhound looks and acts like a dog. That's what's scary about it. It's very deceiving as most people would assume it's a regular canine, but that's not true. The Hellhound is far more dangerous, even if it is still a gentle and loyal creature at times if treated right.
However, it has the ability to kill a human easily if it so wishes and has formed a strong bond with supporting characters like The Sire and The Baron. There are other Hellhounds out there and they have been shown to breathe fire, making them an even more terrifying prospect to have around the house.
Necromancers
Necromancers are human, but there's something quite mysterious about them that indicates that perhaps they are possessed by a demon and are not as human as they appear. In fact, there's an argument to be made that a Necromancer is simply a vessel for something darker.
The power of the Necromancer is also to be feared. They can bring back the dead and can communicate with ghosts. Zombies have also been created through the potions and magic of a Necromancer and it's no surprise that the Vampires are reluctant to go to them for aid.
Traditional Vampires
These series are built based on the general imagery used for vampires in popular culture. The kind of beasts that can turn into bats might have some kind of mind-controlling powers and are unable to go near garlic or walk under the bright light of the sun.
While the leads of these shows are pretty hilarious, their actions can also be quite disturbing. They have a long list of murders to their name and are largely unsympathetic towards their human victims, whom they take great pleasure in completely draining blood from. It's no wonder that Guillermo could end up betraying them!
Ancient Vampires
Some of the most intriguing characters fans have seen in both the movie and TV adaptation of What We Do in the Shadows and one that many would want to see in the third season is that of the ancient vampires. These bloodsuckers feel more like creatures than people now.
They have lived for an age and are far more powerful than a normal vampire. However, they are grotesque in their appearances and some like the Baron hold great status. These types of vampires have been known to even scare their own peers!
Energy Vampires
The third type of vampire that has been introduced is that of the energy vampire. They don't suck blood like the traditional kind but instead feed off of negative energy. Unusually, Colin is one of the most likable characters in the show despite how boring he is. This is thanks to his abilities as an energy vampire.
With enough negative energy, they can be almost unstoppable, driving their victims into a depression and gathering so much power that once again, even traditional vampires fear them. This was an evolution that Colin went through, even growing back his hair.
Ghosts
Both What We Do in the Shadows and Wellington Paranormal have featured alternate versions of ghosts. These are souls trapped in the mortal realms, stuck until they find a way to move on to the next life. Nadja's ex, for instance, was one such soul left behind.
The franchise has also seen a policeman who continued to patrol Wellington even after his death and a party king from the '80s who just didn't want to see the music stop. These ghosts range from comical to rather terrifying due to the damage they can really do to the living.
Plant Aliens
Wellington Paranormal has seen some of the most bizarre creatures within this shared universe and for a few different episodes across the series, the police had to face off against alien invaders. These plant-based monsters were truly terrifying.
They could mimic humans, cloning them with a matching appearance, and carried with them a number of dangerous natural abilities. They multiplied rapidly and were perhaps the greatest threat that the Paranormal Unit has had to face thus far.
Werewolves
There are quite a few differences between the shows and the original Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement movie, but one consistency is the presence of werewolves. They have reared their ugly heads in each of the three properties within this shared universe.
There are a number of different types of werewolves that people have seen, but ultimately they are all incredibly dangerous. These creatures have no control over themselves once there is a full moon and the rivalry between them and the vampires is the stuff of legend.
Demons
Demons have been portrayed in a number of different forms. They've been seen in What We Do in the Shadows as hellish beings looking to take over the mortal realms and the same has been the case in Wellington Paranormal. The Paranormal Unit has even had to fight against Satan.
Granted, the mall manager thought he had hired Santa for Christmas, not Satan, but the police still had to make him stand down. They've also faced off against demons who had the ability to control the bodies of innocent victims and looked to raise hell on Earth.
Zombies
One of the best episodes of the American show saw the vampires turn to a witch doctor to try and revive their friend. The result was a zombification unlike anything seen on the show previously. The Wellington Police also had to deal with a zombie outbreak.
The mystical zombies were far more terrifying than the traditional ones, but either way, there's something quite disturbing about having someone's life completely changed thanks to this kind of infection. Interestingly when not looking for brains, the zombies would live out their normal existence in their infected manner.
Witches
Witches were quite a surprising twist in the FX show What We Do in the Shadows but spells and magic have previously been shown in the franchise. The Wellington Paranormal Unit had to previously battle against school girls who had gotten hold of an ancient book of curses.
The vampires living in New York were abducted by the witches thanks to a previous rivalry. The witches were unhinged, cruel, and quite deadly in their methods. They might very well be the most vicious type of being in this universe.
Spirits
As mentioned, there have been Ghosts in the show, but spirits are the souls of the dead, demons, and other entities that can inhabit the bodies of the living or even inanimate objects. In What We Do in the Shadows, the lead vampires bring back the spirits of their past selves.
Nadja doesn't want to let this life go and therefore puts her spirit into a doll she used to own. It's quite creepy in terms of its imagery and it's likely that in season 3, audiences will see more of this horrible toy, imbued with the spirit of the past.