Though the show ended in 2017, Teen Wolf: The Movie takes place in 2030 — the large time jump has both good and bad effects on the story overall.
The time jump between the show’s ending and Teen Wolf: The Movie makes sense, but the 15-year gap between the end of the series and the film doesn’t quite work. The MTV series about teenagers with supernatural powers and problems was a hit for six seasons. The ending of Teen Wolf‘s final season made it clear that the fight between the protagonists and their enemies wasn’t over, but the way Teen Wolf season 6 wrapped up storylines and relationships was still satisfying. A time skip is necessary in order to plausibly invent new stories. However, setting Teen Wolf: The Movie in 2030, when the series’ story timeline ended in 2015 (the series’ real-life ending was in 2017), is arguably too large of a time jump.
Many things are bound to change a lot within 15 years. This is especially true for the Teen Wolf characters, who have endured significant changes in short spans of time. At the end of Teen Wolf season 6, the show saw its lead characters leaving high school and entering the working world for the first time. Naturally, fans now expect to see familiar Teen Wolf characters returning to Beacon Hill who have grown and changed from teenagers to young adults. To accomplish this, Teen Wolf: The Movie will have to balance the familiar with the new and unfamiliar while sustaining the series’ overarching continuity.
A 15-Year Time Jump In The Teen Wolf Movie Is Hard To Believe
For several reasons, Teen Wolf’s time jump of nearly a decade and a half from Allison’s death in Teen Wolf season 3 is pretty hard to believe. Firstly, the characters don’t look much older than they did in Teen Wolf season 6. However, the lack of physical changes can be easily explained by the fact that the characters are supernatural beings. After all, if they have werewolf super strength, a banshee wail, or magical defensive fire, it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine that they might age more slowly — or less visibly — than ordinary humans.
In general, the supernatural events of Teen Wolf: The Movie stretch the limits of credulity since they take place so long after Teen Wolf the show. It is hard to believe that, even despite the large time gap, that Allison could return after being cremated in season 3, episode 23, “Insatiable,” with her memories intact — let alone still be able to shoot a crossbow accurately. There is also the fact that throughout the show’s six seasons, the group defeated many different enemies, but in the movie, they face the same ones they were fighting in the mid-2010s. It makes little sense for these fights to pick up in 2030 right where they left off in 2015.
Why The Teen Wolf Movie Needed A Big Time Jump
Even though there are some potential problems with the execution, Teen Wolf: The Movie does stand to benefit from the time jump. For instance, this gap explains why Stiles isn’t returning in Teen Wolf: The Movie. Noah Stilinski, who played the fan-favorite character, was not able to return for this movie, and so explaining his absence is easier with a significant time gap. The film taking place so far into the future also allows for the introduction of Derek’s son Eli. Much of the movie involves Eli coming into his own as a werewolf, and he needs to be old enough for that to happen, though he is still a teenager.
The long gap between the Teen Wolf series and the movie makes Derek’s sacrifice more meaningful. In 2017, his death would have been just one more casualty of war, but after a gap of 15 years, Derek’s choice to lay down his life for his loved ones feels more poignant. 15 years also makes Allison Argent’s return in Teen Wolf: The Movie and reunion with Scott that much more heartfelt. A decade and a half of devotion transforms their relationship from a teenage infatuation to a strong and powerful romance. These events could provide a satisfying conclusion for fans while leaving open the possibility of more.
