Teen Wolf: The Movie features a major character death that not only serves the film’s story but could shape the future of the evolving franchise.
Warning! Contains MAJOR spoilers for Teen Wolf: The Movie.Derek Hale’s death in Teen Wolf: The Movie has big ramifications moving forward and could even shape the future of the Teen Wolf franchise. Scott McCall returns to Beacon Hills after his hometown comes under the Nogitsune’s threat once again. He assembles the McCall Pack, with many of its members already living outside of Beacon Hills, but others have stayed behind, including Derek, who now has a 15-year-old son, Eli. As he and his werewolf friends come under attack, Derek makes the ultimate sacrifice in the Teen Wolf Movie in order to ensure the safety of everyone who is dear to him.
As an original cast member, Tyler Hoechlin’s Teen Wolf departure after season 4 was a big blow to the MTV series. The actor was ready to venture out with his career, and it paid off big time as he scored the role of a lifetime playing Arrowverse’s Superman and co-headlining his own show in Superman & Lois. He remains beloved as Derek Hale, however, so seeing him return to the Teen Wolf Movie is a treat, even though it also marked the end of his personal arc.
Scott’s Pack Will Need To Look After Eli Following Derek’s Death
Derek’s death takes place during the final battle between the McCall Pack and the Nogitsune. Recognizing the threat that the villain poses in Teen Wolf: The Movie on Paramount+, he chose to sacrifice himself in order to ensure that the Nogitsune was taken down once and for all. Before his final act, however, he made sure the entrust Eli to Scott, telling the Alpha that his son is part of his pack now. This effectively puts Scott in charge of looking after Eli. Not that it wouldn’t have been a given had Derek failed to mention it, but his words emphasize the need for the McCall Pack to look after his son with him gone.
Scott and the rest would have to pay careful attention to Eli not just because he is a member of the McCall Pack now, but because of his circumstances. For starters, he is still young. As seen in the Teen Wolf sequel movie, he can be immature and irresponsible at times. Secondly and, more importantly, he has just learned how to transform into a werewolf. His nature puts him in the middle of many dangerous circumstances that he may not be prepared for. Given this, Scott and everyone else need to provide him with the guidance that he needs as he navigates the complex process of being a werewolf.
Why Losing Derek Is Such A Big Loss For Scott’s Pack
When Teen Wolf started, Derek was an older werewolf who initially mentored Scott while also channeling his time and effort to hunting down his sister’s killer. When Derek became an Alpha, things between him and Scott turned sour as they disagreed on how to approach certain matters. Despite this, Derek and Scott remained loyal allies until the Teen Wolf series finale, and that relationship was preserved for years until the Teen Wolf Movie. While Hoechlin wasn’t a series regular throughout the MTV show’s run, he had a massive impact on the McCall Pack, especially in terms of guiding Scott to becoming the true Alpha. His death will always be an important moment in Teen Wolf‘s history.
Could Eli Hale Be The Focus Of A New Teen Wolf Show?
Teen Wolf: The Movie‘s ending resolves the threat brought by the Nogitsune while ensuring Allison Argent’s safe return to Beacon Hills. However, the Paramount+ film also leaves some loose plot threads that could be the jumping point for another Teen Wolf project, including a tease about Eli’s future as a werewolf. There are currently no announced plans for a Teen Wolf Movie sequel, although creator Jeff Davis confesses that there have been discussions about it. Eli’s story can continue with a potential sequel, but it may also be through long-form storytelling as another TV series in the Teen Wolf franchise.
Unlike Wolf Pack which doesn’t have ties to Teen Wolf, another series on Paramount+ can properly tackle Eli’s arc the same way the original MTV show did with Scott and the rest of the McCall Pack. Whether or not this becomes Teen Wolf season 7 or a different show entirely is up to Paramount+, but it can lean on its Eli’s connection to well-established characters to create a new protagonist. Scott and his pack will certainly need to play an important role in Eli’s future since he’s officially one of them now that Derek is dead after Teen Wolf: The Movie.
