Benicio del Toro says he signed on for the lead role in The Wolfman remake because he has a soft spot for monsters.

The Oscar-winning actor says the werewolf he portrays and many other dark characters in literature get a bad rap, telling journalists in Mexico City: "I have always been on the monster's side."

The movie is directed by Joe Johnston and co-stars Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins and Hugo Weaving. It modernises the myth of the werewolf and adds more blood and violence to the plot.

But Benicio, who also co-produced the film, says there's more to the story: "I see the werewolf as a victim; they always judge him without any understanding."

The film is scheduled for release on February 12.