Willard Wyler

Willard Wyler is a minor yet key character featured in "Day of the Departed" and the "Rebirth of Gruntijackal" saga. He is a retired movie director that planned to make a surprising return to the movie business by creating a new horror movie. After discovering the Yin Blade in San Francisco while looking for ideas for his movie, Wyler returned to his theater and hid the Yin Blade within his Zombies in Spaceland film in order to prevent the weapon from ever falling into the wrong hands and causing unspeakable consequences.

However, the spirit of Edward Richtofen managed the enter the film and located the Yin Blade. In an attempt to stop him, Wyler created clones of the four actors he previously captured and ordered them to stop Richtofen from escaping the film with the Yin Blade. However, Richtofen was successful in his task and confronted Wyler in his theater. With his humanity restored and armed with the Yin Blade, Richtofen murders Wyler before preserving his soul within Wyler's Soul Jar, seeing how the jar was a key object in Richtofen's ultimate plan to resurrect Gruntijackal.

History
Wyler was born on March 15th, 1965 to two unnamed parents. He would eventually go into the movie business and would go on to make a fortune with his horror films. Eventually, he retired, but planned to make one last movie as a grand comeback.

Day of the Departed
Wyler was present at the Day of the Departed festival in San Francisco during Gruntijackal's attempt to use the Yin Blade to rip open the Rift of Resurrection. While taking note of the carnage for his movie, Wyler discovered the discarded Yin Blade. Realizing what it was, Wyler hurried back to his limo and ordered his driver to return back to his theater.

Sometime later, Wyler returned to his theater, where he experimented with the Yin Blade. Confirming his suspicions, Wyler realizes he must hide the Yin Blade, knowing its dark magic was too powerful to destroy. Wyler then used the Yin Blade to open a rift into his Zombies in Spaceland film, where he hid the weapon. Unknown to him, the spirit of Edward Richtofen used this rift to enter the film as well.

The Beginning of the End
After discovering Richtofen's intrusion, Wyler created four clones of the four actors he once imprisoned and placed them in the film in order to stop Richtofen from escaping with the Yin Blade, which the latter had now discovered within the film. However, the actors were unsuccessful, with Richtofen escaping with the weapon. Returning to reality and now mortal, Richtofen confronted Wyler in the projection room, where Wyler was with his Soul Jar. Richtofen explained to Wyler that everything he will do will all be used in the end for the same goal; resurrecting Gruntijackal. Horrified, Wyler tries to reason with Richtofen, asking the madman what he plans. Richtofen then laughs, explaining he plans only one thing; he plans to bring back Gruntijackal from the Fractured Realm before killing Wyler with the Yin Blade. Richtofen then steals Wyler's Soul Jar before preserving Wyler's soul within it.

The Rebirth
Wyler's soul remained within the Soul Jar, even after it was lost in space following the defeat of Gruntijackal on the Moon.