Director Robert Eggers’ latest film, “Nosferatu,” plans to bring a little horror to next year’s holiday season. Focus Features announced today the film will hit theaters on Christmas Day of 2024.
The film is a remake of the 1922 F.W. Murnau feature — itself an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1879 novel — focused on the mysterious Count Orlok, a vampire set on terrorizing England. “It” actor Bill Skarsgard will play Orlok, alongside Nicholas Hoult as Jonathan Hutter and Lily-Rose Depp as Jonathan’s fiancee, Ellen.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe (who appeared in “The Lighthouse” and “The Northman”) will also star in the film though their roles remain undefined.
Eggers has praised Skarsgard’s transformation into the vampire character, telling Empire magazine on November 20, “I’ll say that Bill has so transformed, I’m fearful that he might not get the credit that he deserves because he’s just … he’s not there.”
The role of Count Orlok has been done two times previously, leaving Skarsgård to follow up some iconic performances – Max Schreck starred in the original film while Klaus Kinski played the role in Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake. Eggers promised this performance will stand apart but pay homage to the earlier performances.
“He felt like honoring who had come before him. It’s all very subtle. But I think the main thing is that he’s even more a folk vampire. In my opinion he looks like a dead Transylvanian nobleman, and in a way that we’ve never actually seen what an actual dead Transylvanian nobleman would look like and be dressed like,” said Eggers.
“Nosferatu” marks Focus Features’ continued collaboration with Eggers following the 2022 release of the viking epic “The Northman,” which starred Skarsgard’s brother, Alexander, in the title role. The film also reunites Eggers with veteran producer Chris Columbus who is credited as executive producer on “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse.”
Peter Kujawski, Chairman of Focus Features, said in a statement that “The audacious filmmaking of Robert Eggers is always a gift for fans, and we can promise that his Nosferatu is planning quite the Christmas feast.”
“Nosferatu” hits theaters December 25, 2024.
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