It is now official: Robert Eggers will direct the second remake of the 1922 classic “Nosferatu.” The film will star Bill Skarsgård as the vampire Count Orlok and Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in other leading roles. The incredible casting alone is enough to make the film a must-watch, and we will hopefully get the chance to see it by the end of this year. A first sneak peek has been unveiled at the Las Vegas CinemaCon, and we even have a provisional release date: December 25th, 2024, suggesting that viewers could get an unexpected Christmas present.
Fans will be on the lookout for a full trailer soon, and hopes are high for the remake. Eggers has proven to horror lovers his passion for the genre and his talent for crafting unsettling films. Both “The Witch” (2015) and “The Lighthouse” (2019) have their own unique aesthetic and a melancholic feel, which perfectly match the themes of “Nosferatu.” The original film came out in 1922 and starred the great Max Schreck as the terrifying vampire Count Orlok: despite its age and black-and-white coloring, this classic holds the test of time and even became the blueprint for an entire genre. “Nosferatu” created the myth of the “cinematic monster,” the ultimate otherworldly antagonist that we now know, love, and have seen much of.
The film’s story is simple enough: in this unofficial adaptation of Dracula, a young estate agent is forced to meet a vampire count, who takes an unnatural liking to his fiancée – and a blood feast ensues. Eggers’ remake will be the second one, as Werner Herzog already offered his own take on the myth of the vampire in his 1979 retelling. This adaptation is best remembered for its eerie atmosphere and striking visuals. Herzog intertwines gorgeous shots that look straight out of a 19th-century painting with a paranoid tale of plague and contagion. The cinematography of his adaptation is particularly stunning, conveying a sense of stillness, which gives the film an ethereal quality. When following the slow-moving camera, viewers end up literally petrified, unable to run away from the action.
This fixed point of view perfectly contrasts with the jerky and unpredictable movements of Klaus Kinski, our vampire of the day. While everyone has their favorite, it is undeniable that both versions of “Nosferatu” are excellent films that offer unique and complementary takes on the legend. The bar is thus high for the second remake, but Robert Eggers can count on Nosferatu’s modern relevance. Indeed, vampires are still highly popular in mainstream media, and the personality of Count Orlok – a lone bloodthirsty predator with a tragic edge – makes him a perfect antagonist. The monster’s bald head, frantic movements, and long claws are instantly recognizable, and Eggers will be able to use and subvert these tropes on screen.
There is also more to Orlok than meets the eye: he is not just an unsettling figure. Instead, both “Nosferatu” films use him to discuss the idea of “strangeness” in all its shapes and forms and explore the power dynamics between a predator and its prey. “Othering” and the prejudices towards the unknown, still very relevant in today’s world, are at the core of the story – especially since the young accountant’s metaphorical journey is also a physical one. A remake could offer a more modern take on these issues while staying true to the spirit of the monster.
On paper, “Nosferatu” is the perfect film for Robert Eggers to adapt: firstly, the director himself has cited the 1922 expressionist classic as a major influence for his horror movies – both of which are filmed in black and white. Eggers has also proven time and time again his love of local folklore and legends, supporting the idea that popular and seemingly familiar tales can be twisted to scare viewers into new directions. The director is no stranger to discussing the thin line between familiar and foreign. The notion of otherness is perhaps best represented in his first horror film, “The Witch,” which follows a family of pilgrims who retire into New England woods, where they encounter dangerous creatures.
“The Witch” perfectly illustrates the destructive side of the family and its inevitable alienation of some members: the protagonists turn on teenage daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), who struggles to find her place when they fail to find the cause of their torments. “Nosferatu” similarly focuses on the tensions created by the vampire between the young accountant Thomas Hutter and his wife Ellen, whose love is tested by the malevolent force. As for Eggers’ latest horrific feature, “The Lighthouse,” it stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as keepers of the eponymous lighthouse, who seemingly start to lose their grip on reality. The film explores what happens when the routine becomes maddening and how loneliness and obsession lead to insanity – ideas that are central to Count Orlok’s character.
The vampire is not only a bloodthirsty predator but also a tragic figure trapped in his own empty castle, a fact made especially clear in Herzog’s remake. Considering the continued relevance of the myth of the vampire and Robert Eggers’ talent, we can have high expectations for the second retelling of “Nosferatu.” While remakes are sometimes decried even before their release, we should not forget that they can be brilliant films in their own right. Some, such as the Coen Brothers’ “True Grit” (2010), top the original, while others, like “Suspiria” (2018), add a new angle to the well-known story. Fans can only hope that Eggers’ “Nosferatu” will be a new addition to this list.
