Anticipation builds for Robert Eggers’ upcoming film, Nosferatu, a remake of the iconic 1922 silent classic. Teasers hint at a dark atmosphere, featuring Lily-Rose Depp and Bill Skarsgård as a terrifying vampire, contrasting with the recent glamorization of the genre. Eggers aims to revive the fear associated with vampires, dismissing the “Edward Cullen” image. Skarsgård describes the role as his most challenging yet. Nosferatu is set to premiere in cinemas on December 25.
Excitement is building around Robert Eggers’ upcoming film, Nosferatu. The anticipation stems not only from the director’s impactful work on The Witch but also because this adaptation reimagines F. W. Murnau’s iconic silent film that debuted 122 years ago.
So, what can audiences anticipate from this new take? Early trailers suggest a dark and eerie atmosphere, featuring Lily-Rose Depp in a haunting costume. The details surrounding the vampire, portrayed by Bill Skarsgård, remain largely undisclosed, with glimpses of his silhouette, hands, and eyes creating a sense of mystery.
In a conversation with Total Film, Robert Eggers shares his vision for the film, aiming to bring back the horror associated with vampires: ‘We’ve moved past the Edward Cullen image, where vampires ceased to be frightening. How do we shift to the complete opposite? Historically, vampires were terrifying enough that people would dig up their corpses, dismember them, and burn the remains.‘
The Era of Attractive Vampires Comes to an End
It’s important to note that since the rise of the Twilight franchise and Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of the vampire, the genre has seen a shift from fear to glamorization, as noted in Neil Jordan’s Interview with a Vampire. Robert Eggers states, “I believe we deserve a truly terrifying, repulsive creature” in reference to Nosferatu.
As he embodies this monstrous persona, Bill Skarsgård steps back into a chilling role, seven years after frightening audiences as Grippe-Sou in the latest adaptation of It. In a chat with AnOther Magazine, Skarsgård confesses that Nosferatu represents the most horrifying character he has ever portrayed. ‘I’ve never prepared so extensively for a role,’ he reveals. It has been an extremely intense experience.
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is set to release in theaters on December 25.