The highly anticipated Nosferatu, a remake of the 1922 horror classic, has premiered to critical acclaim, earning an impressive 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 57 reviews. Directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Northman), the film features a stellar cast, including Bill Skarsgård as the menacing Count Orlok and Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen, a haunted young woman whose life becomes entangled in the vampire’s sinister obsession.
The cast also includes Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Simon McBurney, Willem Dafoe, and Ralph Ineson, with critics praising the film as a masterful blend of Eggers’ signature atmospheric style and faithful homage to the original silent film.
Critics have highlighted Lily-Rose Depp’s performance as a standout.
While the movie has not been released to the public yet, the trailer has generated significant excitement, showcasing the director’s ability to create a suitably eerie atmosphere. Eggers’ previous works, such as The Lighthouse (2019), which utilised stark black-and-white cinematography and a claustrophobic aspect ratio, and The Witch (2015), known for its supernatural elements and period accuracy, have established him as a master of atmospheric filmmaking.
The trailer combines these elements to craft a vintage gothic style with period piece sensibilities, perfectly setting the stage for this remake. One particularly striking shot depicts a dark, shadowy hand creeping over a small town, presumably Wisborg, the setting of the original film. This imagery exemplifies Eggers’ talent for capturing a haunting and otherworldly mood.
it also stands out by presenting the tone and characters without revealing too much of the plot, a refreshing change in an era when trailers often spoil major storylines. The focus remains on establishing the mood, giving audiences a tantalising glimpse of what to expect without detracting from the film’s sense of mystery.
The trailer offers glimpses of the main cast, beginning with Lily-Rose Depp’s character, who appears to take a more central role than in previous adaptations. Nicholas Hoult is also featured, as well as Willem Dafoe, who plays a vampire expert. Dafoe’s inclusion carries a meta-cinematic resonance, as he also starred in Shadow of the Vampire (2000), a film about the making of the original Nosferatu.
Development on the project began in 2015, when Eggers envisioned it as his second feature film, describing it as a passion project. However, production was delayed as Eggers chose to prioritise other ventures.
Casting for the film gained momentum in September 2022, with Alexander Skarsgård and Lily-Rose Depp announced as leads. Nicholas Hoult joined the ensemble in October, with the remaining cast confirmed as production commenced. Filming primarily took place at Barrandov Studios in Prague between February and May 2023, setting the stage for a haunting reimagining of the 1922 classic.
The original Nosferatu was produced by Prana Film and is an unauthorised and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, Dracula. In an attempt to distance the film from the novel’s copyrighted material, names and details were altered—Count Dracula became Count Orlok, later referred to as Nosferatu, derived from an archaic Romanian word Nesuferitu, meaning “the offensive one” or “the insufferable one.” Despite these changes, the film’s original German intertitles acknowledged Dracula as the source.
Film historian David Kalat notes in his commentary that setting the story in Germany with German-named characters provided cultural resonance for its target audience. However, these alterations did not prevent legal repercussions. Stoker’s heirs sued over the adaptation, leading to a court order for all copies of the film to be destroyed.
Despite the court ruling, several prints of Nosferatu survived, enabling the film to endure as an influential masterpiece in cinema and the horror genre. Over time, it has been hailed as one of the most important works in the history of horror. Critic and historian Kim Newman described it as a film that set the template for the entire genre, blending gothic atmosphere with innovative cinematic techniques.
Eggers’ upcoming adaptation aims to honour this legacy while offering a fresh take on the story that has fascinated audiences for over a century. By combining meticulous period detail and a stellar cast, this remake promises to bring new life to one of the earliest and most enduring tales of terror.
Fans can experience the haunting world of Nosferatu in US cinemas from Christmas Day, with its UK release set for New Year’s Day. With Robert Eggers at the helm and an outstanding cast delivering gripping performances, the film promises to be one of the standout horror entries of the year.
