Released in 1922, F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu is often considered not only one of the best horror movies of all time but also one of the most influential (and controversial) cinema classics to ever hit the big screen. The unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which made some key but not too-subtle changes to the source material in an attempt to avoid paying royalties, has spent the vast majority of its existence in the public domain. But unlike Night of the Living Dead, another horror classic with copyright issues, which has been remade countless times over the years, there have only been a couple of retellings of the frightening story over the past century. That, however, will soon change.
Before the end of the 2024 movie schedule, Robert Eggers, the visionary director behind modern horror classics like The Witch and The Lighthouse, will turn his attention to Nosferatu in a star-studded affair that will cross off a major item on the filmmaker's bucket list. Here is everything we know about the Nosferatu remake…
What Is The Nosferatu Release Date?
Those who have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu won’t have to wait all that much longer as Focus Features has announced a December 25, 2024 release date. Talk about a great, and terrifying, way to spend Christmas with those horror hounds in your family.
The Nosferatu Trailer
Christmas came about six months early in June 2024 when Focus Features released the first Nosferatu trailer, a terrifying two-minute video hyping up the horror and depravity of the film’s main attraction. Though the first official look at the film stopped short of showing off Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok, we did get to see some obstructed and shadowy views of the legendary vampire.
On top of that, the trailer also introduced a lot of the characters who’ll be at the center of Robert Eggers’ long-in-the-works film that will surely find a spot on the list of horror remakes that don’t suck by the end of the year.
What Is Nosferatu About?
Though a lot of the finer plot points haven’t been revealed ahead of Nosferatu’s release, Focus Features has provided a brief synopsis for Robert Eggers’ horror remake. The movie, described as a gothic tale of obsession, will follow a young woman as she is targeted by a terrifying vampire infatuated with her. This, as seen with other films inspired by Dracula, will lead to untold horrors for the woman and everyone around her.
The Nosferatu Cast
The original Nosferatu featured an unforgettable performance by Max Schreck as the terrifying Count Orlock, a role that saw the German actor transform into a silent, deadly, and eerie vampire. This time around, Bill Skarsgård will be leading the cast, which also includes Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, and numerous other major stars. Let’s break it down now…
Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok
With his iconic portrayal of Pennywise in IT, Bill Skarsgård announced himself to the world as one of the best actors in the horror game, and now he’ll try to do it again when he plays Count Orlok, the grotesque vampire at the heart of Nosferatu.
Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter
Lily-Rose Depp will be taking on the role of Ellen Hutter, the object of Count Orlok’s desires and the reason everything goes downhill in Nosferatu. The role was originally supposed to be played by Anya Taylor-Joy but the actress dropped out several years ago.
Willem Dafoe as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz
Willem Dafoe, who played a version of Max Schreck in the 2000 meta-horror film Shadow of the Vampire, will appear in Nosferatu as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, a vampire hunter who attempts to stop Count Orlok’s plan.
Nicholas Hoult as Thomas Hutter
Nicholas Hoult will appear in the upcoming horror remake as Thomas Hutter, Ellen’s husband and one of the men who tries to stop the vampire from claiming his next victim. This will be Hoult’s second vampire-centric movie in recent years, as he previously played Count Dracula’s devoted servant in Renfield.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Friedrich Harding
Less than two weeks after he appears in the long-awaited Kraven the Hunter, Aaron Taylor-Johnson will show up in Robert Eggers’ horror film as Friedrich Harding, a friend of Thomas Hutter. The director told EW in December 2023 that this version will be more fleshed out than the character seen in the 1922 original.
Emma Corrin as Anna Harding
Emma Corrin will take on the role of Anna Harding, Friedrich’s wife, in Nosferatu. Not much is known about the character, but the couple’s relationship will be a major part of the story based on Eggers’ EW comments.
Ralph Ineson as Dr. Wilhelm Sievers
Ralph Ineson, who previously worked with Eggers on The Witch and The Northman, will show up in Nosferatu as Dr. Wilhelm Sievers, a character the director described to EW as the “Watson to Willem Dafoe’s Holmes.”
Simon McBurney as Herr Knock
Simon McBurney, best known for performances like Kreacher in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Director Atlee in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, will show up in the new horror remake as Herr Knock, one of the secondary antagonists from the original film.
About The Original Nosferatu
The original Nosferatu, which came out back in 1922, was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel and an early example of German Expressionism, according to Britannica. Though there were several changes made to the story – the vampire was named Count Orlock, he wasn’t charming as depicted in the novel, and he could only be killed by being exposed to sunlight – the movie’s producers were sued by Stoker’s estate in a case that would nearly result in Nosferatu disappearing completely.
Bill Skarsgård's Depiction Of Count Orlok Won’t Be Shown To The Public Until Nosferatu’s Release
You may be wondering right now why we haven’t gotten to see Bill Skarsgård's version of Count Orlok despite there being a trailer and all kinds of first-look images floating around the internet. Well, there’s a simple reason for that: Robert Eggers is purposely saving that reveal for when audiences finally get to see the movie for themselves, according to EW.
The director previously addressed the character’s appearance at an early screening of Nosferatu, and based on those comments and others made in recent months, it sounds like Skarsgård’s Orlok will look nothing like Max Schreck’s frightening vampire from the original more than 100 years ago. But as they say, it’s better to open presents on Christmas day…
Critics Are Calling Nosferatu A ‘Horrifically Brilliant’ Remake
Though we have a little more than a month before the Nosferatu release date at the time of this writing, critics have been treated to early screenings of the highly-anticipated horror film. No surprise here, but those critics have great things to say about Robert Eggers’ latest directorial effort.
Though official reviews haven’t yet been posted online, critics from outlets like Variety and FilmSpeak, as well as CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg, have shared positive remarks on their social channels. Though Eisenberg didn’t walk out thinking the movie would end up on his “Best of 2024” list, he said there was “an amazing degree of passion on screen” before saying “the filmmaking craft is spectacular.” Variety’s Clayton Davis, after seeing it, said Nosferatu was both “gorgeous and horrifically brilliant” while also stating it is “paralyzing fear fully realized.”
What Is The Nosferatu Runtime?
So, how much time will we be spending with Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying depiction of Count Orlok in Nosferatu this Christmas? Well, according to AMC Theatres, the movie has a runtime of 132 minutes, so a little more than two hours. Though this will be considerably longer than The Witch and The Lighthouse, it won’t be as long as Robert Eggers’ 2022 epic, The Northman, which had a 136-minute runtime.
What Is Nosferatu’s Rating?
There has been no official word on Nosferatu’s rating, but there are a number of factors that can help us speculate how things will turn out. All of Robert Eggers’ previous films – The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman – were Rated R at the time of their respective releases. Combine that with the violent and bloody nature of vampire movies and you have a recipe for a film with a more restrictive rating.
It won’t be long before we are all sinking our teeth into Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, there are even more upcoming horror movies to be excited about on the 2025 movie schedule.
