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Nosferatu is an 2024 american supernatural gothic horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers, and starring Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok. Following Werner Herzog's Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), it is the second remake of the 1922 film written by Henrik Galeen and directed by F. W. Murnau, which in turn is an "unauthorized and unofficial" adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula.

Development on the film began in 2015, following the release of The Witch. Eggers planned to make it his second film, describing it as a passion project, but eventually opted to delay production and go on to direct The Lighthouse and The Northman instead. Frequent collaborator Anya Taylor-Joy was attached to the project earlier, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Skarsgård and Lily-Rose Depp were cast as leads in September 2022. Nicholas Hoult joined the cast the following month, with the remaining cast confirmed in early 2023. Filming primarily took place in and around Prague between February and May 2023.

Nosferatu is a co-production of Studio 8, and Maiden Voyage Pictures, and is set to be released theatrically on December 25, 2024, by Focus Features.

Premise

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Cast

Production

Development

In July 2015, a remake of Nosferatu (1922) was announced with Robert Eggers writing and directing. The film was intended to be produced by Jay Van Hoy and Lars Knudsen for Studio 8.[2] In November 2016, Eggers expressed surprise that the Nosferatu remake was going to be his second film, saying, "It feels ugly and blasphemous and egomaniacal and disgusting for a filmmaker in my place to do Nosferatu next. I was really planning on waiting a while, but that's how fate shook out."[3] During an interview with Den of Geek around the release of The Lighthouse (2019), Robert Eggers revealed that although he had dedicated a lot of time to bringing the iconic horror film into the 21st century, he didn't know when or if it would happen. Despite that, Eggers said, "Look, I spent so many years and so much time, just so much blood on it, yeah, it would be a real shame if it never happened".[4]

Casting

In August 2017, Anya Taylor-Joy was cast.[5] Years later, in early 2022, Eggers was asked if he and Taylor-Joy still communicated about the project, saying, "We definitely talk about it, and I don't know why it's been so hard to make happen."[6] It was revealed in March 2022 that English singer Harry Styles was briefly attached to an undisclosed role in the film, but eventually dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.[7]

In September 2022, it was announced that Bill Skarsgård was set to star as the titular Nosferatu, Count Orlok, with Lily-Rose Depp cast to replace Taylor-Joy.[8] Skarsgard had talked with Eggers about Nosferatu since the release of The Witch (2015) and originally auditioned for the role of Friedrich Harding. He was instead offered the lead role of Thomas Hutter while Taylor-Joy was still attached to star before the project was stalled for a few years. Skarsgård wrote Eggers an email to see if he could still have a role in the film after wondering if he would still be a part of it, but as Harding and Hutter had already been cast, Eggers offered Skarsgård to read for Count Orlok even though actors in their mid-forties had been initially sought.[9] In October 2022, Nicholas Hoult joined the cast.[10] In January 2023, Willem Dafoe, who had previously portrayed Max Schreck/Count Orlok in Shadow of the Vampire (2000), joined the cast after having co-starred in The Lighthouse.[11] Emma Corrin would join the cast the following month.[12] Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Simon McBurney, and Ralph Ineson were revealed to be in the cast at the start of production in late February 2023.[13][14]

Filming

Principal photography began in the Czech Republic on February 20, 2023.[15] Some exterior shots were also captured in Romania.[16] Among the noteworthy filming locations was the 14th-century Rožmitál Castle in Rožmitál pod Tremšínem and Prague's Invalidovna complex, a Baroque building registered as a national landmark.[17] Cinematographer Jarin Blaschke revealed that the film was shot in color and was reminiscent of 19th-century Romanticism.[18] Filming wrapped on May 19, 2023.[19][20]

In order to portray the titular role, actor Bill Skarsgard worked with an opera singer to lower his vocal pitch and spent up to six hours every day in makeup and prosthetics. Speaking on his experience portraying the titular role, Skarsgard said: "It was like conjuring pure evil. It took a while for me to shake off the demon that had been conjured inside of me."[9]

Release

Nosferatu is scheduled to be released on December 25, 2024, by Focus Features domestically and Universal Pictures internationally.[21][22]

References

  1. ↑ "Aaron Taylor-Johnson Joins Robert Eggers' Nosferatu Movie For Focus". Deadline Hollywood (March 3, 2023).
  2. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 28, 2015). "Studio 8 Sets Nosferatu Remake; The Witch's Robert Eggers to Write & Direct". 
  3. ↑ O'Falt, Chris (November 11, 2016). "Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast: Witch Director Robert Eggers' Lifelong Obsession with Nosferatu and His Plans for a Remake (Episode 13)". 
  4. ↑ Crow, David (October 15, 2019). "Robert Eggers on Status of Nosferatu, Prepping Next Film". 
  5. ↑ "'Split' Star Anya Taylor-Joy Reteams With 'Witch' Director on 'Nosferatu' Remake (EXCLUSIVE)". (14 August 2017).
  6. ↑ Crow, David (February 18, 2022). "Robert Eggers and Anya Taylor-Joy Still Planning Nosferatu Remake". 
  7. ↑ Sharf, Zack (March 28, 2022). "Harry Styles Dropped Out of Robert Eggers' 'Nosferatu' Remake With Anya Taylor-Joy". Variety.
  8. ↑ Kroll, Justin (September 30, 2022). "Bill Skarsgard & Lily-Rose Depp To Star In 'Nosferatu', Robert Eggers' Follow-Up To 'Northman' For Focus". 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Vain, Madison (May 29, 2024). "Bill Skarsgård Likes It Darker". Esquire.
  10. ↑ "Nicholas Hoult Eyes Robert Eggers' Nosferatu Movie At Focus". Deadline Hollywood (October 7, 2022).
  11. ↑ "Willem Dafoe And Robert Eggers Eye Reunion On The Director's New Nosferatu Film At Focus Features". Deadline Hollywood (January 26, 2023).
  12. ↑ "The Crown Star Emma Corrin Boards Robert Eggers' Gothic Horror Nosferatu". Deadline Hollywood (February 13, 2023).
  13. ↑ Kroll, Justin (2023-03-03). "Aaron Taylor-Johnson Joins Robert Eggers' 'Nosferatu' Movie For Focus". (en-US) Deadline.
  14. ↑ Santens, Tim (2023-02-03). "Bill Skarsgard, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe to Begin Production on Nosferatu". (en-us) Tales From The Collection.
  15. ↑ "Nosferatu". (cs).
  16. ↑ "'Nosferatu', starring Bill Skarsgård and Willem Dafoe, kicks off Prague shoot". (en-US) The Prague Reporter (2023-03-03).
  17. ↑ "'Nosferatu' now filming at Prague's historic Invalidovna complex". (en-us) The Prague Reporter (2023-03-27).
  18. ↑ "Robert Eggers' Nosferatu Remake Wraps Production". (en) SYFY Official Site (2023-05-31).
  19. ↑ Squires, John (May 30, 2023). "Filming on the Robert Eggers 'Nosferatu' Remake Has Reportedly Wrapped in Prague". Bloody Disgusting.
  20. ↑ Franklin, Garth (2023-05-30). "Robert Eggers' "Nosferatu" Wraps Filming". (en-US) Dark Horizons.
  21. ↑ Travis, Ben (2023-11-20). "Nosferatu Will Conjure Vampiric Terror In Robert Eggers' 'Old-School Gothic' Horror: 'It's A Scary Film' – World-First Image". Empire.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 28, 2023). "Focus Features Dates Robert Eggers' 'Nosferatu' For Christmas 2024". Deadline Hollywood.


External links