Robert Eggers
discusses his next project after Nosferatu emerged as a box office triumph. The reimagining of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classic follows Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a menacing vampire whose obsession with Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) puts the livelihood of her husband, real estate agent Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), and their remote seaside town in mortal peril. Eggers’ take on the German expressionist material delivers a repulsive yet seductive vampire film, and has grossed over $100 million globally since its Christmas Day release.
In conversation with The Daily Beast, Eggers opened up about his plans following his record-breaking success with Nosferatu. At 41, Eggers has already made a name for himself with critically acclaimed folkloric horrors and thrillers like The Witch (2015); The Lighthouse (2019), which earned the director an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography; and The Northman (2022). Nosferatu is the highest-grossing film of his career so far, which he says won’t drastically change his next opportunities:
It only helps. But it’s still a funny time in the industry right now anyway. I can’t make a $100 million esoteric non-IP movie just because Nosferatu did alright.
While Eggers admitted working with an established property “has its creative benefits for sure,” he expressed a desire for “my next film to be an original one,” adding:
[I] always have a lot of scripts in the works, because you need to. And by the way, just because I want my next thing to be an original thing doesn’t mean that anyone’s going to finance it [laughs]. But that’s what I would like.
What Eggers’ Plan After Nosferatu’s Success Means
Horror’s Rising Star Charts His Next Move
The success of Nosferatu reflects a broader industry trend of horror solidifying its place as a dominant force in mainstream entertainment. Eggers’ latest vampire flick highlights a shift in both audience and industry perceptions, as moviegoers increasingly embrace sophisticated, art-house horror—even when tied to niche intellectual properties. With Demi Moore’s recent Golden Globe win for her performance in the body-horror film The Substance, the genre is clearly gaining recognition in critical circles for its potential to deliver both box office results and award-worthy artistry.
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Eggers, however, has expressed a desire to pivot to an original project for his next film. This marks a departure from the development of Nosferatu, a remake of Murnau’s work, which was in turn an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. While he acknowledges there are some benefits to working with established properties (“something Focus Features was able to [lean] into with their marketing strategy“), the director has made it clear that his true passion lies in crafting wholly original stories—a hallmark of Eggers’ previous films, all of which he wrote (or co-wrote) and directed.
Our Take On Robert Eggers’ Next Movie
From Nosferatu To New Frontiers
Robert Eggers has built his reputation on crafting bold, original stories, and while Nosferatu showcased his ability to reimagine a classic with fresh intensity, I, for one, cannot wait to see what original project he does next. His commitment to creating something new feels both daring and necessary.
With the momentum of Nosferatu’s success behind him, Eggers is well-positioned to create another groundbreaking work. Though securing funding for original projects can be challenging in today’s IP-driven market, his growing acclaim makes him a filmmaker capable of challenging the franchise-driven system and delivering something truly extraordinary once again.
Source: The Daily Beast
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
- Release Date
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December 25, 2024
- Runtime
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132 Minutes
- Studio(s)
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Regency Enterprises
, 1492 Pictures - Distributor(s)
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Focus Features
, Universal Pictures