Robert Eggers' Nosferatu has finally been given a theatrical release date, and next year will bring a red Christmas, as the horror remake is set to arrive on December 25, 2024.
"The audacious filmmaking of Robert Eggers is always a gift for fans, and we can promise that his Nosferatu is planning quite the Christmas feast," Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski was quoted as saying as part of the release date announcement (via EW).
We also have a new logline, which doesn't really reveal any more details, but we're sure you all know the story at this stage! Nosferatu "is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her."
The Northman director's take on the chilling tale stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney and Willem Dafoe. Some recent promo stills have us a first look at Depp and Hoult's characters, Ellen and Thomas Sutter, as well as an out-of-focus glimpse of Skarsgårdn as the bloodthirsty Count Orlok.
Eggers also shared some details on this new interpretation of the legendary vampire, and spoke about Skarsgård's dedication to the role.
“I’ll say that Bill has so transformed, I’m fearful that he might not get the credit that he deserves because he’s just… he’s not there,” Eggers explained in a recent interview.
“He felt like honouring who had come before him. It’s all very subtle. But I think the main thing is that he’s even more a folk vampire. In my opinion he looks like a dead Transylvanian nobleman, and in a way that we’ve never actually seen what an actual dead Transylvanian nobleman would look like and be dressed like.”
Eggers also made it very clear that Nosferatu will be a full-on horror movie (there were rumors that he planned to take the story in a more romantic/dramatic direction).
“Yeah, it’s a scary film. It’s a horror movie. It’s a Gothic horror movie,” he assures. “And I do think that there hasn’t been an old-school Gothic movie that’s actually scary in a while. And I think that the majority of audiences will find this one to be the case.”
F.W. Murnau directed the original 1922 film, while Werner Herzog helmed a rather bizarre 1979 remake. The story is loosely based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, but there are several key differences.
"Nosferatu tells a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman in 19th century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him."
We're expecting a first trailer to debut online fairly soon, so be sure to keep an eye on FearHQ for updates.