Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ Lives! Focus Features Gives New Blood to the Vampire Flick

One of the more famously troubled projects in recent memory, Robert Eggers’ re-imagining of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 classic “Nosferatu,” is finally happening, this time with a new backer, TheWrap can confirm.

Focus Features is now behind the project, with Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Robert Eggers, Chris Columbus and Eleanor Columbus producing. Reports suggest Lily-Rose Depp will play the role originally earmarked for Anya Taylor-Joy, with scream king Bill Skarsgård playing the ancient vampire (this was the role last imagined for Harry Styles).

“Nosferatu” has been on Eggers’ docket since right after his debut feature, 2015’s “The Witch,” which remains one of the very best horror films in recent memory. That didn’t end up happening, but he did return to the project after completing work on 2019’s “The Lighthouse.” Apparently that version, for Studio 8, came incredibly close to production, with sets being built and members of the crew had already relocated to begin filming. When Styles dropped out, the project was abruptly canceled and Eggers shifted his focus to “The Northman,” his Viking epic that starred Bill’s brother, Alexander (which was also produced by Focus Features).

Also Read:
’The Northman’ Director Robert Eggers on Production Challenges and That New Yorker Article

But isn’t it just like a vampire to come back to life?

This is far from the first remake of “Nosferatu” (itself a loose, unlicensed adaptation of “Dracula”). Most famously the movie inspired a remake from Werner Herzog, 1979’s terrific “Nosferatu the Vampyre,” starring Klaus Kinski in the title role. The movie also inspired the fictionalized making-of film “Shadow of the Vampire,” starring John Malkovich as Murnau and Willem Dafoe as the vampire.

Skarsgård is coming off the sleeper horror hit “Barbarian” and has appeared as Pennywise the clown in the two “It” films (based on Stephen King’s classic novel) and is starring in the currently shooting new version of “The Crow,” while Depp is starring in the buzzy HBO series “The Idol” alongside The Weeknd.

Deadline first reported the news.

Also Read:
‘The Northman’ Director Denies He Relinquished Authorship of the Film: ‘This Is My Director’s Cut’