Robert Eggers Says ‘Nosferatu’ Remake Was Almost a ‘Failure’: We Survived a ‘Difficult Shoot’

Robert Eggers is grateful to have had more experience directing intense ensemble films prior to sinking his teeth into his long-gestating “Nosferatu” remake.

The writer-director revealed to Empire magazine that he is grateful to have helmed Viking epic “The Northman” before tackling “Nosferatu,” which has been in the works since 2016. Eggers’ lifelong goal has been to remake the 1922 vampire classic by F. W. Murnau; Eggers’ muse Anya Taylor-Joy was officially cast in the project by 2017 but left the project last year due to scheduling conflicts.

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“I’m trying to go beyond what I’m capable of,” Eggers told Empire. “As always, it was a difficult shoot. Last night we were doing a scene on a ship with a lot of rain and waves, and the rain deflector, which tries to blow rain out of the lens, was breaking down and fogging. I spent the past several days working only with Russian sailors on a boat.”

He added, “I’m so happy to have made ‘The Northman’ first and to have learned what I learned. When I think about the production plan of ‘Nosferatu’ that we had the first time around, I’m sure I would have somehow pulled it out of my butt, but it’s hard not to imagine it being a failure.”

“Nosferatu” also stars Bill Skarsgård, “The Idol” breakout Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Eggers’ longtime collaborator Willem Dafoe.

“Willem’s up for anything and he’ll cut his arm off for the scene,” Eggers said of “The Lighthouse” actor. “He is a fucking pleasure to work with: he was in ‘The Northman,’ he was in [the upcoming] ‘Nosferatu,’ I hope I never made a movie without him.”

The official synopsis for Focus Features’ “Nosferatu” teases the film as 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.

Writer-director Eggers previously told IndieWire that the film had “fallen apart twice” before going into production. One iteration had Harry Styles attached in the role Hoult is now playing. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed “Nosferatu” back until after “The Northman” was completed.

“I’ve been trying so hard,” Eggers said of attempting the remake. “And I just wonder if Murnau’s ghost is telling me, like, you should stop.”

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