If you thought Robert Eggers was going to lighten up after the glorious gothic gloom of Nosferatu, you clearly haven’t been paying attention. The director who made us fear goats and seagulls is returning to his roots—specifically, the muddy, terrifying roots of 13th-century England—with his latest nightmare, Werwulf.
Universal and Focus Features recently teased the film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, proving that Eggers is officially the reigning king of Period horror that makes you want to barricade your door.
The Dream (Nightmare) Team
Eggers is reuniting his favorite band of moody actors for this medieval bloodbath, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson taking on the titular role. Based on the footage, expect less “superhero” and more “convulsing, nude, and foaming at the mouth.” Eggers’ Lily-Rose Depp returns fresh off her breakout in Nosferatu. Eggers regulars Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson are back, likely looking weathered and suspicious in various shades of grey.
What’s the Vibe?
The script, co-written by The Northman’s Sjón, stays true to the Eggers aesthetic. The CinemaCon trailer was a monochromatic feast of desecrated graves, mauled livestock, and peasants who look like they haven’t seen a carb in weeks.
The logline is simple yet effective: A mysterious creature stalks the foggy 13th-century countryside as local folklore stops being a story and starts eating the neighbors. While the trailer showed Taylor-Johnson’s gruesome transformation—complete with fangs and spit—Eggers is keeping the “full beast” look under wraps for now.
Can Eggers Save the Monsters?
Universal’s Classic Monsters have had a bit of a rough time on the paper route lately. While Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man (2020) was a massive $144 million hit, recent entries like Wolf Man ($35M) and the campy Renfield struggled to find their footing.
But Eggers isn’t just a director; he’s a horror auteur with a track record of turning historical accuracy into pure dread. From the Puritan panic of The Witch to the salt-sprayed madness of The Lighthouse, he has a knack for making the past feel dangerously alive.
A Gift that Keeps Giving
Werwulf is set to bare its fangs in theaters on December 25, exactly two years to the day after its vampire feature, Nosferatu, sank its teeth into the box office because nothing says “Merry Christmas” like the gift of a lycanthrope in the fog.
If you prefer your werewolves to be more “existential medieval crisis” and less “teen heartthrob,” Werwulf is the gift you’ll be unwrapping this December.
