The full-length trailer for Nosferatu has arrived, offering a glimpse into the upcoming vampire horror film from Robert Eggers. Known for blending historical settings with elements of horror in films like The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019), and The Northman (2022), Eggers now reimagines the 1922 silent classic of the same name – itself an unauthorised retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Take a look at the new trailer above and get the details below.
Gothic Horror Brought to Life by a Stellar Cast
Bill Skarsgård leads the cast as the sinister Count Orlok, the vampire who becomes dangerously obsessed with a young woman named Ellen Hutter, portrayed by Lily-Rose Depp. Nicholas Hoult stars as Ellen’s husband, Thomas Hutter, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson playing Friedrich Harding. The film’s impressive cast also features Emma Corrin as Anna Harding, Willem Dafoe as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, Ralph Ineson as Dr Wilhelm Sievers, and Simon McBurney as Herr Knock.
Bill Skarsgård’s Transformation into Count Orlok
While we’re yet to get a good look at Count Orlok, Skarsgård’s transformation into the character has been a focal point of the film’s production. In a May interview with Esquire, director Robert Eggers recounted Skarsgård’s commitment to the role, stating, “Somewhere in that second makeup test, I was like, ‘He’s become the character.’ It was eerie to see in the footage. Anything he did, anywhere he turned or looked, you were like, ‘He’s got it.’”
Skarsgård’s preparation for the role was extensive. He went through multiple makeup tests and worked with an opera singer to bring his voice down to its deepest pitch. Reflecting on the experience, Skarsgård described the toll it took on him: “It was like conjuring pure evil. It took a while for me to shake off the demon that had been conjured inside of me.”
Eggers also commented on Skarsgård’s deep immersion into the role, noting that his conversations with the actor about the character’s dark nature were striking: “I remember early on, him trying to talk to me about what it meant to be a dead sorcerer—and I’m into some pretty heavy occult shit, but he was on a different level.”
Nosferatu‘s Release Dates
Focus Features is set to release Nosferatu in the United States on 25 December 2024. Australian audiences will get their chance to experience Eggers’ gothic horror when the film arrives in theatres on 1 January 2025.
