Robert Eggersdiscusses his next project afterNosferatuemerged as a box office triumph. Thereimagining of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classicfollows Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a menacing vampire whose obsession with Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) puts the livelihood of her husband, real estate agent Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), and their remote seaside town in mortal peril. Eggers’ take on the German expressionist material delivers a repulsive yet seductive vampire film, and has grossed over $100 million globally since its Christmas Day release.
In conversation withThe Daily Beast,Eggers opened up about his plans following his record-breaking success withNosferatu. At 41, Eggers has already made a name for himself with critically acclaimed folkloric horrors and thrillers likeThe Witch(2015);The Lighthouse(2019), which earned the director an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography; andThe Northman(2022).Nosferatuis the highest-grossing film of his career so far, which he says won’t drastically change his next opportunities:
It only helps. But it’s still a funny time in the industry right now anyway.I can’t make a $100 million esoteric non-IP movie just becauseNosferatudid alright.
While Eggers admitted working with an established property “has its creative benefits for sure,“he expressed a desire for “my next film to be an original one,“adding:
[I] always have a lot of scripts in the works, because you need to. And by the way, just because I want my next thing to be an original thing doesn’t mean that anyone’s going to finance it [laughs]. But that’s what I would like.
The success ofNosferatureflects a broader industry trend ofhorror solidifying its place as a dominant force in mainstream entertainment. Eggers’ latest vampire flick highlights a shift in both audience and industry perceptions, as moviegoers increasingly embrace sophisticated, art-house horror—even when tied to niche intellectual properties. With Demi Moore’s recent Golden Globe win for her performance inthe body-horror filmThe Substance,the genre is clearly gaining recognition in critical circles for its potential to deliver both box office results and award-worthy artistry.
10 Most Shocking Scenes In Nosferatu, Ranked
Robert Eggers' Gothic horror movie Nosferatu is dropping in dread and blood, but 10 moments in particular stood out as the most shocking.
Eggers, however, has expresseda desire to pivot to an original project for his next film. This marks a departure from the development ofNosferatu,a remake of Murnau’s work, which was in turn an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novelDracula. While he acknowledges there are some benefits to working with established properties (“something Focus Features was able to [lean] into with their marketing strategy”), the director has made it clear that his true passion lies in crafting wholly original stories—a hallmark ofEggers' previous films, all of which he wrote (or co-wrote) and directed.
Our Take On Robert Eggers’ Next Movie
From Nosferatu To New Frontiers
Robert Eggers has built his reputation on crafting bold, original stories, and whileNosferatushowcased his ability to reimagine a classic with fresh intensity, I, for one, cannot wait to see what original project he does next.His commitment to creating something new feels both daring and necessary.
With the momentum ofNosferatu’ssuccess behind him, Eggers is well-positioned to create another groundbreaking work. Though securing funding for original projects can be challenging in today’s IP-driven market, his growing acclaim makes him a filmmaker capable of challenging the franchise-driven system and delivering something truly extraordinary once again.
Nosferatu
Cast
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
