If you’re currently roasting to a crisp in one of the heatwaves that’s oppressing large swaths of the country than this might seem like a strange time to talk about dreary horror films and Christmas Day theatrical releases.
But the first official trailer for Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake was released today, and it’s got horror-obsessed social media users wishing they could curl up inside a coffin and sleep like the dead until the movie’s December 25 release date.
As expected, the flick is steeped in goth horror vibes with Bill Skarsgard taking on the role of the titular blood-sucker and Lily-Rose Depp starring as the object of his obsession.
The official logline promises “a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.”
And no movie with that description would be complete without an appearance from Willem Dafoe, who shows up in the trailer as a Van Helsing type named Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz.
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(The original Nosferatu was essentially an unlicensed Dracula ripoff, so expect some plot elements to feel very familiar, even if you’ve never seen F.W. Murnau’s silent classic from 1922).
Eggers is already beloved by fans of highbrow horror thanks to such contributions to the subgenre as The Witch and The Lighthouse.
His most recent film was 2022’s folkloric epic The Northman, which starred Bill’s brother Alexander Skarsgard.
The original Nosferatu is sort of a stripped-down take on Bram Stoker’s classic novel.
The story focuses more on the mysterious vamp and his fixation with a young woman named Ellen Hutter than on the boxes of dirt and the elaborate attempts to ensnare the creepy count that are featured so prominently in the book and most of its adaptations.
If we had to guess, we’d say that Eggers will likely go with a similarly psychosexual approach.
But who knows?
Unpredictability is one of the aspects of Eggers’ work that his fans most appreciate.
He rarely goes in for the full-blown Shyamalan twist, but his films often veer into highly unexpected territory.
Details about Nosferatu will likely remain hard to come by in the months leading up to the film’s release — but that’s probably for the best.
After all, the trailer already has our interest piqued, and nothing ruins a good scare like too much information.
(Take note, modern horror directors who feel the need to explain everything in the third act.)
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What do you think, TV fanatics? Are you ready to invite Nosferatu into your home, or does this trailer make you want to stuff your pockets full of garlic and maintain a safe distance?
Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts!
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Tyler Johnson is an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic and the other Mediavine O&O sites. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, cooking, and, of course, watching TV. You can Follow him on X and email him here at TV Fanatic.
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