Robert Eggers is a visionary director whose cinematic tapestry weaves together horror, folklore, and ancient myth with meticulous historical precision. His debut was the A24 horror film The Witch (2015), which emerged from the shadows like a dark enchantment, haunting and austere, rich in atmosphere and dread. A triumph both creatively and commercially, the film announced Eggers as a bold new voice in horror storytelling.

Following this triumph, Eggers returned to A24 for The Lighthouse (2019), a tempestuous tale of isolation and madness drenched in sea mist and old-world despair. A period piece bathed in eerie black-and-white beauty, it captivated critics and audiences alike, further cementing Eggers’ command of mood and myth. With poetic dialogue and surreal performances, the film shimmered with mythological weight and psychological complexity.

After two A24 films, Eggers graduated on to Focus Features and set his sights on Norse legend with The Northman (2022), an Amleth-inspired Viking epic. Though it underperformed at the box office, the movie made a profit through VOD. His next endeavor, a remake of Nosferatu, soared at the box office, becoming Eggers’ highest-grossing film and crowning him as a maestro of macabre elegance.

Robert Eggers’ New Horror Movie Preserves A 6-Year Streak

A Third Nosefratu Star Has Joined The Cast

Werwulf will preserve a six-year streak as a third Nosferatu star joins the cast. This past January, shortly after the phenomenal success of Nosferatu, Eggers reteamed with Focus Features for his next film, Werwulf. Eggers is once again working on the script with The Northman co-writer Sjón, which is reportedly set in 13th-century England and features Old English dialogue.

Werwulf is already expected to reunite Eggers with two Nosferatu cast members, as Aaron-Taylor Johnson has signed on and Lily-Rose Depp is in talks to star. Their roles, along with overall plot details, remain under wraps.

Now, according to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Willem Dafoe is in talks to star in Robert Eggers’ Werwulf. If he signs on, he would be the third Nosferatu star to join the cast, after Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Lily-Rose Depp. Details regarding Dafoe’s role are also under wraps.

Dafoe starring in Werwulf would also preserve a six-year streak, as he has appeared in Eggers’ past three films, going back to 2019 – Nosferatu (2024), The Northman (2022), and The Lighthouse (2019).

What Willem Dafoe’s Casting Means For Werwulf

Robert Eggers Reunites With His Muse

Dafoe’s casting in Werwulf would further solidify his status as Eggers’ creative muse and his most frequent collaborator, having appeared in the director’s past three films. Their collaboration shows no signs of slowing down, as Eggers and Dafoe are also working on a Christmas Carol movie at Warner Bros., which is sure to be a gothic retelling.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline