Werwulf: Everything We Know About Robert Eggers’ New Horror Movie

A Haunting New Tale Is Coming

Explained Down (ELI5):

Imagine your favorite scary-storyteller just announced a brand-new movie about werewolves! That’s what happened when the first Werwulf trailer dropped. Werwulf is the latest spooky movie from director Robert Eggers, who’s famous for making really creepy, historically-inspired horror films.

Here’s the tagline they’re using to describe the movie:

"Werwulf is a harrowing tale of devotion, damnation, and the devil within."

In plain English, that means it’s going to be a scary story about loyalty, punishment, and the darkness hiding inside people. Sounds creepy, right?

Robert Eggers: The King of Historical Horror

ELI5: Let’s put it this way — there’s a movie director who loves old-timey settings and spooky stuff. Robert Eggers has basically built his career on combining the two. Before Werwulf, he made:

• The Witch (2015) — A horror film set in 1630s New England about a family being tormented by dark forces
• The Lighthouse (2019) — A mind-bending movie about two lighthouse keepers going a little crazy
• The Northman (2022) — A Viking revenge tale with plenty of supernatural elements
• Nosferatu (2024) — His remake of the famous vampire movie

Eggers co-wrote the Werwulf script with Sjón, a writer he frequently works with. They’ve teamed up on several projects together, and they clearly make a powerful team.

How Big of a Hit Was Nosferatu?

The short answer: Really, really big.

Nosferatu ended up being Eggers’ breakout success, both with critics and at the box office. Here’s what happened:

• The movie earned around $181 million worldwide
• It had a $21.6 million opening weekend (Friday–Sunday)
• Over the 5-day holiday weekend, it pulled in $40.8 million
• It scored 5 BAFTA nominations, including awards for cinematography, costume design, hair & make-up, original score, and production design
• It also scored 4 Oscar nominations, including Best Cinematography

Important Point: Nosferatu wasn’t just a cool-looking movie — it was a full-on commercial smash. That’s a big deal for a horror film, and it’s probably why everyone is now paying extra close attention to Eggers’ next project.

The Werwulf Trailer: What We Saw

The first official trailer gave us some exciting glimpses, but not a whole lot of details — which is totally on brand for a Robert Eggers movie. Here’s what we know from the trailer:

• Starring:
  • Aaron Taylor-Johnson
  • Lily-Rose Depp
  • Willem Dafoe

These aren’t new faces when it comes to Eggers movies — all three have worked with him before.

• Visual Style: The trailer was shown in a grainy 4:3 aspect ratio

What does "4:3 aspect ratio" mean? Movies today are usually shown in wide rectangles (like your TV at home). But Eggers sometimes uses a taller, squarer frame that looks more like old TV sets from the 1950s or earlier. It’s one of his signature moves to make a movie feel more old-fashioned and unsettling.

• The Story So Far: We hear an ominous voice talking about a curse that has taken hold of a family. At the end of the trailer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson transforms into a werewolf.

Who’s Making the Movie?

Here’s the behind-the-scenes crew:

• Financed and produced by: Focus Features (the same studio behind Nosferatu)
• Producers: Robert Eggers and Sjón
• Executive Producers: Chris and Eleanor Columbus (through their company, Maiden Voyage)

When Can We See It?

Here’s the timeline for Werwulf:

So just like Nosferatu, you’ll be unwrapping presents and watching werewolves on the same day. How’s that for a holiday tradition?

Summary

• Werwulf is the upcoming horror movie from director Robert Eggers, the filmmaker behind The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, and Nosferatu.
• The tagline describes it as "a harrowing tale of devotion, damnation, and the devil within."
• Eggers co-wrote the script with longtime collaborator Sjón.
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe all star — and they’ve all worked with Eggers before.
• The trailer uses Eggers’ signature grainy 4:3 aspect ratio and shows a family curse, ending with a werewolf transformation.
• It releases on Christmas Day, the same strategy that worked so well for Nosferatu.
• Nosferatu was a critical and commercial hit, earning around $181 million worldwide and scoring Oscar and BAFTA nominations — making Werwulf one of the most anticipated horror movies in years.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is Werwulf about?
The full plot hasn’t been revealed yet, but from the trailer, it seems to be about a family curse in a historical setting. We hear an ominous voice describing the curse, and at the end of the trailer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson transforms into a werewolf. Think of it as another terrifying, historically-rooted story from Robert Eggers.

2. Who stars in Werwulf?
The movie stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe — all of whom are frequent collaborators with director Robert Eggers.

3. When is Werwulf being released?
The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on Christmas Day, just like Eggers’ previous hit Nosferatu did.

4. Is Robert Eggers known for making horror movies?
Yes! Robert Eggers has built his reputation on making historical horror films. His previous movies include The Witch (set in the 1600s), The Lighthouse, The Northman, and Nosferatu. He’s known for his meticulous attention to historical detail and his ability to create deeply unsettling atmospheres.

5. Was Nosferatu successful?
Absolutely! Nosferatu was both a critical and commercial hit. It grossed about $181 million worldwide, had the biggest opening weekend of any Eggers film, and earned nominations at both the BAFTAs and the Oscars. This success makes Werwulf one of the most anticipated horror films on the horizon.