Robert Eggersis bringing in one of his frequent favorites for his highly anticipatedWerwulf. Following the release ofNosferatu, which saw the filmmaker give the vampire genre a critically acclaimed and box office hit, Focus Features is hoping the director can do the same for the werewolf genre.Werwulfis increasingly becoming aNosferatureunion filmas both Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily Rose Depp are set to star in the movie, and now Eggers has brought on his most recurring actor.
Deadline reports that Willem Dafoe has joined the cast ofWerwulfin an undisclosed role. This marks Dafoe and Eggers' fourth collaboration after 2019’sThe Lighthouse, 2022’sThe Northman, and 2024’sNosferatu. Eggers is also set to directDafoe in a new feature film adaptation ofA Christmas Carol, where Dafoe will play Ebenezer Scrooge.Werwulfcurrently has a release date set for Aug 18, 2025, signifying it will hit theaters before the duo’sChristmas Carolcollaboration.
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Willem Dafoe’s body of work in the fantasy movie genre spans decades and is quite impressive.
Little is known aboutWerwulf, except that Eggers is looking to reimagine the classic folklore monster following a string of disappointments, such asWerewolvesandWolf Man.Eggers has describedWerwulfas"A medieval werewolf movie. It’s also the darkest thing I’ve ever written by far." The movie is expected to feature a lot of period-accurate dialogue. Eggers is co-writing the film alongside Sjón,co-writer ofThe Northman.
‘Werwulf’ Faces The Avengers in 2026 Holiday Competition
Willem Dafoe is one of the most accomplished actors working today. Known to judge big tentpole films likeSpider-Man,Aquaman, andFinding Nemoalongside auteur-driven films likeMartin Scorsese’sThe Last Temptation of Christ, Lars Von Trier’sAntichrist, and Yorgos Lanthimos’Poor Things, he is easily one of the most well-respected actors who consistently brings gravitas to any film he is part of. 2024 was a particularly good year for Dafoe as, in addition toNosferatu, he appeared inSaturday Night,Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, andKinds of Kindness.
Focus Features is givingWerwulftheNosferatutreatment. A big holiday release for a Gothic author-driven horror film and period piece that will hopefully appeal to mainstream audiences and the awards crowd.Nosferatuproved to be successful adult counterprogramming during the holiday season, earning $95 million domestically and $181 million worldwide.Werwulfwill undoubtedly face stiff competition at the box office, as it will need tocontend withAvengers: DoomsdayandDune: Part Three, both of which are set to open the week prior to Christmas. Yet Focus Features isn’t backing down, as they are committed to the idea of another Robert Eggers monster movie during the holidays, which sounds like a good tradition.
Source:Deadline
Source: Deadline
