Nosferatu (2024)

What is Nosferatu about?

Set in the 1830s, Nosferatu follows Ellen Hutter, a woman haunted by horrific visions of an impending doom, brought by an evil force obsessed with her. Her husband, Thomas Hutter, travels to Transylvania hoping to sell a decrepit estate to a reclusive Count Orlok, oblivious that this seemingly business transaction is arranged by Nosferatu, a demonic plague-bringing vampire. 

Crew Spotlights

• Anya Taylor-Joy was originally cast to play Ellen Hutter, supposedly repeating her collaboration with Robert Eggers after The Witch and The Northman. Her scheduling conflict with her other movie, Furiosa, forced her to drop out. She was replaced by Lily-Rose Depp.
• Casting director Kharmel Cochrane didn’t take Lily-Rose Depp seriously for the role because she hadn’t seen her in anything that suggested she could act. The nepotism claims against her due to Johnny Depp being her father also didn’t help. Cochrane changed her mind after watching the actress audition for the part.
• Former One Direction member Harry Styles was originally cast to play Count Orlok. His touring and his music made it impossible for him to do so. He was replaced by Bill Skarsgård.
• After auditioning for the film, Bill Skarsgård was originally offered the role of Thomas Hutter. His portrayal of the terrifying Pennywise in the movie It and It Chapter Two led to his recasting to play Nosferatu instead. The role of Thomas Hutter went to Nicholas Hoult instead.
• Daniel Day-Lewis and Mads Mikkelsen were also considered to play Count Orlok.
• Willem Dafoe is a frequent collaborator of Eggers, having previously worked with him in The Lighthouse and The Northman.

Fun Facts

• Count Orlok’s appearance was partially influenced by Ötzi, a natural mummy discovered in 1991 in the Ötztal Alps, said prosthetic makeup effects designer David White.
• Count Orlok also spoke a reconstructed form of a dead language called Dacian in the film.
• Ellen’s movements during her possessions were the results of Depp learning Japanese Butoh (a form of dance) with her a movement coach, Marie-Gabrielle Rotie.
• Nosferatu faced a prolonged development hell, with its first script completed back in 2016.
• The thousands of rats used in Nosferatu were all real with Eggers preferring the real thing over CGI. Even the wolves were real and nearly attacked Nicholas Hoult!
• Nosferatu is Eggers’ most successful film, grossing over $180 million at the box office.
• The film was a long time coming for writer-director Robert Eggers, who, interestingly, had first adapted Nosferatu into a play in high school.

Awards and Recognition

• Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• British Academy Film Awards: Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair, Best Original Music, and Best Production Design
• National Board of Review: Won Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography
• Critics’ Choice Awards: Won Best Cinematography; Nominated for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Nosferatu Review

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu combines historical folklore and fresh vampire mythology—a horror feature that shocks and distracts. Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok is haunting, designed to offer a sharp yet grotesque vision of the vampire that’s been fascinating horror enthusiasts for decades. The film’s cinematography, which particularly garnered acclaim, as well as its rich period detail and eerie sound design create a palpable sense of terror that seeps into every scene.

There’s the issue of its slow pacing, which had tested some viewers’ patience, however, the film’s dreamlike tension and visual appeal are a spectacle worth seeing on the big screen. Its box office success speaks the truth: Nosferatu stands out as a creatively bold take on vampire horror, firmly establishing itself as one of the 2024’s most remarkable genre films.