Robert Eggers is adding another familiar face to his upcoming film Werwulf. After the success of Nosferatu, which earned both critical praise and strong box office returns, Focus Features hopes Eggers can bring the same impact to the werewolf genre. Werwulf is shaping up as a reunion for the cast of Nosferatu, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily Rose Depp confirmed to star. Now, Willem Dafoe has joined the project in an undisclosed role.
This will be the fourth time Dafoe and Eggers have worked together, following The Lighthouse in 2019, The Northman in 2022, and Nosferatu in 2024. Eggers is also set to direct Dafoe in an adaptation of A Christmas Carol, where Dafoe will play Ebenezer Scrooge. Werwulf is slated to release on December 25, 2026, arriving before their Christmas Carol project.
Few details about Werwulf are publicly known aside from Eggers’ plan to reinvent the classic werewolf story. The filmmaker described it as a medieval werewolf tale and called it the darkest thing he has ever written. The film will likely feature period-accurate dialogue. Eggers is co-writing the script with Sjón, who also co-wrote The Northman.
Willem Dafoe is one of the industry’s most experienced actors. He has appeared in blockbuster franchises such as Spider-Man, Aquaman, and even Finding Nemo. At the same time, Dafoe has worked with directors like Martin Scorsese, Lars Von Trier, and Yorgos Lanthimos. In 2024 alone, Dafoe appeared in Nosferatu, Saturday Night, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and Kinds of Kindness.
Focus Features intends to position Werwulf similarly to Nosferatu. The studio plans a major holiday release, blending Gothic horror with period drama aimed at both mainstream audiences and awards voters. Nosferatu earned $95 million domestically and $181 million worldwide during the holiday season.
Werwulf faces tough competition at the box office from Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, both releasing the week before Christmas. Still, Focus Features is moving forward with the project, aiming to make the Robert Eggers monster movie a recurring holiday tradition.
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