Summary
The terrifying trailer for Robert Eggers’ remake ofNosferatusuggests that there’s finally a worthy successor to the Keanu Reeves-starring gothic horror masterpiece that isBram Stoker’s Dracula. Although it’s technically a reimagining of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent horror film of the same name, much like Murnau’s movie, Eggers’Nosferatuis also a twisted adaptation of the original vampire novel,Dracula. Bill Skarsgård will star as Count Orlok, the movie’s take on Dracula, while Lily-Rose Depp will play Mina Harker stand-in Ellen Hutter and Nicholas Hoult will play Jonathan Harker stand-in Thomas Hutter.
The recently releasedtrailer for 2024’sNosferatupromises the scariest vampire movie in years. It’s full of jump scares and unsettling imagery, with a suitably creepy atmosphere over the whole thing. From the comedic, action-packedRenfieldto the single-chapter-focusedThe Last Voyage of the Demeter, most of the recent Dracula movies have either subverted or satirized the familiar characters and plot points of Stoker’s iconic novel. Eggers’ film will be the first straightforward adaptation in a long time, and it looks to be every bit the masterwork of gothic horror that Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 version was.
Why Bill Skarsgård’s Nosferatu Isn’t Shown In The Trailer
Bill Skarsgård stars as Count Orlok, aka Nosferatu, in the 2024 horror film Nosferatu, but the movie’s first trailer doesn’t show his character.
Nosferatu Looks Like The Best Gothic Horror Vampire Movie Since Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Coppola brought Dracula’s gothic visuals to life
Coppola’s 1992Draculamovie, titledBram Stoker’s Draculato give credit where credit’s due, is still considered to be one of the last really great gothic horror vampire movies. Elements of gothic horror can be seen inThe Others, Guillermo del Toro’sCrimson Peak, and a lot of Tim Burton films. But these movies rarely grab gothic horror by the horns like Coppola’s film did.Crimson Peakis more of a love story than a horror movie and Burton often puts a quirky, tongue-in-cheek spin on horror tropes, like with the zany, brightly lit vampires ofDark Shadows.
Nosferatulooks like it’ll not only honor this style of the genre, but be the best example of it in years. Universal’sDraculamovies with Bela Lugosi andHammer’sDraculamovies with Christopher Leewill always be the most iconic cinematic interpretations of Dracula, but I’ve always been partial to Gary Oldman’s Dracula from Coppola’s version. With its rich color palette, campy performances, and sumptuous set design,Bram Stoker’s Draculais the perfect visualization of the gothic style of Stoker’s novel. Based on the cinematography seen in the trailer, Eggers is borrowing that style in his own adaptation ofDracula.
Robert Eggers' Nosferatu Trailer Hints At Avoiding Complaints From 1992’s Dracula Movie
Nosferatu is upending everything wrong with Bram Stoker’s Dracula
WhileBram Stoker’s Draculais a beautiful adaptation of the classic horror novel with stunning visuals and (some) brilliant performances, it has been met with some common criticisms.Coppola’s movie is typically criticized for favoring style over substance, for its lack of a solid story structure, and for not being all that scary of a movie. Based on its trailer,Nosferatuis doing the opposite of all these things. There’s plenty of emotion in the actors’ performances, there’s a clear structure holding the story together, and there are a handful of hair-raising jump scares.
There is one complaint aboutBram Stoker’s Draculathat might be replicated inEggers’Nosferaturemake. Reeves has often been criticized for his shaky English accent in Coppola’s movie, and based on the brief snippets of dialogue heard in the trailer, Depp’s English accent might be just as shaky in Eggers’ movie. But that’s only a minor complaint; a hit-and-miss British accent isn’t enough to ruin a whole movie. If Depp nails every other aspect of the performance, which seems to be the case, then a less-than-perfect accent is forgivable.
Nosferatu Has A Great Chance To Repeat Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s Box Office Success
The vampire genre has struggled at the box office lately
In the past few years, the vampire genre has struggled at the box office. A lot of genres have been struggling to make the money they made before COVID, but vampires in particular seem to have been hit the hardest. Whether they’ve been panned by critics, likeMorbiusorThe Last Voyage of the Demeter, or well-received by critics, likeAbigailorRenfield, a lot of recent vampire movies have disappointed at the box office. IfNosferatucan replicate the success ofBram Stoker’s Dracula, then it could save the vampire genre.
When it arrived in theaters in 1992,Bram Stoker’s Draculagrossed $215,862,692 at the worldwide box officeon a budget of $40 million (viaBox Office Mojo). Adjusted for inflation, that’s worth about $481 million today.Nosferatuis unlikely to make that kind of money – no one inNosferatuis quite as big as Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves were in the ‘90s – but if it’s as good asBram Stoker’s Dracula, then it could still be a hit. The Christmas release date is a good sign, because it shows that Universal sees it as a potential blockbuster.
Nosferatu
Cast
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
