Even thoughNosferatuhas been a massive success, Robert Eggers' plan for his next movie is still risky. Eggers has directed several critically-acclaimed movies throughout the course of his career. His most recent film,Nosferatu, is his most financially successful movie yet. The story ofNosferatufollows Count Orlok, a vampire who leaves his castle in Transylvania to pursue a recently married woman who he has been haunting for years. Thecast ofNosferatuincludes Bill Skarsgård, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, and Willem Dafoe.
Reviews forNosferatuhave been exceptional, and the film currently has a score of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes (viaRotten Tomatoes).Nosferatu’spositive reviews have led the film to being incredibly successful at the box office. As of this writing,Nosferatuhas grossed $166,410,860 at the worldwide box office on a budget of $50 million (viaBox Office Mojo). Following the overwhelming success ofNosferatu, Eggers' next film has been announced. The director has revealed that his next movie will be awerewolf thriller titledWerwulf. DespiteNosferatu’ssuccess,Werwulfis still a risky movie for Eggers to make.
Nosferatu Is A Well-Known Vampire In Popular Media
Eggers has made many celebrated movies in his career, such asThe Witch,The Lighthouse, andThe Northman. However,Nosferatuwas the director’s first movie that was based on an IP. Eggers’Nosferatuis an adaptation of the 1922 silent film of the same name, which was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novelDracula. SeveralNosferatumovies have been made, and the character is commonly associated with Dracula, who is also a very popular character. Therefore,Nosferatu’ssuccess is likely in part due to the IP it is based on.
SinceWerwulfis a completely original idea, it may struggle to make as much money asNosferatuat the box office.
UnlikeNosferatu,Werwulfwon’t be based on an IP. Not many details aboutWerwulfare currently known, but it has been revealed that it will be set in 13th century England and feature dialogue accurate to the time period. SinceWerwulfis a completely original idea, it may struggle to make as much money asNosferatuat the box office. Therefore,Eggers going back to an original idea after finding success with the recognizable name ofNosferatuis a risk.
2025 Just Reminded Us How Risky Werewolf Movies Can Be
Wolf Man Has Not Been A Huge Success
A recent 2025 horror movie is a reminder that werewolf films can struggle at the box office. Even though 2025’sWolf Manis based on an IP and a well-known monster, it has underperformed at the box office.Wolf Manwas meant to be a reboot film for the monster that was first introduced in the 1941 movieThe Wolf Man.The story ofWolf Manfollows a man who returns to his childhood home in Oregon with his wife and daughter, only to be scratched by a mysterious creature and slowly transform into a werewolf.
Wolf Man’s Opening Scene Is What The Rest Of The Movie Should Have Been
The opening scene of the Wolf Man reboot is tense, atmospheric, and mysterious. It writes a check that the rest of the movie can’t cash.
Reviews forWolf Manhave been mixed, and the film currently has an underwhelming score of 53% on Rotten Tomatoes (viaRotten Tomatoes).Wolf Man’sless-than-ideal reviews have led to the film not performing well at the box office.Wolf Manwas expected to make $18+ million in its opening weekend, but only managed to gross $12.3 million.Wolf Man’sdisappointing performance proves that audiences won’t automatically flock to theaters to see a new werewolf movie.
Robert Eggers' Rising Status Could Help Werwulf Be A Box Office Hit After Nosferatu
Eggers Is Now One Of The Most Popular Horror Directors In The World
It is also worth noting thatThe Northman, the film Eggers made right beforeNosferatu, bombed at the box office.The Northmanonly made $69,633,110 at the worldwide box office on an estimated budget of $70-90 million (viaBox Office Mojo). Since Eggers' last original movie was not a box office success, it’s possible thatWerwulfalso won’t perform well upon its release. However,there is no doubt that Eggers is a more well-known director after the success ofNosferatu. Therefore, his name alone could attract more people to seeWerwulfin theaters.
$40,423,945
91%
$18,125,187
90%
$69,633,110
$157,144,905
85%
n/a
People who enjoyed Eggers' portrayal of a vampire inNosferatuwill likely also want to see his take on werewolves. Therefore, even thoughWerwulfis a risky project for Eggers, it is possible that the film could be just as successful asNosferatu.Werwulfmay not be a guaranteed success afterNosferatu, but it will still be exciting to see how Eggers approaches a werewolf thriller movie.
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.
Werwulf
Werwulf is a werewolf-centered thriller by acclaimed screenwriter and director Robert Eggers. The movie will be released on Christmas 2026, following the trend set by his previous film, Nosferatu, which also hit theaters on Christmas Day. Werwulf will be set in 13th-century England.
