The first trailer for Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu dropped this past weekend, and if the teaser is any indication, moviegoers are in for a terrifying Christmas.
Eggers’ film will serve as an introduction of sorts to the iconic bloodsucker for an entirely new generation of horror fans. The original 1922 silent film of the same name was the official introduction to the classic monster, which was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel, which was originally published in 1897.
While Dracula has received a number of iterations and remakes over the years, Nosferatu has been the subject of very few. Additionally, although the famous Count has been sexualized over the years and became the most popular vampire in the world, Nosferatu has become a somewhat cultic figure with the emphasis more on the horrific and terrifying aspects of this undead creature who preys on the blood of the living.
Eggers’ Nosferatu appears to hold onto the spirit of the original film, with the teaser bringing to life imagery that is truly terrifying. Although the creature himself isn’t fully seen in the first trailer, the horror is on full display. It opens with a woman praying for an unseen force to come to her – and is rewarded with a terrifying neck grab from an invisible assailant. The teaser continues with over a minute of disturbing imagery, with whispered chants of “he’s coming” only adding to the inevitable horror.
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Nosferatu features Bill SkarsgĆ„rd in the title role, who revealed in an interview with Esquire that he will portray a “gross but sexualized” version of the character. “It’s playing with a sexual fetish about the power of the monster and what that appeal has to you,” SkarsgĆ„rd continued. “Hopefully you’ll get a little bit attracted by it and disgusted by your attraction at the same time.”
Nosferatu also stars Lily Rose-Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Willem Dafoe. The film is scheduled to release in theaters on December 25, 2024.
