Willem Dafoe, nominated for an Oscar a record four times, is in talks to work with horror master Robert Eggers for the third time. Deadline reports Eggers is considering casting Dafoe in his remake of the classic horror film Nosferatu. Except for Eggers’ first feature, The Witch, in which he also appeared, Dafoe has been in all of his movies (2015). Both of their previous collaborations, The Lighthouse and The Northman, were critical successes, so it’s no surprise that Eggers would like to have Dafoe on board for what he’s called his “passion project” and has admitted to being obsessed with ever since he was a kid.

Nosferatu, the crowning horror achievement of the silent film era, is getting Eggers’ artistic touch in a remake that promises to increase the picture’s already chilling atmosphere. The film will make specific changes to the plot, but the core idea of an ancient vampire from Transylvania who becomes enamoured with a little girl and stalks her to the point of unimaginable terror will remain the same. The film will, like the book, take place in Germany during the nineteenth century. Even though Dafoe has delivered some of the most memorable bad-guy performances in film history, he won’t be playing the film’s namesake vampire. Instead, Lily-Rose Depp (his prey) and Bill Skarsgard (It) were among the first cast members disclosed. Nosferatu, fortunately, has no shortage of horrible guys for Dafoe to portray, and his fans will no doubt be thrilled by the prospect. He may or may not know what his function is at this point.

Shadow of the Vampire (2000), starring Willem Dafoe, was a dramatized version of what happened on the set of the original picture after it sparked controversy for being an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. Dafoe received his second Oscar nod for his portrayal of German actor Max Schreck, who played Count Orlok in Nosferatu.

In Eggers’ The Lighthouse (2019), Dafoe gives a powerful performance as a lighthouse keeper suffering from delusions. Wild at Heart, Boondock Saints, American Psycho, and eXistenZ are just a few other movies where he played a memorable bad guy. In the Spider-Man flicks, most notably in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Dafoe has become well-known for playing the antagonist Green Goblin (2021). Filming on many upcoming movies, including Inside, Asteroid City, Poor Things, Gonzo Girl, Finalmente l’alba, and And, has concluded as the Golden Globe and BAFTA candidate.

The film Nosferatu was written and directed by Eggers and produced by Focus Features. Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Robert Eggers, Chris Columbus, and Eleanor Columbus all played roles as producers.
The film’s distributor, Focus Features, has yet to announce a premiere date.