A new report from Nexus Point News has Lily-Rose Depp and Aaron Taylor-Johnson reuniting with Robert Eggers for upcoming horror film, “Werwulf.” The report also notes that Taylor-Johnson will take on the title role — the werewolf himself.
“Werwulf,” currently slated for a Christmas 2026 release, is set to begin shooting this September in Elstree, England, per a UK casting call that recently made the rounds. Eggers is reportedly deep in pre-production and is again collaborating with Icelandic poet and screenwriter Sjón, with whom he co-wrote “The Northman”
Eggers has described the film as “the darkest thing I’ve ever written,” a bold claim given the unrelenting bleakness of his past work. One member of Eggers’ own sound team recently posted on BlueSky that he “needed a hug” after reading the script. If that’s any indication, “Werwulf” could make The Witch look like a bedtime story.
The story is said to take place in 13th-century England, and in typical Eggers fashion, the dialogue will stay true to the time period, using “Old English.” Eggers had at one point considered shooting the film in black-and-white, a move that was reportedly scrapped in favor of a more traditional visual palette.
Willem Dafoe, a longtime Eggers collaborator, has yet to be officially attached, but given his roles in “The Lighthouse,” “The Northman,” and “Nosferatu,” it would be surprising if he didn’t turn up in some capacity.
Eggers has a second project in development — a dark reimagining of “A Christmas Carol.” and that one does have Dafoe attached in the lead role — but “Werwulf” is up next.
As you might know, Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” which starred Taylor-Johnson and Depp, was a surprise Holiday success for Focus, earning a $40M five-day opening, and that was double industry expectations. The movie ended up grossing $181M worldwide and easily became Eggers’ highest-grosser to date.
It’s starting to seem like Eggers will release a new film every other Christmas—this could be turning into a holiday tradition.
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