First Look: Robert Eggers’ ‘Werwulf’ as Director Details “Middle English” Dialogue, and a Unique Black-and-White Color Visual Style

Here is the first interview Robert Eggers has given for “Werwulf,” speaking with Esquire, who go on to show us our first look at Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Eggers’ film.

No surprise, “Werwulf” grew out of Eggers’ lifelong fascination with folklore and monsters. As always, he mentions that a great deal of historical research went into this one. The film is set in 13th-century Britain, and Eggers says he drew heavily from medieval accounts of werewolf lore. The dialogue is in “middle English,” written with the help of two Oxford Professors.

According to Eggers, none of the characters in the film have names — except for the dog.

The film stars Taylor-Johnson as a 13th-century man haunted by a transformation, with roles for Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson, and Bodhi Rae Breathnach. Eggers has previously described the screenplay as the darkest thing he has written, and in the interview he comes across as especially enthusiastic about what he has made here.

Eggers had planned to shoot the feature in black and white but ultimately decided to abandon that idea in favor of color. The film was shot on 35mm film in the Super 35 format and presented in a boxy 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The grain structure is black & white film incorporated onto colour film to create a unique look.

The teaser shown at CinemaCon in April reportedly leaned heavily into Eggers’ signature visual style, with comparisons inevitably drawn to “The Witch” and “Nosferatu.” Jarin Blaschke returns as cinematographer, having lensed Eggers’ first four films.

“Werwulf” is scheduled to hit theaters on December 25, 2026, via Focus Features.