Lily-Rose Depp in Nosferatu (Focus Features)

The title Nosferatu has long lingered in director Robert Eggers’s mind. His involvement with an adaptation of the landmark horror movie dates back to 2015, shortly after The Witch cemented him as a rising star in the horror genre. That plan, however, was delayed by nearly a decade as Eggers honed his craft on other projects like The Lighthouse and The Northman. Years of preparation have paid off, as Nosferatu returns in 2024 as one of the year’s best horror films, updating the classic vampire tale with darkness and melancholic aplomb.

For horror aficionados, Nosferatu needs no introduction. F.W. Murnau’s 1922 German silent film, a loose adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, is widely regarded as cinema’s first vampire story, shaping the archetype for every bloodsucker to follow Count Orlok and his elongated claws. If you’ve already seen the 1922 original or Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre, you’ll likely recognize the path Eggers’s story takes, including its key set pieces. But what makes this new Nosferatu stand out isn’t just its unsettling visuals. It’s the way Eggers infuses the stakes—between man, wife, and the embodiment of evil—with personal resonance and buried trauma.

Set in 1838 Germany, the trouble begins with an unorthodox business deal. Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), a clerk at an estate firm, seizes a chance to earn extra money and improve his wife Ellen’s (Lily-Rose Depp) social standing. His mission? Secure a deal with the reclusive Transylvanian Count Orlok, who seeks to buy a house in their quaint town. To finalize the arrangement, Thomas must journey to Orlok’s estate in the Carpathian Mountains. Once there, he hears dark tales of the Count from wary locals, stories he soon finds disturbingly accurate. Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) is no ordinary client—he craves blood and has a peculiar interest in Ellen, hinting at a bond that transcends mere beauty or companionship.

Max Schreck’s Orlok, in the original Nosferatu, introduced the vampire as a gangly, fanged omen of death, while Klaus Kinski later portrayed him as a tragic, monstrous soul. Skarsgård’s Orlok, by contrast, is all shadow—a lurking, otherworldly force often obscured by dim lighting or heavy clothing. His thick mustache and raspy voice—reminiscent of Darth Vader’s wheeze—barely humanize him amid his animalistic mannerisms. As Orlok moves closer to Central Europe, he becomes an unstoppable plague, unleashing disease via rats and triggering haunting reactions from Ellen.

Ellen’s fits of madness bewilder her friend Anna Harding (Emma Corrin) and Anna’s husband, Friedrich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), while perplexing local doctor William Sievers (Ralph Ineson). Sievers, however, finds a surprising ally in his former mentor, Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Dafoe), an academic ostracized for his obsession with the occult. Dafoe, who once portrayed Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire, brings eerie gravitas to this role, hinting that he might hold the key to understanding Orlok’s menace.

Even in Orlok’s absence, his presence is inescapable. Eggers pays homage to Murnau’s original visuals, such as the vampire’s shadow stretching ominously across town buildings. This imagery underscores Orlok’s role as a supernatural force in a culture increasingly dismissive of such myths. At the same time, Nosferatu deepens Ellen’s characterization. Her history of mania intertwines with Orlok’s haunting, creating a layered psychological and sexual tension. Depp delivers a standout performance, portraying Ellen as a woman torn between societal constraints and primal desires. Hoult also shines as the frightened yet determined Thomas, though it’s Skarsgård’s chilling portrayal of Orlok that dominates the movie.

While there are moments of unexpected humor, terror remains the heart of Nosferatu. The film builds an oppressive, gothic atmosphere that creeps into every frame. The cinematography glides through spaces as though seen from Orlok’s perspective, enveloping viewers in his malevolent world. Eggers breathes new life into this century-old tale, crafting a visually stunning, emotionally resonant reinterpretation.

Not the film one might expect to release at Christmastime, but by next Halloween, Nosferatu may well be hailed as a modern horror classic.