Werewolves are positively having a second. Frank Grillo’s Werewolves dropped late final yr, and Leigh Whannel’s Wolf Man lately landed on the 2025 film schedule; it’s clear the subgenre is on the rise. Now, grasp of historic horror Robert Eggers is taking a stab at lycanthropy. Following Nosferatu‘s essential and field workplace success, Eggers is once more teaming up with Focus Options for Werwulf, a Thirteenth-century horror flick. After seeing his newest flick, I’m thrilled about deliver to this basic creature. But there are parts I hope he employs and one I hope he avoids for his upcoming horror film.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Werwulf will immerse audiences in medieval England with period-accurate dialogue and the gritty, visceral tone followers have come to anticipate from the Witch helmer’s work. Co-written with Sjón, who additionally collaborated on The Northman, the movie guarantees to move viewers to a different muddy, costumed and violent historic chapter. Whereas particulars are nonetheless scarce, there’s one factor I am positive of: Robert Eggers’ signature model will make this werewolf story stand out in a style that’s usually extra bark than chew.
On that notice, right here’s what I hope Robert Eggers leans into with this challenge—and one factor I hope he avoids:
What Robert Eggers Ought to Do With The Werewolf Movie
First off, it might be clever for Eggers to double down on historic authenticity. The manufacturing designer-turned-filmmaker has constructed a profession on transporting audiences to particular time durations, whether or not it’s Seventeenth-century New England in The Witch or Nineteenth-century maritime isolation in The Lighthouse. His consideration to element—proper right down to era-specific dialogue—grounds his tales in a approach few filmmakers can replicate, and that was additionally true with Nosferatu.
For Werwulf, the medieval setting affords countless prospects to discover a time when superstition reigned supreme. The Thirteenth century was a interval of intense spiritual fervor, widespread concern of the unknown and brutal survival. The director might draw on real-world parts like witch hunts, pagan rituals and the early conflict between science and superstition to create a wealthy backdrop for the werewolf story. Think about a village torn aside not solely by the creature but in addition by the paranoia and accusations it evokes.
Additionally, I am hoping that Robert Eggers will root the werewolf legend in folklore. Werewolves have a protracted historical past in mythology, and Eggers is simply the filmmaker to discover the darker, extra obscure elements of their lore. Medieval European beliefs tied lycanthropy to curses, divine punishment and even sins of the flesh—themes the New Hampshire-born film maker might seamlessly weave into his narrative.
As a substitute of an easy monster story, he might delve into the psychological and religious implications of turning into a werewolf.
What Ought to Robert Eggers Wants To Keep away from
It is essential that the horror film maven would not make the characters too distant or unrelatable. Eggers excels at creating oppressive atmospheres and meticulously detailed worlds, but a few of his characters have been criticized for feeling emotionally distant (The Witch and Nosferatu, particularly). In a werewolf story, nonetheless, character relatability is vital.
The perfect horror films, particularly the most effective werewolf movies and reveals, like The Wolf Man or An American Werewolf in London, succeed as a result of the viewers feels the protagonist’s ache, concern and loss as they grapple with their transformation. Werwulf wants a powerful emotional core—a personality whose inner battle mirrors the exterior chaos introduced on by the werewolf curse. With out that connection, the story dangers feeling too chilly and indifferent, even with the Lighthouse director’s signature model to hold it.
Robert Eggers has repeatedly confirmed that he can ship haunting, immersive experiences that linger lengthy after the credit roll. With Werwulf, he has the chance to redefine the subgenre by fusing historic authenticity, deep folklore and emotionally resonant storytelling. Here is hoping the factors talked about above are addressed for the movie.
Set for a Christmas 2026 launch, Werwulf might change into one of many yr’s most anticipated movies. If the filmmaker can strike the suitable steadiness between ambiance and humanity, his werewolf thriller might stand alongside his earlier work as a contemporary horror masterpiece.