The 1922 horror classic Nosferatu gets a remake and comes to Indonesian theaters on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. In this remake version, Robert Eggers acts as a writer and director. Under the direction of Robert Eggers, Nosferatu is considered the scariest horror movie of 2024. That achievement is one of the interesting facts about this remake version of Nosferatu.
Nosferatu features a number of well-known actors, including Bill Skarsgard, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, and Willem Dafoe. Willem Dafoe previously played Dracula in the 2000 film Shadow of the Vampire.
On the other hand, Bill Skarsgard was cast as Count Orlok in Nosferatu. He is widely known for his role as Pennywise, the scary clown, in the remake of IT in 2017 and its sequel, IT Chapter 2, which came out in 2019.
Nosferatu Movie Fun Facts
1. The Scariest Horror Movie of 2024
The horror movie Nosferatu is already one of the shows that horror fans have been waiting for. A few weeks before it aired at Christmas last year, Nosferatu managed to get a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, with some critics rating it up to 95 percent. It’s no wonder that many consider Nosferatu to be the scariest horror movie of 2024.
Robert Eggers has caught the attention of critics and filmmakers. One of them is Fede Álvarez, who called it the best horror movie of 2024. This modern adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic “Dracula” story has received many positive reviews since it first aired.
Álvarez, who directed Alien: Romulus, even considered Nosferatu superior to his own movie. He praised the cinematic power of the movie and described his viewing experience as very impressive.
2. The Project Robert Eggers Has Long Dreamed Of
Robert Eggers revealed his intention to make a remake of the movie Nosferatu in 2015, soon after his success with The Witch. However, the project faced many obstacles and delays that lasted almost ten years.
Before returning to Nosferatu, Eggers completed The Lighthouse in 2019 and The Northman in 2022. Finally, filming for the movie began in 2023, with shooting locations in the Czech Republic, Romania, and Germany.
3. Remake dari Film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1992)
The next interesting fact about the movie Nosferatu is the remake of the movie Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror in 1922. Nosferatu (2024) is a film adaptation of Murnau’s 1922 silent film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.
The original film was inspired by Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. After more than a century of copyright issues, this remake of Nosferatu is finally ready for release.
This horror classic has undergone several remakes, first in 1979 by Werner Herzog under the title Nosferatu the Vampyre, Nosferatu a Venise (1988) and Shadow of the Vampire (2000), and the latest version by Robert Eggers in 2024.
As in the original version, Nosferatu (2024) follows the story of Thomas Hutter who is sent to a remote castle owned by Count Orlok to take care of a property transaction. However, Hutter soon realizes that his host is no ordinary person. The terrifying Count Orlok begins to show his evil intentions, especially when he becomes obsessed with Ellen, Hutter’s wife.
4. Roberts Eggers is Famous for his Folkloric Horror Style
Robert Eggers is a director known for his unique style and insightful approach to the theme of “folk horror”. Eggers often incorporates elements of folklore in his work, such as in The VVitch (2015) which tells the story of a witch, The Lighthouse (2019) which explores myths about the sea and madness, and The Northman (2021) which tells the epic adventure of the Vikings.
With Nosferatu, Eggers explores classic horror themes inspired by the vampire myth, while giving a new perspective to a legendary story that has been around for over a hundred years.
However, Eggers emphasized that this remake does not simply follow in the footsteps of the original 1922 film. He tries to bring new depth to the characters and increase the element of fear that touches more psychological aspects. The dark atmosphere, eerie visuals, and dramatic background music make this movie a stronger display of horror and terror.
5. Unofficial Adaptation of Dracula
The next interesting fact about Nosferatu is that it is an unofficial adaptation of Dracula. Nosferatu, released in 1922, is a work that takes on the theme of vampires and is an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. Directed by F.W. Murnau, the movie faced copyright-related issues that resulted in changes to character names and some story elements.
One example is the use of the name Count Orlok instead of Dracula to avoid legal problems.
5. Involving 5000 Rats in Production
The movie offers a different narrative while keeping the classic elements of the vampire character. To add an authentic horror feel, the production of Nosferatu 2024 involved around 5,000 rats. The presence of these rats not only serves as a scary visual element, but is also an attempt by Egger to create a more real atmosphere.
In addition, Eggers provides an interesting approach to vampire mythology by depicting Count Orlok as a figure who sucks blood directly from the heart, in contrast to the modern image of vampires who usually do so through the throat.
6. Anya Taylor-Joy and Harry Styles were originally going to be the leads
Before Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult were involved, the Nosferatu movie was originally planned to feature Anya Taylor-Joy and Harry Styles. However, due to the busy schedules of both stars in 2022, such as the release of Harry’s new album Harry’s House and Anya Taylor-Joy’s project Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, they have been replaced by Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp.
7. Bill Skarsgård’s Extreme Transformation as Count Orlok
Bill Skarsgård, best known for his role as Pennywise, the terrifying clown in It (2017), now takes on a very different role as Count Orlok, a terrifying vampire.
The Swedish actor had to undergo a six-hour makeup process every day to achieve a truly terrifying look. Director Robert Eggers even stated that the audience might not recognize Skarsgård in this film.
In addition to the change in appearance, Skarsgård also practiced with a vocal coach to lower his pitch an octave lower, so that he could give a more frightening impression as a vampire.
8. Count Orlok Has Appeared in the Spongebob SquarePants Series
One interesting fact outside of the main Nosferatu storyline is Count Orlok’s appearance in the Spongebob Squarepants cartoon series. He appears in an episode titled Graveyard Shift.
In this episode, Count Orlok disturbs Spongebob and Squidward who are working nights. Squidward creates a creepy character called the Hash-Slinging Slasher, who is said to haunt the restaurant every Tuesday night.
Spongebob and Squidward were alarmed when the lights at the Krusty Krab suddenly flickered. As it turns out, it was all Count Orlok’s doing, who appeared in a long black cloak and a frightening appearance.
9. Filming in Three Countries
Nosferatu 2024 was produced by filming in three locations, namely Prague in the Czech Republic, Transylvania in Romania, and Toronto in Canada. The choice of locations aims to bring out the atmosphere of the European gothic era. Eggers strives to build a world that feels timeless yet fresh, thus providing a memorable experience for the audience.
10. Received Many Positive Reviews and Managed to Get Four Oscar Nominations 2025
Interesting facts about the next Nosferatu movie, this movie received many positive reviews and won four 2025 Oscar nominations.
Many media gave appreciation after watching this movie by Robert Eggers. This movie is considered successful in presenting horror stories from the Victorian era with its distinctive gothic nuances. The selection of the cast also received praise, where almost all of them shone in their roles and strengthened the story.
“What really sets Eggers’ Nosferatu apart from other horror films is how deeply it explores the images and themes of vampire lore. Not many Dracula films give you so much to sink your teeth into,” the BBC wrote as we quoted from detik.com.
“Robert Eggers’ best work yet, it offers a captivating story, stunning visuals, and outstanding performances from both lead and supporting roles,” wrote another.
“(Nicholas) Hoult and (Lily-Rose) Depp are terrifying yet endearing, and (Bill) Skarsgård proves once again why he is a great character actor,” praised critic CBR.
In addition, Nosferatu also managed to secure four nominations at the 2025 Oscars, namely Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
