This January, horror movie fans are invited to a date with the terrifying Count Orlok in the delectable Gothic chiller Nosferatu. Acclaimed director Robert Eggers (The Witch; The Lighthouse; The Northman) presents his long-gestating passion project: a remake of the 1922 German Expressionist masterpiece, which promises to re-establish the vampire as a relentless force of evil. Edward Cullen, this ain't.
Lily-Rose Depp delivers a star-making performance as Ellen Hutter, a troubled young woman who fears her long-held nightmares will become a reality. Enter Bill Skarsgard's hideous and depraved Orlok who arrives in her town of Wisborg to make Ellen his own – and he has a host of plague-carrying rats in tow.
Stylishly shot in almost-but-not-quite-black-and-white by Eggers' regular cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, the film also sports an all-star supporting cast including Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Simon McBurney and Ralph Ineson.
How did Bill Skarsgard get into character as Count Orlok, and what was Nicholas Hoult's reaction on first seeing him in costume? We caught up with both actors to find out, and they also revealed more details about the making of this claustrophobic, menacing marvel. Watch the interview below.
If you're looking for some bite-sized interview highlights, we've lined them up below.
1. On watching horror movies with the sound down
Let's face it, we've all done this in anticipation of jumping out of our skin. Good to know that Bill and Nicholas are just like us.
2. The challenge of living up to the Nosferatu legacy
The original Nosferatu extends its spindly shadow across decades of memorable horror cinema, and the two actors explain the pressures of renewing the Nosferatu mythology.
3. The importance of voices and projection
Believe us when we say that Bill Skarsgard's Orlok voice is truly terrifying. He and Nicholas spill the tea on the technical craft of delivering dialogue in the film's period context.
4. What music and sound design can do for a horror movie
Nosferatu's oppressive atmosphere owes a lot to the menacing soundscape and the Gothic overtures of Robin Carolan's score. Bill and Nicholas explain why this is so important.
5. Bill and Nicholas's thoughts on the cinematic experience
We always canvas our favourite actors and directors as to why the big-screen experience is so magical. The two talented actors offer their spin on this answer, and why the menace of Nosferatu is amplified in a cinematic context.
Nosferaru is released on January 1st, 2025. Are you brave enough to book your tickets? If so, do so via the following link.
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