Focus Features has unveiled the first image from Robert Eggers' next directorial project, "Werwulf," a historical horror film slated for release on December 25, 2026. In a conversation with Esquire, Eggers discussed his approach to the werewolf genre, promising a departure from established tropes.
"Werwulf" is set in the 13th century and centers on a farmer, portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is afflicted with a curse that causes him to transform into a werewolf. Lily-Rose Depp stars as his wife, a character Eggers described as “the heart of the movie,” while Willem Dafoe plays a hunter. Notably, Eggers revealed that most characters in the film will not have names, with the exception of a dog.
Taylor-Johnson's character is described as a man cursed and seeking salvation through love, enduring great pain and being haunted. Eggers highlighted the brutal and unforgiving nature of the film's world, emphasizing mud, blood, and suffering. He anticipates Taylor-Johnson's performance will be his best, particularly praising the extreme physical demands of the transformation scenes and the actor's emotional intensity.
To prepare for the role, Taylor-Johnson studied wolf behavior and worked extensively with movement coach Marie Gabriel-Rotie. The film's dialogue, co-written by Eggers and Sjón, is in Middle English, though it has been modified with the help of a dialect coach for modern audiences.
Visually, "Werwulf" is shot on 35mm film and aims for a distinct look. Eggers plans to use an orthochromatic treatment in post-production to give actors a sickly complexion and integrate the grain structure of black-and-white film onto the color footage. The film draws inspiration from Dark Ages werewolf folklore across England and continental Europe, as well as Viking influences on wolf-man mythology.
Eggers stressed that audiences should not expect common werewolf movie conventions. "So all the clichés of being bitten by a werewolf and silver bullets and a lot of the stuff that has become almost campy doesn’t exist in the mythology of this movie," he stated, adding that familiarity with earlier werewolf films is not necessary to understand "Werwulf."