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Willem Dafoe In Talks For His Northman Director's Nosferatu Remake
Willem Dafoe is in talks to reunite with director Robert Eggers in his Nosferatu remake. The four-time Oscar-nominated actor is best known for his menacing portrayal of Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, and he recently returned to the role for the MCU's multiverse movie Spider-Man: No Way Home. Outside the Spider-Man franchise, Dafoe also frequently collaborates with auteur filmmakers, with one of the most recent examples being Eggers. Dafoe starred in the writer/director's 2019 film The Lighthouse alongside Robert Pattinson and reunited with Eggers last year for his Viking epic, The Northman, starring Alexander Skarsgård.
Now, it appears Dafoe will reunite with the acclaimed filmmaker once again. According to Deadline, Dafoe is in talks to join Eggers' long-gestating Nosferatu remake. At this time, it is unknown who Dafoe will be playing.
Everything We Know About Eggers' Nosferatu Movie
Eggers previously said he wanted Dafoe to star in his Nosferatu movie due to how much he loves working with the actor. Now, it appears that desire has been realized. The project does not only reunite the actor and director following The Lighthouse and The Northman. Dafoe's casting in the Nosferatu remake calls back to when he starred in the 2000 film Shadow of a Vampire as Max Schreck, the actor who played Count Orlok in the original Nosferatu from 1922. The performance resulted in Dafoe's second Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Dafoe will join the Nosferatu remake cast that already includes Lily-Rose Depp, It's Bill Skarsgård, and Renfield actor Nicholas Hoult. Eggers' reimagining of the 1922 silent German Expressionist film (which itself is based on Dracula) is described as a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (played by Depp) and an ancient vampire (played by Skarsgård) who preys upon her in 19th century Germany. While the actors' roles haven't been explicitly confirmed, it appears Skarsgård, Hoult, and Depp will be playing characters based on Count Orlok, Thomas Hutter, and Ellen Hutter respectively. Dafoe could be playing a version of Knock, Count Orlok's brainwashed minion, who seems tailor-made for the actor who frequently plays villainous, twisted roles.
No matter what role he is playing, Dafoe has the ability to elevate any project he is a part of. Eggers has been developing a Nosferatu remake since 2015, though it has had trouble getting off the ground. Harry Styles and Anya Taylor-Joy were previously cast, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, causing the film to be put on pause. With new leads and Dafoe now on board, Eggers' Nosferatu remake is hopefully moving full steam ahead.
