All 4 Versions of Nosferatu, Ranked

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Nosferatu originated, in 1922, as an unofficial adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel, Dracula, with certain things changed to keep it as technically its own thing… at least it’s considered as such nowadays. The title character in Dracula is, after all, kind of charming and able to keep his true nature as a vampire hidden at times, while the equivalent character in Nosferatu, Count Orlok, is far more grotesque and monstrous in appearance at all times. That also has the effect of making Orlok potentially more tragic, as a villain, at least in some retellings of the core story. His pining over a young woman and pursuit of her is all the more doomed to fail, all the while naturally bringing about further hardships for anyone he crosses paths with.

That’s all to say that Nosferatu – in any version – is hardly a cheery film, but the moodiness, intense gothic qualities, and the ease with which the central antagonist can cause nightmares ensure Nosferatu is legendary; a series of reinterpretations that can rival all the official Dracula films out there. The four most prominent Nosferatu films to date (released over the course of a little over a century) are ranked below, not including some partially Nosferatu-themed works like 1988’s Vampire in Venice or 2000’s Shadow of the Vampire.

4 'Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror' (2023)

Directed by David Lee Fisher

A Symphony of Horror, reaches toward Thomas Hutter's (Emrhys Cooper) hands during a meeting.

There have been two recent Nosferatu movies that almost commemorated the 100th anniversary of the original silent film, with the less well-known of the two premiering in 2023 and getting a wider release in 2024. That film is Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, which is also what the original 1922 film is sometimes known as. Fittingly, then, 2023’s Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is pretty much a shot-for-shot remake of that 1922 movie, recreating imagery directly from that film with something of a digital sheen that’s interesting to look at, sure, but a little hard to fully adjust to.

The juxtaposition of modern green screen technology with imagery clearly referencing – if not directly reusing – parts of a movie from the silent era makes Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror interesting enough as an experiment, but potentially alienating as a film in its own right. If you can only watch one Nosferatu movie that got a wide release in 2024, you're probably better off checking out the more well-known one. But at least this one is different enough stylistically and takes a whole different approach to being a retelling of Nosferatu. That it also has Doug Jones – perhaps best known for Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, among other Guillermo del Toro movies – playing Count Orlok has to count for something, too.

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Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (2023) revisits the iconic tale of Count Orlok, merging classic horror aesthetics with modern cinematic elements. Set in a hauntingly atmospheric world, the film reimagines the legendary vampire's sinister presence while paying homage to the original with new soundscapes and immersive visuals.

Director David Lee Fisher

Cast Doug Jones , Sarah Carter , Joely Fisher , Jack Turner , Emrhys Cooper , Time Winters , Joseph Michael Harris , Sara Montez , Aurelio Voltaire , George Maguire , Christian Prentice , Brian Hanford , Rhoda Pell , David W. Ross , Cinda Adams , Ron E. Dickinson , Gregg Lawrence , Karen Teliha , Corey Allen Kotler , Drew Leger , Frank Arend , Drago Sumonja

Runtime 92 Minutes

Rent on Amazon

3 'Nosferatu' (2024)

Directed by Robert Eggers

Robert Eggers rose to prominence through directing two horror movies in the 2010s: The Witch and The Lighthouse (the latter of which was a bit more than “just” a horror movie, admittedly). He ventured away from horror a little with The Northman, which was more of an action/adventure movie, but has now returned to horror with a vengeance thanks to directing Nosferatu. Not counting the 2023 film directed by David Lee Fisher, 2024’s Nosferatu is the first major remake/re-imagining of Nosferatu in almost half a century, and is thereby sufficiently different from what came before. You can be familiar with the story and still find things to be surprised by here.

Eggers strikes a good balance here between keeping things old-fashioned and faithful to the original film, while also emphasizing and expanding certain things to keep viewers at least a little on their toes. The appearance of Count Orlok is probably the clearest example of the latter, given the fact that how he looked wasn’t given away in any of the marketing. Elsewhere, the visuals stand out, making this version of Nosferatu as atmospheric as one would hope for/expect, with the impressive cast delivering across the board, too. It might not be quite as great as the two major Nosferatu films that preceded it, but this 2024 version still satisfies and more than justifies its own existence.

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Nosferatu

In Nosferatu, a reclusive vampire's presence disrupts a small European village, drawing an unsuspecting young couple into a battle against an ancient evil. As fear spreads, the villagers must confront the terrifying legend and their own beliefs, leading to suspenseful confrontations and chilling revelations.

Release Date December 25, 2024

Runtime 132 Minutes

Watch in theaters

2 'Nosferatu the Vampyre' (1979)

Directed by Werner Herzog

Nosferatu the Vampyre looking to the distance in Nosferatu the Vampyre

In 1979, the idea of remaking Nosferatu might've sounded preposterous or even foolish, but the project was always going to be in pretty good hands with a director like Werner Herzog behind it. He’s best known for making documentaries, but has also directed numerous great feature films, and Nosferatu the Vampyre could well be the best… well, second-best, after perhaps Aguirre, the Wrath of God. Both films starred the legendary (and oftentimes quite terrifying) Klaus Kinski, who was pretty much the perfect actor to play Count Orlok. Actually, he’s Count Dracula, here. The film is called Nosferatu the Vampyre, sure, but maybe only because both films were German productions, German Dracula = Nosferatu in the minds of some? Perhaps? It’s confusing.

Anyway, it is in line with the original Nosferatu in terms of the central vampire’s appearance, because Kinski – already somewhat frightening when he’s playing roles without heavy makeup – is made to look ghoulish and grotesque here, more in line with 1922's Count Orlok than the likes of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee playing Dracula. Nosferatu the Vampyre is also super eerie and just emotionally bleak in ways that Dracula films aren’t often. There’s something otherworldly about the entire thing, from the stark way it’s shot to the way it effectively uses the music of Wagner throughout. It’s a pretty great horror film, and neck and neck with the original Nosferatu in terms of quality.

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Jonathan Harker, a real estate agent, ventures to Transylvania to finalize a property sale with Count Dracula, only to discover that his client is an ancient vampire. Dracula, drawn to Harker's wife, Lucy, relocates to Harker's town, unleashing a wave of death and despair. As Dracula's influence spreads, Lucy finds herself at the heart of the battle against the undead, facing unimaginable horrors to protect her loved ones.

Release Date January 17, 1979

Director Werner Herzog

Cast Klaus Kinski , Isabelle Adjani , Bruno Ganz , Roland Topor , Walter Ladengast

Runtime 107 Minutes

1 'Nosferatu' (1922)

Directed by F. W. Murnau

Yet it is pretty much the case that no one does it better than the original. Sorry to be boring and/or clichéd, but Nosferatu (1922) is the best Nosferatu. It’s honestly up there as one of the best silent movies ever made, and it’s an even stronger contender for the title of best silent horror film ever made. So much about the way it looks and feels is quintessential gothic horror, and so many vampire-related works that followed in its wake take influence from it in one way or another. Thanks to Nosferatu, for example, the idea of sunlight killing vampires was established.

Beyond historical significance, though, 1922’s Nosferatu is most impressive for the fact that, despite being more than 100 years old, it’s still genuinely unnerving. There are horror movies that are only a handful of decades old that no longer feel scary, but it’s the ancientness of Nosferatu – perhaps even the uncanniness of the way characters move in silent cinema – that adds to the sense of things being off. Count Orlok here, as portrayed by Max Schreck still looks scary in certain shots. The atmosphere is still pervasive, the camera angles creatively off-putting and eerie, and the story – though simply told and, of course, done with title cards instead of dialogue – still leaves an impact. Certain things that might weaken other silent films in the eyes of modern viewers actually enhance Nosferatu in odd and compelling ways, making it arguably timeless in its ability to unsettle.