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Nosferatu will cast its dark and foreboding shadow over cinemas this Christmas. Written and directed by Robert Eggers this retelling of a classic horror story is guaranteed to make your blood run cold. The story follows Ellen Hutter, a troubled young woman in 1838 Germany who has terrible dreams and visions of a dark and evil creature that stalks the night. As more people in her village die of unusual causes, her fears worsen, and she turns to a professor to learn more about what is causing this affliction. Initially, Anya Taylor-Joy, who previously worked with Eggers in The Witch, was cast in the lead role but had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict. Harry Styles (Don’t Worry Darling) was also rumored to have been cast in an undisclosed role and also had to drop out for the same reasons. Fear not, children of the night, for the cast of this movie is still as sharp as a wooden stake. This article will tell you everything you need to know about who is who in this bloodthirsty film.
Bill Skarsgård
Count Orlok
Count Orlok is an iconic horror movie monster who is based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In the original film, Orlok hires Thomas Hutter to come to his castle to assist with paperwork regarding a newly purchased house. As a vampire (or Nosferatu), Count Orlok is eerily calm with a threatening demeanor, instilling fear at the mere mention of his name. Bill Skarsgård, who famously portrayed the terrifying Pennywise in IT and IT: Chapter 2, will take on the role of Count Orlok in the upcoming film. Skarsgård was also in the 2022 film, Barbarian, where he is surprisingly not the villain. He has also joked about taking vampire acting notes from his brother, Alexander Skarsgård who famously played one in the HBO series True Blood. In addition to Nosferatu, Bill Skarsgård will also be starring in several other upcoming projects, such as Locked and reprising his Pennywise character in the 2025 series IT: Welcome to Derry.
Lily-Rose Depp
Ellen Hutter
Image via Focus Features
Lily-Rose Depp will play the pure-hearted Ellen Hutter who is tormented by night terrors while her husband, Thomas, is away working with Count Orlok. She envisions him in danger at the hands of the Count and turns to Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz for guidance, only to learn that her husband might be in the hands of an undead monster. Depp made her acting debut in 2014 with a small appearance in the body-horror film, Tusk at the age of 14. Since then, she has gone on to star in roles like Catherine in The King, Sela in Voyagers, and Jocelyn in The Idol.
Nicholas Hoult
Thomas Hutter
Image via Focus Features
Nicholas Hoult will play Thomas Hutter, who is sent by his employer to Count Orlok’s castle to finalize the sales paperwork for a new property the Count has just purchased. In the original film, he injures his hand and is repulsed when Count Orlok attempts to lick his wound. Instead of trusting his instincts and leaving, he stays the night and has nightmares, waking up to find two small marks on his neck. Hoult has been in a few big movies lately, including The Order and Juror #2, and will also be starring in an upcoming horror movie, The One, and the 2025 Superman movie as Lex Luthor.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Friedrich Harding
Image via Focus Features
Other than a brief glimpse of his character in the trailer for Nosferatu, it’s unclear what role Friedrich Harding will have in the film. What we do know is that he will be played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who, like Hoult, has been quite busy lately with films like Bullet Train, The Fall Guy, Kraven the Hunter, and the upcoming zombie horror movie, 28 Years Later. The English actor also starred as the late John Lennon in the drama, Nowhere Boy and as Dave Lizewski in Kick-Ass and Kick-Ass 2.
Willem Dafoe
Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz
Image via Focus Features
It’s always a good idea to have an expert on hand when you’re dealing with… well, a blood-thirsty vampire. Armed with a book on the subject, he is the only one able to shed some light on the nightmares and fears that Ellen Hutter comes to him about. While knowing what they’re about to be up against is helpful, he might also know how to defeat Count Orlok. The professor is played by Willem Dafoe, who previously worked with Eggers on his A24 film, The Lighthouse. Recently, he’s appeared in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Saturday Night, and Kinds of Kindness, and will star in the upcoming thriller, The Man in My Basement.
Emma Corrin
Anna Harding
Image via Focus Features
Like her husband Friedrich, Anna Harding’s character and role in the movie are veiled in mystery. There’s no doubt the two of them will be major supporting characters, as the two actors are quickly rising in popularity and fame. Emma Corrin’s breakout role was that of Princess Diana in the television series, The Crown. From there, she went on to star as an amateur sleuth in the Nordic noir drama series, Murder At the End of the World, before moving to a more sinister role as the villain, Cassandra Nova, in Deadpool & Wolverine. In addition to Nosferatu, Corrin will also appear in an episode of the upcoming season of Black Mirror.
Ralph Ineson
Dr. Wilhelm Siever
Image via Focus Features
Dr. Siever will most likely have a large role in determining the cause of death as Count Orlok sets upon the small German village. In the original film, Orlok crosses the sea by hiding in his coffin, which he has placed among other coffins filled with rats. When the rats are released upon arrival, they are initially blamed for spreading a plaguelike disease, resulting in numerous unexpected deaths in a short period. Ralph Ineson, who also previously worked with Eggers on The Witch, has also recently appeared in a movie full of crucifixes, as Father Brennan in The First Omen. He will also appear in Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming classic horror movie reboot, Frankenstein.
Simon McBurney
Herr Knock
Image via Focus Features
Simon McBurney (The Conjuring 2) will appear in Nosferatu as a character named Herr Knock, who appears in the trailer giving a word of warning before he bites the head of a pigeon off. He appears to be in some sort of mental institution at the time, so it’s possible he had a close encounter with Count Orlok in the past and was deemed insane when he tried to warn people. McBurney most recently appeared in the medical drama A Mistake and as Runyan Millworthy in the supernatural fantasy drama series Carnival Row.
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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
Character(s) Count Orlok , Ellen Hutter , Thomas Hutter , Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz , Friedrich Harding , Anna Harding , Knock , Dr. Wilhelm Sievers , Dockhand , Head Nurse
Studio(s) Regency Enterprises , 1492 Pictures
English (US) ·