Emerging from the forests of the night is our first look at Robert Eggers‘ latest historical horror. Star Aaron Taylor-Johnson is front and center in the first image from the period chiller Werwulf. It will be released on December 25, 2026.
In the new image, Taylor-Johnson is clad in era-appropriate garb as a 13th-century farmer; he’s in the woods and carrying a nasty-looking spear (and sporting an even nastier-looking beard). Accompanying him are three hunting dogs, perhaps presaging his character’s ultimate fate. As the title implies, soon he won’t be hunting with dogs or a spear, but with claws and fangs; he’s been subjected to a hideous curse, the full nature of which will likely not be revealed until the film’s Christmas Day release date. The film reunites the stars of Eggers’ last decidedly un-festive Christmas release, Nosferatu; in addition to Taylor-Johnson, it also stars Lily-Rose Depp as Taylor-Johnson‘s wife, Willem Dafoe as a hunter, and Ralph Ineson in an unspecified role. Joining them are newcomers Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Jack Morris, Jan Bijvoet, and Ritchi Edwards. While Christmas Day might seem like an odd release date for Eggers‘ brand of chilling horror, it was a success for Nosferatu; it grossed $182 million USD in 2024, and garnered rave reviews from critics.
What Do We Know About ‘Werwulf’?
Eggers claims that Werwulf is “the darkest thing I’ve ever written. By far,” and given the darkness of his previous films, including The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman, that’s saying a lot. The first footage of the film was shown off to attendees of CinemaCon in Las Vegas this past spring: Collider‘s Britta DeVore was on the scene, and reported back that it featured a rural village plagued by a werewolf, with the residents setting traps to rid themselves of the creature. While the footage didn’t have a full look at the beast, it did include a shot of Taylor-Johnson‘s slavering, fanged maw. It is shot in black and white, like The Lighthouse, and will include period-accurate Middle English.
Werwulf is directed by Eggers; he also co-wrote the script with Icelandic writer and musician Sjón, with whom he previously wrote The Northman. It is a production of Working Title Films, Focus Features, and Maiden Voyage Pictures, and will be distributed in North America by Focus.
Werwulf will rip into theaters starting on Christmas Day, 2026.
via Collider