It’s 1838, and the newly-married Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) and Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) have just returned home to Wisburg, Germany from their honeymoon. Thomas hopes to receive a promotion in order to afford a house, and is eager to prove himself to his employer, Herr Knock (Simon McBurney). The reclusive Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) is interested in buying the decrepit Grünewald Manor in Wisburg, but says that he is too ill to travel, and insists that someone bring the papers to him to close the deal. So, much to Ellen’s objections, Thomas embarks on the 6-week journey to the Carpathians in Transylvania. Ellen had strange dreams as a child, which have now suddenly returned, giving her an ominous warning about her husband’s journey.

As Thomas makes his way to Transylvania, he crosses paths with gypsies who recoil at the mention of Orlock’s name and even warn him of the vampiric legends. But it is not until Thomas arrives at the castle, that he realizes there may have been some truth to these stories. But it is too late, and he finds himself trapped and unable to leave, often waking up from his own nightmares to discover bite marks on his chest. Thomas desperately tries to escape, fearing that Orlock is after his wife, with whom he has some strange telepathic connection.

Meanwhile, back at home, Ellen’s nightmares and sleepwalking incidents grow worse. And so family friend Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his wife Anna (Emma Corrin) enlist the help of Dr. Wilhelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson) and his mentor, Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Dafoe). The Professor believes that Ellen’s issues cannot be cured with normal medicine, and that she is experiencing some kind of supernatural possession—they must find a way to stop the devil behind it, who is on his way, leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake.
 

Nosferatu is writer/director Robert Eggers’ remake of the 1922 film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. The earlier film was itself an unauthorized adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic Dracula, with an extremely similar story. The major characters and plot points are nearly identical to Dracula, just changing the names in hopes of avoiding copyright infringement. While this is a story we’ve seen numerous times on the big and small screen, Eggers’ take does feel a bit different. It goes heavy on the gothic look and love story, while also embracing the elements you’d find in demonic possession/exorcism and creature horror movies. The Count also looks very little like your traditional Dracula. Gone is the more dapper man in a black suit, bearing fangs and biting his victims in the neck. Instead, Orlock looks more like a Russian Nobleman, but under his hat and uniform, his head, face and body are rotting away. He looks more like a wild animal as he feasts on his victims from their chests. Bill Skarsgård is once again completely unrecognizable as he transforms into this murderous creature, speaking in a very deep, heavily-accented voice as he seeks and controls his prey. The film has an excellent cast. Lily-Rose Depp is phenomenal, contorting and convulsing her body as she finds herself possessed by this devil. At times it’s hard to believe that she is doing all of this practically and not with CG effects. Another highlight is Willem Dafoe (who seems to be a staple of Eggers’ films) as the Van Helsing-like character who’s the expert at stopping the Count. Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson feel slightly underutilized. Hoult is primarily just scared and frightened for the majority of the film, while Taylor-Johnson doesn’t really get a whole lot to do (can we get a Kraven vs Orlock movie?!), but I did enjoy both actors.

Writer/director Robert Eggers definitely has a visual eye, and can make a film that looks artsy and beautiful. The use of shadows and lighting in this film is quite creative, and the sets instantly transport the viewer back in time—the attention to detail is excellent.The film has an almost black and white feel at times which helps to accentuate the gothic nature of the movie. However, one of my complaints with Eggers’ films is always his obsession with dream sequences. I had a similar problem while watching The Northman—I find the excessive use of dream sequences to be a bit distracting, adding unnecessary confusion to the story, rather than just making things a bit more straightforward. Eggers like his quick, jarring cuts, and it’s not always clear what is a dream and what’s actually happening.

That said, I think fans of the Dracula story will be interested in seeing this different take, and those who love Eggers’ visual and storytelling styles will find more of the same.

Universal has released Nosferatu on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD. We received the Blu-ray release for review, and the presentation is very good. While I may not always be a fan of the way writer/director Robert Eggers tells his stories, he definitely has an eye for visual storytelling. The film is presented in an unusual 1.66:1 side matted aspect ratio, which nearly fills the screen. There is a mix of color and black and white, but in either case, the picture remains clean and clear, shots are beautifully composed, and the level of detail in the sets is spectacular and this shows on screen, and helps to transport the viewer back to this time and place. The use of shadows and lighting is very creative throughout, paying homage to the original move as well as other classics. The disc offers a very immersive audio track, whether it’s a storm brewing overhead, the unsettling sound of Orlock feeding on his victims, or the film’s intense score.

The Blu-ray release includes a single disc, which resides in standard HD keepcase, along with a glossy carboard slipcover, and an insert containing a code to redeem for an HD Movies Anywhere-compatible digital copy of the film. The disc includes two cuts of the film, 6 minutes of deleted scenes, an extensive 40-minute six-part behind-the-scenes featurette, as well as a director commentary track.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:12:29 Theatrical, 2:15:57 Extended Cut)

Blu-ray:
• 1080p / 16×9 1.66:1 Side Matted
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 3/31/2026):

• HD Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
Play All, or select from:

• Nosferatu Extended Cut (2:15:57)
  A new extended cut of the film is offered in addition to the original theatrical cut, though it differs by less than 4 minutes and only contains minor changes and a couple of extended scenes, such as additional dialogue between Thomas and Orlok in his castle.
• Deleted Scenes (5:52)
  Play All, or select from 3 deleted scenes:
  • Ellen at the Window (2:06)
    After Thomas pleads with Count Orlock to let him head home, he has a dream of Ellen staring out her window, gasping and breathing heavily as a shadow of a hand approaches her. He then wakes up to find bite marks on his chest.
  • Harding’s Bedchamber/Dark Corridor (2:38)
    Thomas runs through the corridors to escape the devil dogs but the Count finds him; Count Orlock beckons Ellen to dream of him; and Harding and Anna’s throws of passion are interrupted.
    
  • Behold, The Third Night (1:06)
    As the third night arrives, the men sail to the castle with torches, while Ellen prepares for her meeting with the Count.
• Nosferatu: A Modern Masterpiece (40:40)
  Extensive six-part look at the making of the film with the cast and crew. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, audition & movement choreography footage, and interviews with writer/director/producer Robert Eggers, director of photography Jarin Blaschke, movement choreographer Marie-Gabrielle Rotie, prosthetic & make-up FX designer David White, production designer Craig Lathrop, costume designer Linda Muir, visual effects supervisor Angela Barson, composer Robin Carolan, and stars Lily-Rose Depp (“Ellen Hutter”), Emma Corrin (“Anna Harding”), Nicholas Hoult (“Thomas Hutter”), Bill Skarsgård (“Count Orlok”), Willem Dafoe (“Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz”) & Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Friedrich Harding”). Play All, or select from:
  • Breathing Life Into a Dream (9:26)
    The cast and crew discuss the script, working with Eggers on this very personal project of his, the cast and performances, and more.
    
    
    
    
  • Becoming Count Orlok (6:12)
    Transforming actor Bill Skarsgård into this new version of Count Orlok using practical makeup effects, achieving the deep voice, the costume, and more.
    
  • Capturing the Mood (5:19)
    Writer/director Robert Eggers and cinematographer Jarin Blaschke discuss their longtime collaboration, as well as setting the dark, dreamlike atmosphere of the film, utilizing practical candlelight, shadows, snowfall, and more.
  • Recreating 1838 (6:29)
    Creating the lifelike, detailed sets that transport the viewer back in time, and provide an immersive playground for the actors.
    
  • Dressing the Part (5:55)
    A look at the film’s detailed and authentic costumes.
  • The End Is Just the Beginning (7:18)
    A look at how visual effects were used to enhance the practical effects in post-production, creating the score, and more.
    
• Feature Commentary With Writer/Director Robert Eggers (2:12:29 Theatrical, 2:15:57 Extended Cut)
  The writer/director provides a commentary track that plays over either version of the film. He discusses the tone and look of the film, talks about the cast and sets, points out a lot of the small details, and shares many behind-the-scenes stories about the production.

Final Thoughts:

Nosferatu is another take on the Dracula story, giving it more of a gothic feel and embracing the horror elements. It features a talented cast and is a very beautiful-looking movie. Those that love Eggers’ films will definitely find more of the same. While I did enjoy it overall, I found the same issues that I have with all of his films—a bit too long, and too many confusing dream sequences. Universal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds great, and includes an extensive behind-the-scenes featurette as well as some other entertaining bonus material. It’s worth a look for Dracula/Nosferatu/Eggers fans. Those on the fence can stream it first on Peacock, where it debuts this Friday, February 21.