Summary
- Bill Skarsgård is to star in an horror remake of Nosferatu as Count Orlok, showcasing his talent for embodying complex and chilling characters.
- Scheduled for release in December 2024, this new horror film is directed by Robert Eggers, who is known for helming acclaimed horror flicks like The Witch and The Lighthouse.
- Count Orlok is set to be Bill Skarsgård's best villain role since Pennywise in the Stephen King franchise, solidifying his place as a top horror antagonist.
Stephen King franchise that stands out as a benchmark for his acting prowess.
It has been nearly half a decade since Skarsgård last portrayed the Stephen King villain, and he has played many other big-screen antagonists since then. However, it is still hard not to associate him with the Stephen King character because of the indelible mark he left with his performance and the depth with which the movie adaptation portrayed the villain. However, as impactful as his portrayal of the Stephen King villain might have seemed, Bill Skarsgård's take on a new villain in a horror remake of a timeless classic may turn out to be equally good (if not better).
Bill Skarsgård's New Movie Weirdly Copies Alexander Skarsgård's 2018 Sci-Fi (But Can Do It Better)
Bill Skarsgård's role in the action thriller Boy Kills World surprisingly resembles a character his brother Alexander played in a 2018 film.
Count Orlok Sounds Like The Perfect Bill Skarsgård Horror Villain After Pennywise
Count Olok could eventually become Bill Skarsgård's best horror villain
Bill Skarsgård will portray Count Orlok in the Nosferatu adaptation. Erroneously known as the titular Nosferatu, the antagonistic character is perfect for Bill Skarsgård, given how he has previously demonstrated his ability to embody complex and chilling characters like Pennywise in the adaptation of Stephen King's IT. Scheduled for release on 25 December 2024, the film is directed by Robert Eggers, who has a demonstrated history of helming memorable, critically acclaimed horror movies like The Witch and The Lighthouse.
Although most details surrounding the Nosferatu remake are still under the cover, the film's CinemaCon footage has given a glimpse of how closely it is adapting its source. The chilling footage opens with a scene in which a hand grabs Ellen Hutter's (Lily-Rose Depp) throat as she cups her hands and prays, "Come to me. Come to me, hear my call." With what follows, Ellen interacts with Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) in a hospital and asks him if evil comes "from within us or beyond." Announcing Nosferatu's arrival, the Professor says, "he is coming."
By featuring Nosferatu as a looming threat without fully revealing his form, the movie perfectly builds anticipation for Bill Skarsgård's portrayal of the sinister character.
While the footage does not explicitly show Bill Skarsgård's titular character, it ends with a brief scene where Nosferatu has a black cape-type robe and slowly turns around. By featuring Nosferatu as a looming threat without fully revealing his form, the movie perfectly builds anticipation for Bill Skarsgård's portrayal of the sinister character. How he will portray the character is yet to be seen, but his impressive track record of capturing the essence of menacing characters like Pennywise, coupled with Robert Eggers' ability to encapsulate the original's German Expressionism, effectively sells Nosferatu as a promising adaptation.
Bill Skarsgard's Next Horror Movie Villain Still Can't Beat IT's Box Office Success
Nosferatu's appeal may be relatively more niche than IT's
Robert Eggers' movies, especially the ones from the horror genre, usually garner optimistic reviews but do not have the mass appeal that drives many Stephen King adaptations like IT. Owing to this, it seems unlikely that Nosferatu will earn $1 billion at the box office. However, this does not necessarily mean Nosferatu will not be a profitable endeavor for the filmmakers behind it. As its CinemaCon footage suggests, Nosferatu still has the artistic merit, atmospheric storytelling, and talented leads like Bill Skarsgård that one would expect from an adaptation of the classic 1922 film, which will likely draw in many viewers.
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
- Cast
- Emma Corrin, Simon McBurney, Paul Maynard, Stacy Thunes
- Director
- Robert Eggers
- Writers
- Robert Eggers
- Studio(s)
- Regency Enterprises, 1492 Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Focus Features, Universal Pictures
