Werwulf: Willem Dafoe Says It "Doesn't Lean Into Normal Tropes"
· BCPosted in: Focus Features, Movies | Tagged: werwulf
Werwulf: Willem Dafoe Says It "Doesn't Lean Into Normal Tropes"
Werwulf star Willem Dafoe says we shouldn't expect any of the "normal tropes and none of the traditional werewolf stories."
Published Sun, 25 Oct 2026 13:16:08 -0500
by Kaitlyn Booth
|
Comments
Article Summary
- Willem Dafoe says Werwulf avoids familiar werewolf beats, teasing a darker and more unexpected Robert Eggers film.
- Dafoe calls Werwulf unnerving, beautiful, and powerful, while avoiding spoilers about the mysterious horror story.
- Robert Eggers has described Werwulf as a medieval werewolf film written with historically accurate Middle English.
- Following Nosferatu, Werwulf is shaping up as Eggers' next bold horror project ahead of its Christmas release.
Horror fans are eating well in 2026, and they are closing out the year with a new film from writer and director Robert Eggers. Focus Features has been drip-feeding us information on the new film as Christmas creeps ever closer, but cast members are interviewing for other movies they are starring in, and people are bringing it up. Someone like Willem Dafoe, who has worked with Eggers on multiple projects now, was asked about the film by JustWatch, and he did his best to avoid anything specific. He did note that you shouldn't expect any of the "normal tropes and none of the traditional werewolf stories" when you sit down to watch the film later this year.
"It's dark. It's unnerving. It's not a traditional horror. It's a continuation of his work. He gets better and better, I think. I don't want to get into spoiler territory… but it's impressive. It's beautiful," Dafoe said. "Werwulf is really interesting. It doesn't lean into the normal tropes and none of the traditional werewolf stories, so don't let the title throw you. I have to be careful about spoilers, but I'm very excited. I've seen it, and I like it a great deal. I just broke my rule – I'm judging my own work. But, I also want to get people juiced up and excited for this, because I think it's quite a beautiful and powerful film."
2024 ended on a high note for Eggers. People were a little nervous about Nosferatu for a couple of reasons, including the release date and whether the genre was still thriving. Eggers made one of the best films of 2024. While some award seasons are too busy giving awards to terrible musicals about Mexico made by French directors, the film is getting some love from the voting committees, as it rightly deserves. In early 2025, there were two big announcements for Eggers; he's reportedly writing and directing a sequel to Labryth, which is a whole can of worms unto itself, but he's also co-writing and directing a new original feature titled Werwulf.
According to Eggers, it's a "medieval werewolf film," with a script that uses Middle English historically accurate to the period. While Middle English is very hard to read and write, it's a little easier to speak once you wrap your head around it. Eggers said, "It's also the darkest thing I've ever written. By far."
Werwulf: Summary, Cast List, Release Date
Witness Robert Eggers' most visceral and haunting experience yet. Focus Features presents Werwulf, a harrowing tale of devotion, damnation, and the devil within.
Werwulf, directed by Robert Eggers and written by Robert Eggers and Sjón. Robert Eggers, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Garrett Bird, and Sjón are producers, and Chris Columbus, Eleanor Columbus, and Bernard Bellew are executive producers. Werwulf stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily-Rose Depp and will be released in theaters on December 25, 2025.
Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!