Robert Eggers' 'Werwulf' sets release date as Aaron Taylor-Johnson leads gothic horror
Robert Eggers is back to doing what he does best, creepy and atmospheric horror, but this time he is trading vampires for werewolves. The first trailer for 'Werwulf' just dropped, giving fans a haunting glimpse of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular creature. The film is set to hit theaters on December 25, making it a dark and chilling Christmas watch. Set in 13th-century England, the story unfolds in a foggy village where old legends start becoming terrifyingly real.
A mysterious creature begins stalking the countryside, and fear spreads quickly among the villagers. The trailer hints at a curse at the heart of it all, with Taylor-Johnson’s character seemingly caught in its grip. The film leans heavily into themes of faith, fear, and inner darkness. With haunting lines like “Do not dread the darkness. Embrace it,” the trailer builds an unsettling mood before revealing glimpses of chaos and panic. There’s talk of a “raving beast” tearing through the land, and it’s clear something sinister is taking hold.
Visually, 'Werwulf' sticks to Eggers’ signature style, using a grainy, old-school frame that adds to the eerie vibe. It shows Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Dafoe caught in a narrative driven by a family curse. One chilling line declares, "Thy soul is cursed. Thy kin are cursed," as the trailer builds toward a brief reveal of Taylor-Johnson’s werewolf transformation. 'Werwulf' reunites Eggers with several actors from his previous films. Taylor-Johnson and Depp both appeared in 'Nosferatu' (2024), while Dafoe also starred in that film, and Ineson worked with Eggers on 'The Witch.' Eggers co-wrote the script with Sjón, continuing their collaboration from 'The Northman.'
The film continues Eggers’ focus on historical horror, following 'The Witch', 'The Lighthouse', 'The Northman,' and 'Nosferatu'. Like his previous release, 'Werwulf' is also set for a Christmas Day debut. While the trailer keeps much of the plot under wraps, it establishes a central conflict rooted in a curse, with Taylor-Johnson’s character seemingly at its center and Depp’s character caught between fear and loyalty. With 'Werwulf', Eggers continues his streak of historical horror films, and if the trailer is anything to go by, this one promises to be just as haunting.
