After 82 days of shooting in England, Robert Eggers has officially wrapped Werwulf, his "darkest film by far" according to the man himself. Which, considering his filmography includes The Witch and Nosferatu, is the kind of warning that should come with a parental advisory.
Ralph Ineson confirmed the wrap with party photos on X, presumably celebrating with the kind of historically accurate mead Eggers probably insisted on. The cast is stacked: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe in lead roles, because apparently Eggers won't make a movie unless Dafoe can be weird and unsettling on camera. It's in the contract.
Here's what we know: Werwulf is a "gothic horror epic set in 13th-century England" featuring "time-period-accurate dialogue." Translation: audiences will need subtitles for medieval English, and Eggers wouldn't have it any other way. The man who made theater critics learn Old English pronunciation for The Lighthouse isn't about to compromise for modern sensibilities.
According to reports, the film was shot on 35mm Super 35 in a 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio—the same boxy, claustrophobic frame Eggers used for The Lighthouse. It's a deliberate choice: the narrow frame creates confinement, forces you into the frame with the characters, makes every shadow feel like it's closing in. Horror directors take note: aspect ratios matter.
Eggers co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón, the Icelandic poet who clearly shares his obsession with historical authenticity and psychological dread. Focus Features will distribute in North America, with a Christmas Day 2026 release date—because nothing says holiday cheer like werewolves and medieval terror.
Production came courtesy of Working Title's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, with Chris and Eleanor Columbus executive producing through Maiden Voyage. That's serious pedigree behind and in front of the camera.
What makes Eggers special isn't just his commitment to historical accuracy—it's that he uses that accuracy to unlock genuine primal fear. When everything feels real, down to the fabric weave and candle wax, the supernatural becomes terrifying again. Modern horror often leans on jump scares and gore. Eggers makes you feel like you've stepped into a nightmare that actually existed.
Will Werwulf be the film that finally gets Eggers his Oscar nomination? Doubtful—the Academy still treats horror like a guilty pleasure rather than a legitimate art form. But for those of us who appreciate directors with a singular vision and the talent to execute it, Christmas 2026 just became a lot more interesting.
In Hollywood, nobody knows anything—except that Robert Eggers knows everything about whatever century he's filming in.
