Anya Taylor-Joy Rejoins Her 'Witch' Director For 'Nosferatu'

One of last year’s very best films was Robert Eggers‘ “The VVitch,” which we called a haunting and chilling film more in line with Kubrick and Ingmar Bergman than your average horror movie. It was more artsy than gory, more interested in building up dread within its atmosphere than conveying up any easy jump scares. It’s astonishing that this was Eggers’ debut picture. Directed with such assured, effective, veteran-like clarity that you’d think it was envisioned by someone twice his age. The film is mentioned as part of the indie horror new-wave we are currently experiencing at the movies, which also includes “The Babadook,” “It Follows,” “Get Out,” and “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.”

Suffice to say we were happy to learn that Eggers would be staying in the horror genre for his next film with a remake of “Nosferatu.” I’ve long had a fascination with “Nosferatu.” Sure, there’s the original 1922 F.W. Murnau classic, but Werner Herzog did an incredible job remaking it in 1979 with “Nosferatu the Vampyre.” Starring Klaus Kinski as the blood sucker, the role was performed in well…the only manner in which Klaus Kinski could embody him. Also 2000’s “Shadow of the Vampire” had Willem Dafoe earning an Oscar nomination for an astounding performance as Max Schreck, the supposed real life vampire Murnau hired to play the lead in his film. “Nosferatu” was and still is the best depiction of a blood-sucker in cinema. There’s hasn’t been anything that has come close to its brooding and disturbing vision.

I’m ecstatic to hear that Eggers has decided to make another period film, he seems to thrive in creating atmosphere. And the 17th Century time period of “Nosferatu,” which is where “The VVitch” also took place, will surely have the same assured attention to detail and deliver the same dreaded mood that he brought to his outstanding first film.

Now comes word that Eggers’ “The VVitch” star, Anya Taylor-Joy will be his lead in the film. Great news as she was mesmerizing in Eggers’ inaugural effort, but maybe even more so in the upcoming fest favorite “Thoroughbred” which has no release date as of now, but proved to critics that her talent was no fluke. You might also remember her commanding the screen in this spring’s M. Night Shyamalan-directed sleeper hit “Split.” Taylor-Joy is destined to become Hollywood’s new “it” girl with no less than 5 movies scheduled for release in the next 12 months, including her role as Magik in the upcoming “X-Men: The New Mutants.” Oh, and did I mention that later this year she’s supposed to be filming “Glass” which will be the sequel to “Split.” This girl is white hot and there’s no way we won’t be noticing her in the next few months [Variety]