Alpha Gang will make its premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, announced as part of this year’s Special Presentations program.

The comedy follows “a group of alien invaders sent to conquer Earth. Disguised in human form as a 1950s leather-clad biker gang, they are ruthless in their mission… until they succumb to the most toxic and contagious human condition of all: emotion.”

Cate Blanchett (Tár, The Gift), Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future), Dave Bautista (Knock at the Cabin), Riley Keough (The Lodge), Lily-Rose Depp (Nosferatu), and Chris Pine (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) star.

Blanchett leads the cast; the two-time Oscar winner plays the Alpha Gang’s indomitable leader. Seydoux, Bautista, Depp, and Keough will play the gang members.

The alien invasion comedy is said to take place in a heightened reality, lensed by cinematographer Mike Gioulakis (Sasquatch Sunset, Us, It Follows). Based on the plot description and the Zellner Brothers’ flatulence-heavy Sasquatch Sunset, which starred an unrecognizable Riley Keough, it feels safe to expect an offbeat comedy ahead.

The Zellners produce for ZBi, along with Blanchett and Coco Francini for Dirty Films, Keough and Gina Gammell for Felix Culpa, Ryan Zacarias for Fat City, Andrea Bucko for Sugar Rush Pictures, Mary Aloe for Aloe Entertainment, and Joshua Harris for Peachtree Media Partners.

“Each year, we strive to curate a selection of films that feels most relevant to the moment with the power to spark a rich dialogue with our public audience, and these Special Presentations titles are true reflections of that,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “From debut directors to the most anticipated sophomore films of the year to vanguard voices, this group of films showcase the authenticity, the unexpected, and the ambition of cinema now. They are sure to be among the Festival’s most talked-about titles, captivating audiences and generating buzz long after the credits roll. We’re delighted to share these original works with TIFF audiences in September.”

TIFF launches its 51st edition this September 10-20. 

Stay tuned for more as it arrives.

The post ‘Alpha Gang’ First Image Introduces Alien Invaders in New Comedy from ‘Sasquatch Sunset’ Duo appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Set in 13th-century England, Werwulf sees a mysterious creature stalk the land as local folklore becomes a terrifying reality. The film hits theaters on December 25 via Focus Features.

Eggers directs from a script he penned with his The Northman co-writer Sjón.

It’s not just our first glimpse at the medieval werewolf tale, it’s also a first look at Eggers’ unique visual approach. “We shot on 35mm film, and we used an orthochromatic treatment in post to make the skin tones more wrecked [with complexions that appear sickly or discolored]. Additionally, we’ve found a way to incorporate the grain structure of black-and-white film onto color film. So it has a very unique look.” Eggers recently told Esquire.

Eggers also noted that Taylor-Johnson spent time with a real wolf, studying its behavior for his cursed portrayal.

The filmmaker also recently teased, “It’s the darkest thing I’ve ever written. By far.”

That certainly seems to be the case with the new trailer.

Lily-Rose Depp (Nosferatu), Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse), Ralph Ineson (The Witch), and Bodhi Rae Breathnach (Hamnet) also star.

Werwolf will also reunite Eggers with frequent collaborator Craig Lathrop, the production designer on all his previous works.

Like Eggers’ previous effort, Nosferatu, this bloody horror tale arrives in theaters on Christmas Day.

The post Aaron Taylor-Johnson Undergoes Bestial Transformation in First ‘Werwulf’ Trailer appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Additionally, Lily-Rose Depp (Nosferatu) is currently in talks to join the film as well.

Set in the 13th century and being described as a medieval horror movie, Robert Eggers’ Werwulf will howl its way into theaters from Focus Features on Christmas Day 2026.

The filmmaker co-wrote the screenplay for Werwulf alongside Sjón, the Icelandic poet and novelist who previously co-wrote the Viking movie The Northman with Eggers. Sjón has also been announced as the co-writer for a new Labyrinth movie being directed by Eggers.

Chris Columbus, who produced Nosferatu, is on board to produce Werwulf.

While Universal hasn’t had much success with their recent attempts to bring classic monsters back to life for today’s audiences, with this year’s Wolf Man performing poorly at the box office, their Focus Features branch is looking to pick up some of that slack. Nosferatu has out-grossed recent “Universal Monsters” films including The Invisible Man, Renfield, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Abigail and the aforementioned Wolf Man, so staying in the Robert Eggers business and allowing him to make his own prestige monster movies is a wise choice.

Stay tuned for more on Robert Eggers’ Werwulf as we learn it.

The post ‘Werwulf’ – Aaron Taylor-Johnson Joins Robert Eggers Werewolf Movie With Lily-Rose Depp in Talks appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Odessa, It Comes At Night) and Doona Bae (Rebel Moon) join Pine and Depp; character details remain under wraps.

Alpha Gang follows “a group of alien invaders sent to conquer Earth. Disguised in human form as a 1950s leather-clad biker gang, they are ruthless in their mission… until they succumb to the most toxic and contagious human condition of all: emotion.”

The alien invasion comedy is said to take place in a heightened reality, lensed by cinematographer Mike Gioulakis (Sasquatch Sunset, Us, It Follows). Based on the plot description and the Zellner Brothers’ previous work, it feels safe to expect things to get weird with their latest.

Cate Blanchett, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, and Riley Keough, who reunites with her Sasquatch Sunset directors, will also star. It’s Blanchett who leads the cast; the two-time Oscar winner plays the Alpha Gang’s indomitable leader. Seydoux, Bautista, and Keough will play the gang members.

When the project was announced last year, Channing Tatum, Zoë Kravitz, and Steven Yeun were also in the ensemble as alien gang members but have since dropped out, likely for scheduling reasons.

The Zellner brothers are producing for ZBi, along with Blanchett and Coco Francini for Dirty Films, Keough and Gina Gammell for Felix Culpa, Ryan Zacarias for Fat City, Andrea Bucko for Sugar Rush Pictures, Mary Aloe for Aloe Entertainment, and Joshua Harris for Peachtree Media Partners.

Stay tuned.

The post Chris Pine and Lily-Rose Depp Join Alien Invasion Comedy ‘Alpha Gang’ from ‘Sasquatch Sunset’ Filmmakers appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In addition to the 132-minute theatrical cut, viewers can sink their fangs into a 136-minute extended cut.

Special Features:

• Nosferatu Extended Cut
• Audio Commentary by Writer-Director Robert Eggers
• Nosferatu: A Modern Masterpiece – Explore the deepest, darkest depths of Nosferatu with the actors and artists whose commitment and craftwork take the classic vampire epic to horrifying new heights.
  • Breathing Life Into a Dream – Filmmaker Robert Eggers’ lifelong dream becomes a startling cinematic nightmare as the actors collaborate on transformative performances to make his Gothic vision an astonishing reality.
  • Becoming Count Orlok – Practical makeup FX seamlessly meld with Bill Skarsgård’s bold interpretation of Count Orlok to resurrect a villain whose unsettling appearance is both creepy and captivating.
  • Capturing the Mood – From sunlight, snowfall, and shadows to candlelight and complicated camera moves, see how each visually rich detail contributes to Nosferatu’s incredibly eerie atmosphere.
  • Recreating 1838 – Open a virtual time capsule with production designer Craig Lathrop, whose intricately detailed sets immerse viewers in an entirely authentic world.
  • Dressing the Part – Whether accenting Count Orlok’s otherworldliness or telling background tales through clothing, watch costume designer Linda Muir fashion distinct looks that extend each character’s story.
  • The End is Just the Beginning – Visual effects supervisor Angela Barson and composer Robin Carolan enhance Nosferatu‘s nightmarish fantasy using stunning CGI and a breathtaking score.
• Deleted Scenes
  
  • Ellen at the Window
  • Harding’s Bedchamber/Dark Corridor
  • Behold, the Third Night

A reimagination of F.W. Murnau‘s 1922 silent horror classic, Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.

Bill Skarsgård stars as Count Orlok with Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her 5-skull review, “It’s so impeccably crafted, boasting production design and values rarely seen in horror like this, without sacrificing the taboo-pushing, visceral horror in the process. It’s operatic and dramatic, bold and revolting, with a powerful final shot for the ages. And Eggers’ Nosferatu happens to be set over Christmas. That all but ensures this macabre masterpiece is destined to become a new holiday horror classic.”

Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, Nosferatu is Eggers’ highest grossing film with $156.3 million worldwide and took to the top spot on Bloody Disgusting’s Top 15 Best Horror Movies of 2024.

The post Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ Extended Cut Sinks Its Fangs Into Digital Today, Physical Media in February appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is arguably the most important and well-known horror text in modern history. Originally published in 1897, this epistolary novel follows a young solicitor and his wife as they’re attacked by an ancient vampire attempting to move from his isolated castle to the bustling UK. Stoker’s gothic story was itself adapted from centuries of folklore describing a night-dwelling beast who seduces then sucks the blood of innocent victims. Twenty-five years after publication, F.W. Murnau brought Stoker’s novel to the screen in the 1922 silent film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. Set in 1838, this loose and unauthorized retelling chronicles a similar vampiric plague in the fictional town of Wisborg, Germany. More than a century later, Robert Eggers tackles these two classic texts while adding his particular brand of feminist mysticism. Rather than a helpless victim corrupted by darkness, his version of the vampire’s bride is a sensitive heroine with transcendental talents who gives her life to vanquish the bloodthirsty beast. 

Both Dracula and Nosferatu center a damsel in distress with varying levels of agency. Stoker’s Mina Harker is a young and dutiful wife sent to stay with a wealthy friend named Lucy while her husband Jonathan travels to the castle of a Transylvanian nobleman called Count Dracula. Revealed to be an ancient vampire, Dracula follows Mina to the seaside town of Whitby and begins transforming Lucy into a creature of the night. While she does have some agency, Mina’s life revolves around caring for others. A former teacher’s assistant, the idealistic young woman has given up her own career and learned to type with plans of serving as secretary for her husband’s ambitions. Stoker’s Mina is a traditional woman of the time, valued for her purity and content to dedicate her time and energy to her husband.

Her 1922 counterpart has even less humanity. Ellen (Greta Schröder) is the new wife of Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim) who spends her time playing with kittens and mourning the death of freshly cut flowers. She’s devastated when her husband embarks on a business trip to the castle of Count Orlok and whiles away the hours staring at the sea. Like Mina, the corruption of this virtuous woman becomes the vampire’s true threat and the men in her life will do anything to prevent this offensive defilement. Thus both wives become extensions of their husbands rather than characters themselves. They are punished for simply existing in the orbit of these wreckless men and fall into the undead creature’s sights by mistake.

Unlike Murnau’s original ingénue, Eggers’ Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) is a complex character unto herself. Born with second sight, she has established a psychic connection with the ancient Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) who appears as a spectre in the open window of her childhood bedroom. Describing her mysterious powers, she remembers accurately predicting the contents of her Christmas presents and foreseeing her mother’s untimely death. Though born into relative privilege, Ellen knows the hell that would befall her should anyone discover her unique talents and call her a witch. She expresses a vague fear of being sent to a sanitarium and recalls her father’s shame and scorn after discovering his daughter in the midst of a mystical trance. Longing for connection, she reaches out to the darkness and catches the attention of Nosferatu. 

This subtle shift in origin presents Ellen as the more powerful character. Though Orlok is a dreadful beast, his evil did not spark her supernatural abilities and they do not revolve solely around him. Over the years this dark being has haunted her dreams, occasionally taking control of her body to cause terrible outbursts and seizures, but she has found a way to resist his attacks. Her marriage to the virtuous Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) has brightened her days and given her the strength to pull away from the vampire’s grip. Unfortunately, it seems that Orlok has discovered their union and orchestrated a way to bring Thomas to his castle. Not only will a trip to the Carpathian Mountains place him in mortal danger, Ellen fears this contact will plunge her back into Orlok’s otherworldly realm. Rather than a byproduct of a business deal gone horrifically wrong, Eggers’ Ellen lies at the heart of the horror.

A work of post-Enlightenment fiction, Dracula features a male fixation with innovation and technology. As Lucy’s life hangs in the balance, a doctor named Abraham Van Helsing arrives to perform a dazzling blood transfusion designed to save her from the undead curse. This academic warrior has become known throughout the literary world as a vampire hunter skilled at using new technology to battle centuries-old folklore. Murnau’s variant is Professor Bulwer (John Gottowt), a Swiss Paracelsian who specializes in parasitic plants and demonstrates the predatory nature of phantom-like organisms. Both credentialled men take charge of the paranormal mission and use scientific knowledge to defeat an occult figure, dismissing ancient traditions as regressive barbarism. 

Eggers’ Swiss doctor, Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Dafoe), has a more charitable view of the natural world. Though still a Paracelsian, he’s been ejected from the medical community for studying occult practices and naturopathy. By opening himself up to the feminized wisdom of ages past and embracing the more mystical side of the world, he’s able to pinpoint the monster’s weakness and find a way to defeat him. In Ellen, he recognizes a kindred spirit and sees her disturbing trances as a method for communicating with the forces that plague the city rather than the demented ravings of a madwoman. By embracing her telepathic powers, he devises a plan to distract the foolhardy Thomas and battle Count Orlok on the demon’s own terms.  

Other than Franz, the men of Eggers’ story prove to be quite ineffective. Should Thomas heed his wife’s warnings about this ill-advised trip, Orlok’s plague would never befall their family or the city at large. But the young house agent is consumed with earning a respectable position in his employer’s firm. He not only ignores his wife’s pleas to stay, but presses on in spite of grave local legends about the vampire’s castle. Thomas claims a desire to provide for Ellen and give her the finer things in life, likely idolizing his wealthy former schoolmate Friedrich (Aaron Tayloe-Johnson). Seeing the strength of his friend’s marriage to Anna (Emma Corrin), Thomas believes he can replicate it through financial stability. He’s also in debt to the prosperous shipbuilder and longs to see himself as above taking charity. Ellen insists she only wants her husband to stay and delivers dire warnings about the horrors to come. But Thomas ignores her strenuous pleas and sends her to stay with Friedrich and Anna, promising to return after securing his fortune.

For his part, Friedrich provides Ellen with a warm and loving home, but never fails to mention his own generosity. He calls on Dr. Sievers (Ralph Ineson) to treat her mysterious malady, but endorses controlling treatment that leaves her drugged and tied to the bed to prevent her seizures from damaging his property. Friedrich is a loving husband and father but clearly views women as subservient. When Ellen dares to have an honest conversation about the dark curse headed their way, he viciously chides her for speaking above her station and insists she adopt manners when addressing a man of his importance. Despite his outward strength, Friedrich falls victim to Orlok’s spell and sleeps through the massacre of his children and wife. Their deaths tear the fragile man apart and he sneaks into the crypt to lay with Anna’s body. For all his wealth and bluster, Friedrich cannot stop the plague from destroying his family and crumbles under the weight of his own emotion. 

Rather than a dehumanized female prize or leverage in a sinister struggle for power, Eggers allows Ellen to be a complete human being. Even in the grips of his depravity, Orlok needs her willing consent to consummate their unholy union. No longer an extension of her husband’s house and a tangible measurement of his injury, Ellen is the key to Orlok’s undoing. The hideous Count gives her three nights to renounce her love for Thomas and return to their dark compact, threatening her loved ones if she will not agree. Desperate to save Thomas, Ellen conspires with Franz to offer herself to the beast then distract him with her blood until first morning’s light. 

Both versions of this conclusion require a female sacrifice, but Eggers gives his heroine agency and empowerment. In a book she’s been forbidden to read, Murnau’s Ellen learns that it must be “a maiden wholly without sin” who can defeat the monster. By contrast, Eggers’ Ellen is “a pure-hearted woman,” leaving important space for her humanity. She’s allowed to transcend the unrealistic ideals for Victorian women and sacrifice herself regardless of the fact that she is not perfect. Questioning her own virtue, Ellen asks Franz, “if evil comes from within or beyond,” implying feelings of guilt and responsibility for Orlok’s attack. However, Franz assures her that whether man or woman, we all have darkness lurking in the recesses of our hearts. It’s only by confronting our sins and imperfections that we can find the strength to drive them out and combat evil from a place of understanding. 

In fact it’s because of Ellen’s rare gift that she is able to become the city’s ultimate savior. The brave woman calls out to Orlok and invites him into her bedchamber where she willingly agrees to be his dark bride. Consumed with feeding, he forgets to return to his ornate sarcophagus. As the sun rises, Orlok lifts his head, but Ellen issues a dreadful invitation. “More,” she whispers, directing the monster back to her breast where he continues draining her life’s blood. This simple addition implies choice and empowerment while elevating the character to a position of strength. Whereas Murnau’s Ellen simply succumbs to the vampire’s attack, Eggers’ heroine has willingly given her life to save the man she loves and a city plagued with the vampire’s curse. But not because she is without sin. In fact, it’s because she has command of witchlike powers that she is able to defeat this powerful entity. Eggers’ Ellen is not vilified for her connection to darkness, but becomes a hero because of her supernatural skill. 

We’re introduced to the doomed young woman as she prays for absolution, mirroring a moment from the director’s debut film The Witch. This dark story follows another young woman tempted by darkness who ultimately finds salvation by rejecting the shackles of a patriarchal world. Eggars concludes his fourth film with a grim depiction of victorious death. Lying underneath Count Orlok’s bleeding corpse, Ellen’s ruined body is honored by a scattering of lilacs. This image recalls Murnau’s introduction to his arguably reductive character. When Hutter presents his young wife with a bouquet of flowers, she’s shocked that the delicate blossoms will die as a result of being clipped from the earth. A relic of its time, Murnau’s film gives Ellen little more humanity than the flowers she holds. Valued only for her purity, she is a beautiful specimen who dies as a symbol of feminine grace. Eggers’ Ellen is a multifaceted woman, likely a witch, who is only made stronger because of her flaws.

The post How ‘Nosferatu’ Became a Feminist Retelling of a Horror Classic appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Releasing in theaters on Christmas, Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman in 19th-century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him.

Lily-Rose Depp stars as Ellen Hutter, the woman who unwittingly summons the beast and finds herself locked in a dark love triangle that also includes her pure-hearted husband Thomas (Nicholas Hoult).

“What’s really interesting about their dynamic is that it’s not so straightforward as she’s being pursued by this disgusting beast that she wants nothing to do with,” Depp told Bloody Disgusting about Ellen and Orlok’s relationship. “There is a real yearning and connection that goes both ways between the two of them.”

Depp continues, “That was an interesting line to toe because Rob [Eggers] wanted there to be, especially, without giving anything away, a real palpable sensuality in those [late] scenes, which I think makes everything all the more terrifying and complex and fascinating to watch. Because he also represents the darkness within her that she’s trying to come to terms with. Again, without giving anything away, I think indulging in that also represents accepting within herself.” 

Eggers dove deep when researching for Nosferatu, pulling from folklore for his central antagonist. In other words, he had a specific vision in mind for Count Orlok. Yet Skarsgård still brought something unexpected to his performance that surprised the director and added depth to the vampire’s connection to Ellen.

Eggers tells us about his Count Orlok, “I mean, I suppose it is in the writing. I was thinking back to [George Gordon] Byron’s poem, that was potentially one of the first or second times that a vampire is mentioned in English language literature, and even there, the vampire, in the Anglo-literary tradition, has some melancholy and some pathos. So I suppose I was thinking about that.

“But I was so obsessed with making him a villain that I sort of forgot about it. And Bill brought that pathos. It was really important because it’s obviously Ellen’s story; she’s the victim of this vampire, and she’s also the hero of the story. But Orlok is just as alone as she is.“

It’s that strange loneliness of both characters that’s at the heart of Nosferatu. I wrote in my review, “Nosferatu isn’t a love story in the conventional sense – this demonic Strigoi isn’t capable of such an emotion – but it does depict one of the most riveting and macabre love triangles in cinema. Thomas and Ellen’s love is pure and wholesome and occasionally even raw, but Ellen remains an irresistible siren to her violent, evil ex-lover. One willing to destroy everything.”

My 5-star review for Bloody Disgusting continues, “It’s a grotesque twist on a love triangle, one that Eggers fearlessly pushes into revolting territory thanks to his eponymous vampire.“

The post A Macabre Love Triangle: Robert Eggers and Lily-Rose Depp Discuss the Sensuality of ‘Nosferatu’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The sheer volume of Dracula adaptations, official or otherwise, naturally begs the question of whether there’s anything left to mine from Stoker’s foundational story. Writer/Director Robert Eggers (The Northman, The Witch) immediately dispels any notion that his adaptation could possibly offer another straightforward yet handsomely crafted retread. The filmmaker’s steadfast commitment to period authenticity and immersive set pieces delivers a breathtaking, immersive experience, but it’s the way that Eggers reinterprets Murnau’s seminal work as a psychosexual gothic tragedy that transforms this adaptation into a mesmeric macabre masterpiece.

The first drastic departure comes before the Nosferatu title card even appears as it introduces protagonist Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), a social outcast begging for an end to her loneliness. She cries out into the dark for an angel to save her, but instead, her pleas awaken a menacing evil, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), creating an impenetrable bond of death and obsession between them. Years later, Ellen finds salvation in new husband Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), but Orlok’s quest to claim Ellen as his is only just beginning.

Depp turns in an incredible physical performance as Ellen, a preternaturally gifted woman born centuries ahead of her time. This Ellen is an outsider for her premonitions and eerie bouts with melancholy that present as horrific seizures that only her doting but clueless husband seems to quell. Of course, these violent fits come right at dusk, a vulgar display of power hailing all the way from Transylvania from an undead abusive lover.

Nosferatu isn’t a love story in the conventional sense – this demonic Strigoi isn’t capable of such an emotion – but it does depict one of the most riveting and macabre love triangles in cinema. Thomas and Ellen’s love is pure and wholesome, and occasionally even raw, but Ellen remains an irresistible siren to her violent, evil ex-lover. One willing to destroy everything. It’s a grotesque twist on a love triangle, one that Eggers fearlessly pushes into revolting territory thanks to his eponymous vampire. There’s nothing romantic at all about the walking corpse with an insatiable appetite for blood, though lust may be a different story.

Much has been touted about Bill Skarsgård’s unrecognizable transformation as Count Orlok, instilling monstrous expectations. Eggers, presenting a more traditional Transylvanian nobleman for Orlok’s garbs and origins, doesn’t shy away from making his central villain as repulsive as possible. It’s in the startling glimpses of his putrid flesh or the nauseating animalistic slurps of Orlok’s feeding as he hovers over prey in sexually prone ways. Yet it’s not the most jaw-dropping aspect of Skarsgård’s portrayal; the committed actor trained extensively with an opera singer to lower his voice an entire register. Orlok doesn’t just look intensely commanding but sounds dangerously powerful as well.

There’s not a single facet of Nosferatu that doesn’t impress for the sheer artistry on display. Night scenes aren’t simply well-lit; they’re re-envisioned as monochromatic nightmares, evocative of black and white gothic horror classics. Craig Lathrop’s exquisite production design whisks audiences on a tactile journey filled with dread-inducing decrepit castles, a city torn asunder by plague, gypsy camps, and beyond. Robin Carolan’s triumphant score, combined with Damian Volpe’s unsettling sound design, only furthers the immersive gothic spell. As beautiful as the costuming, set pieces, and dreamy cinematography can be, complete with quiet long takes and ethereal camera work, it’s equally matched by the horror on display. Violent deaths, an excess of blood, and necrophilia ensue in great abundance.

Ellen and Count Orlok make for one of the more morbid visions of Beauty and the Beast, but that also applies to Eggers’ visual language and storytelling. It’s so impeccably crafted, boasting production design and values rarely seen in horror like this, without sacrificing the taboo-pushing, visceral horror in the process. It’s operatic and dramatic, bold and revolting, with a powerful final shot for the ages. And Eggers’ Nosferatu happens to be set over Christmas. That all but ensures this macabre masterpiece is destined to become a new holiday horror classic.

Nosferatu releases in theaters on December 25, 2024.

The post ‘Nosferatu’ Review – Robert Eggers’ Macabre Masterpiece Heralds a New Holiday Horror Classic appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Check out a brand new image above and expect more soon.

Bill Skarsgård is playing Nosferatu/Count Orlok in the film.

“Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman in 19th century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him.”

Willem Dafoe, Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin and Lily-Rose Depp also star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kraven the Hunter), Simon McBurney and Ralph Ineson.

Eggers (The Witch, The Northman) directs and he wrote the script. Eggers also serves as a producer alongside Chris Columbus, Eleanor Columbus, Jeff Robinov, and John Graham. 

F.W. Murnau directed the original 1922 version of Nosferatu, while fellow German filmmaker Werner Herzog notably directed his own version of the classic tale back in 1979.

The 1922 silent movie followed the vampire Count Orlok, who wants to buy a house in Germany and becomes enamored with the real-estate agent’s wife. It was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” which almost led to all copies being destroyed.

The post ‘Nosferatu’ – Bloody New Look at Lily-Rose Depp in Robert Eggers Remake appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Well, a bit of a different iteration of that project, at least…

Deadline reports that Bill Skarsgard and Lily-Rose Depp have come on board the ship, with Robert Eggers planning to make Nosferatu as his next movie for Focus Features.

Bill Skarsgard will reportedly be playing Nosferatu/Count Orlock in the film!

As for Anya Taylor-Joy, it seems she’s now off the project.

Deadline’s report indicates, “In the new reimagining, the pic is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (Depp) in 19th century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire (Skarsgard) who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him.”

Eggers (The Witch, The Northman) is directing and he also wrote the script.

F.W. Murnau directed the original 1922 version of Nosferatu, while fellow German filmmaker Werner Herzog notably directed his own version of the classic tale back in 1979.

[Related] Creeping Shadows: Why ‘Nosferatu’ Still Holds Up 100 Years Later

The 1922 silent movie followed the vampire Count Orlok, who wants to buy a house in Germany and becomes enamored with the real-estate agent’s wife. It was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” which almost led to all copies being destroyed. Nevertheless, Nosferatu still endures after all these years, and it looks like he’ll soon return…

The post ‘Nosferatu’ – Robert Eggers Remake Returns to Life with Bill Skarsgård and Lily-Rose Depp appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Keira Knightley stars in the “darkly comedic drama,” which Meagan reviewed out of the Toronto International Film Festival’s World Premiere, writing that “Silent Night hides grim tragedy within [an] awkward Christmas comedy.”

“Silent Night follows a group of old friends who – in true British fashion and while the rest of the world faces impending doom – reunite to celebrate Christmas in the comfort of an idyllic country home. Burdened with the inconvenience of mankind’s imminent destruction, they adopt a stiff upper lip, crack open another bottle of prosecco and continue with their festivities. But no amount of stoicism can replace the courage needed for their last night on Earth.”

The film also stars Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Ṣọpé Dìrísù, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lucy Punch, Rufus Jones and Trudie Styler.

The post ‘Silent Night’: The End of the World Has Alternate Endings on DVD and Blu-ray appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Keira Knightley stars in the “darkly comedic drama,” which Meagan reviewed out of the Toronto International Film Festival’s World Premiere, writing that “Silent Night hides grim tragedy within [an] awkward Christmas comedy.”

“Silent Night follows a group of old friends who – in true British fashion and while the rest of the world faces impending doom – reunite to celebrate Christmas in the comfort of an idyllic country home. Burdened with the inconvenience of mankind’s imminent destruction, they adopt a stiff upper lip, crack open another bottle of prosecco and continue with their festivities. But no amount of stoicism can replace the courage needed for their last night on Earth.”

The film also stars Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Ṣọpé Dìrísù, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lucy Punch, Rufus Jones and Trudie Styler.

It hails from prom producers Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman franchise), Trudie Styler (Moon) and Celine Rattray (The Kids Are Alright).

The post AMC+ Toasts ‘Silent Night’s’ December 3rd Premiere With a New Image! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Nathalie Biancheri (Nocturnal) directed Wolf, releasing domestically on December 3.

Watch the official trailer below, promising a highly unique love story.

In the film, “Believing he is a wolf trapped in a human body, Jacob (George MacKay) eats, sleeps, and lives like a wolf – much to the shock of his family.

“When he’s sent to a clinic, Jacob and his animal-bound peers are forced to undergo increasingly extreme forms of ‘curative’ therapies. However once he meets the mysterious Wildcat (Lily-Rose Depp), and as their friendship blossoms into an undeniable infatuation, Jacob is faced with a challenge: will he renounce his true self for love.”

Wolf is written and directed by Nathalie Biancheri, produced by Jessie Fisk and Jane Doolan, and co-produced by Mariusz Wlodarski and Agnieszka Wasiak. MacKay and Depp are joined by a talented ensemble including Senan Jennings, Darragh Shannon, Elisa Fionuir, Lola Petticrew, Amy Macken, Fionn O’Shea, Paddy Considine, Karise Yansen and Eileen Walsh.

The post A Man With Species Identity Disorder Believes He’s a ‘Wolf’ in Upcoming Focus Features Movie [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Wolf will be released domestically on December 3, 2021.

In the film, “Believing he is a wolf trapped in a human body, Jacob (George MacKay) eats, sleeps, and lives like a wolf – much to the shock of his family.

“When he’s sent to a clinic, Jacob and his animal-bound peers are forced to undergo increasingly extreme forms of ‘curative’ therapies. However once he meets the mysterious Wildcat (Lily-Rose Depp), and as their friendship blossoms into an undeniable infatuation, Jacob is faced with a challenge: will he renounce his true self for love.”

Wolf is written and directed by Nathalie Biancheri, produced by Jessie Fisk and Jane Doolan, and co-produced by Mariusz Wlodarski and Agnieszka Wasiak. MacKay and Depp are joined by a talented ensemble including Senan Jennings, Darragh Shannon, Elisa Fionuir, Lola Petticrew, Amy Macken, Fionn O’Shea, Paddy Considine, Karise Yansen and Eileen Walsh.

The post A Man Believes He’s a ‘Wolf’ in Upcoming Movie from Focus Features Starring Lily-Rose Depp appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The film, which is directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, is set in the 1930’s and follows Portman and Rose Depp as sisters who, “…are believed to possess the supernatural ability to connect with ghosts. They cross paths with a visionary French producer while performing in Paris.”

In 1930s France, two sisters (Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp) who perform as supernatural mediums cross paths with a visionary film producer.

Here’s the official trailer to go along with the theatrical art and new stills.

The post Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp In ‘Planetarium’ (Trailer) appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The film, which is directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, is set in the 1930’s and follows Portman and Rose Depp as sisters who, “…are believed to possess the supernatural ability to connect with ghosts. They cross paths with a visionary French producer while performing in Paris.”

In 1930s France, two sisters (Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp) who perform as supernatural mediums cross paths with a visionary film producer.

Thanks to Fabien M. for the tip!

The post [TIFF ’16] Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp In ‘Planetarium’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This news came just after Smith found out that the film, originally rated R, had been bumped down to a PG-13 rating for unknown reasons.

The full trailer is now here and cooks up trouble with “bratzi,” you know, Smith dressed up as a foot tall Canadian Nazi made of sentient Bratwurst. There’s also a ton of shit emojis, a monster with a hockey mask (nope, not Jason), and Stan Lee!

We also get to see a film starring Smith and his BFF Johnny Depp’s daughters, Harley Quinn Smith and Lily-Rose Depp.

The two star as Colleen Collette and Colleen McKenzie, who are teenage besties from Winnipeg who love yoga and live on their smartphones. But when these sophomores get invited to a senior party by the school hottie, the Colleens accidentally uncover an ancient evil buried beneath their Canadian convenience store. They join forces with legendary man-hunter Guy Lapointe to fight for their lives.

The pic also stars Michael Parks, Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez, Ralph Garman, Jennifer Schwalbach, Harley Morenstein, Stan Lee, Tony Hale, Natasha Lyonne, Austin Butler, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey, Jason Mewes, and Johnny Depp.

Tour dates:
6/1 – New Orleans, LA at the Joy Theater
6/2 – Ponte Vedra, FL at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
6/6 – Houston, TX at The Houston Improv
6/12 – Columbus, OH at Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse
7/8 – Durham, NC at The Carolina Theatre
7/12 – San Jose, CA at The Improv
7/17 – San Francisco, CA at Cobbs Comedy Club

The post ‘Yoga Hosers’ Trailer: Bratzi, Monsters, Sh-t Emojis and Stan Lee! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This news comes just after Smith found out that the film, originally rated R, had been bumped down to a PG-13 rating for unknown reasons.

But I digress… here’s a new international trailer that shows how wild and wacky this genre comedy is going to be.

What can we expect? How about a box filled with “bratzi,” you know, Smith dressed up as a foot tall Canadian Nazi made of sentient Bratwurst. Not kidding. Take a look.

We also get to see a film starring Smith and his BFF Johnny Depp’s daughters, Harley Quinn Smith and Lily-Rose Depp.

The two star as Colleen Collette and Colleen McKenzie, who are teenage besties from Winnipeg who love yoga and live on their smartphones. But when these sophomores get invited to a senior party by the school hottie, the Colleens accidentally uncover an ancient evil buried beneath their Canadian convenience store. They join forces with legendary man-hunter Guy Lapointe to fight for their lives.

The pic also stars Michael Parks, Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez, Ralph Garman, Jennifer Schwalbach, Harley Morenstein, Stan Lee, Tony Hale, Natasha Lyonne, Austin Butler, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey, Jason Mewes, and Johnny Depp.

Tour dates:
6/1 – New Orleans, LA at the Joy Theater
6/2 – Ponte Vedra, FL at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
6/6 – Houston, TX at The Houston Improv
6/12 – Columbus, OH at Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse
7/8 – Durham, NC at The Carolina Theatre
7/12 – San Jose, CA at The Improv
7/17 – San Francisco, CA at Cobbs Comedy Club

The post Kevin Smith and Johnny Depp’s Daughters Fight Bratzi in This ‘Yoga Hosers’ Trailer appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The film, which is directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, is set in the 1930’s and follows Portman and Rose Depp as sisters who, “…are believed to possess the supernatural ability to connect with ghosts. They cross paths with a visionary French producer while performing in Paris.”

THR originally wrote:

The political context of “Planetarium” will have a modern resonance with the current crisis and rise of extremism in Europe. The character of the producer is freely inspired by Jewish producer Bernard Natan, one of the biggest French film industry figures of the ’20s and ’30s, who eventually died in Auschwitz.

The film is expected to be released in May, 2016. It will also be heading to the EFM in Berlin. Here’s your first look:

Thanks to Fabien M. for the tip!

The post First Look: Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp In ‘Planetarium’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

High school sophomores Colleen Colette (Depp) and Colleen McKenzie (Smith) just want to go to a senior party, but they are forced to work that night. While on duty, the army of little creatures that’s been creeping around town, attacks them.

I guess Smith already revealed the creatures are Bratzis. I would’ve tried to write around it but this saves me. The little Nazi bratwursts are so weird that the obvious CGI works. When their creator explains their mythology it is also a bizarre take on a mad scientist. I wonder if Nazis are a theme in Kevin Smith’s True North trilogy, since the podcast in Tusk was The Not See Party. We’ll find out if there are any Nazis in Moose Jaws.

The main attractions in Yoga Hosers are the girls though. They are adorable, and Smith’s take on social media addiction is perceptive. It’s more universal than the podcasting in Tusk, as everyone uses cell phones and only 50% of people have a podcast. The Colleens are actually singers in a band so they don’t have to sing into hairbrushes. They have real microphones and catchy tunes I want to download. I suppose Smith can sell them on SModCo Internet Radio rather than iTunes.

The Colleens are Yoga Hosers because they practice yoga with an eccentric yogi (Justin Long). His completely fake poses are legit funny. As a practicer of actual yoga, those tickled me, and they give the Colleens their superpowers too. This adventure is somewhat contained, but works as a siege movie. Perhaps they have more epic adventures ahead. There’s something profound about hearing Harley Quinn Smith deliver a famous line from her father’s signature movie. They also talk about girl stuff as openly as Smith’s male characters discuss sex.

Here’s the elephant in the room, and I have good news. Johnny Depp is fairly restrained in this. The fact that he’s credited suggests he’s no longer going method on Guy Lapointe. Here he serves the plot, investigating the Bratzis and delivering just enough self-referential commentary on Tusk and moves on before its self-indulgent.

Seeing Smith find new inspirations speaks to the organic artistic world as a whole. He’d expressed all his personal feelings and I was there when he “retired” from filmmaking, but his other business gave him a new idea. Then minor characters he invented for Tusk inspired him to tell more stories. That’s how art works. Your voice evolves but you never run out of things to say. I really like the Colleens so I’m happy to see more adventures with them, and Franchise Fred approves!

The post [Sundance Review] Kevin Smith’s ‘Yoga Hosers’ Is Amblin Good Fun! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This evening Smith shared a clip that goes full Scott Pilgrim, only there’s a lot of Canadian accents and maple syrup.

In Yoga Hosers, also written by Smith, “Colleen Collette and Colleen McKenzie are teenage besties from Winnipeg who love yoga and live on their smartphones. But when these sophomores get invited to a senior party by the school hottie, the Colleens accidentally uncover an ancient evil buried beneath their Canadian convenience store.”

Yoga Hosers, the Tusk spinoff, also stars Tusk alums Michael Parks, Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, Ralph Garman and Harley Morenstein. With Tony Hale, Natasha Lyonne, Austin Butler, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey and Jason Mewes.

The post Kevin Smith’s ‘Yoga Hosers’ Goes Full ‘Scott Pilgrim’ (Clip) appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

I was a huge, no, massive fan back in the day. I still watch Mallrats religiously, and think Chasing Amy, while unintentionally misogynistic, is great stuff. I’m all about the old stuff.

But, man, I really think that Kevin Smith sucks now.

Cop Out was unwatchable, Red State lacked intensity and was dull, and Tusk was mean-spirited dribble.

Now, while we wait for Smith’s story in Holidays, he’s heading to Park City, Utah to premiere Yoga Hosers, a spinoff to Tusk, to critics, fans and buyers.

What can they expect? How about a box filled with “bratzi,” you know, Smith dressed up as a foot tall Canadian Nazi made of sentient Bratwurst. Not kidding. Take a look.

Wow.

We also get to see a film starring his and his BFF Johnny Depp’s daughters, Harley Quinn Smith and Lily-Rose Depp. Yay.

The two star as Colleen Collette and Colleen McKenzie, who are teenage besties from Winnipeg who love yoga and live on their smartphones. But when these sophomores get invited to a senior party by the school hottie, the Colleens accidentally uncover an ancient evil buried beneath their Canadian convenience store. They join forces with legendary man-hunter Guy Lapointe to fight for their lives.

The pic also stars Michael Parks, Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez, Ralph Garman, Jennifer Schwalbach, Harley Morenstein, Stan Lee, Tony Hale, Natasha Lyonne, Austin Butler, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey, Jason Mewes, and Johnny Depp.

Look. I love horror movies. I love movies. I do not want to be disappointed. I’m crossing my fingers that something connects here and Yoga Hosers changes my opinion of Smith. Let’s talk after we’ve all seen it. Cool?

The post Meet the Bratzi in Kevin Smith’s ‘Yoga Hosers’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Below is the official Sundance festival poster for Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers, which stars Johnny Depp as a Quebec police detective who is enlisted by two convenience store clerks — played by Smith’s and Depp’s daughters, Harley Quinn Smith and Lily-Rose Depp, both 15.

Those of you unfortunate enough to see the trash heap known as Tusk will have seen Harley Quinn and Lily-Rose as clerks in a cameo. The duo have to deal with Justin Long’s rude character before his eventual run-in with Michael Parks. The scene is being spun off into a feature with the two daughters who put on a poor performance in Tusk. Now, they must carry a feature alongside Depp, who also put forth the worst performance of his career in Smith’s toothy horror film.

In Yoga Hosers, also written by Smith, “Colleen Collette and Colleen McKenzie are teenage besties from Winnipeg who love yoga and live on their smartphones. But when these sophomores get invited to a senior party by the school hottie, the Colleens accidentally uncover an ancient evil buried beneath their Canadian convenience store.”

Yoga Hosers also stars Tusk alums Michael Parks, Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, Ralph Garman and Harley Morenstein. Tony Hale, Natasha Lyonne, Austin Butler, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey and Jason Mewes also star.

The post Poster Introduces ‘Yoga Hosers’ Clerks (Sundance ’16) appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The film, which is directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, is set in the 1930’s and follows Portman and Rose Depp as sisters who, “…are believed to possess the supernatural ability to connect with ghosts. They cross paths with a visionary French producer while performing in Paris.”

According to the site:

The political context of “Planetarium” will have a modern resonance with the current crisis and rise of extremism in Europe. The character of the producer is freely inspired by Jewish producer Bernard Natan, one of the biggest French film industry figures of the ’20s and ’30s, who eventually died in Auschwitz.

The film is expected to be released in May, 2016.

The post Natalie Portman And Lily Rose Depp To Star In Period Ghost Drama ‘Planetarium’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

THR shared the first ever image from the Tusk spinoff, which depicts both Harley Quinn and Lily-Rose in their clerk uniforms.

The movie, also written by Smith, centers on two teenage yoga nuts who have an after-school job at a Manitoba convenience store called Eh-2-Zed. When an ancient evil rises from beneath Canada’s crust and threatens their big invitation to a 12th-grade party, the Colleens join forces with a legendary man hunter from Montreal named Guy Lapointe (Depp) to fight for their lives with “all seven chakras, one Warrior Pose at a time,” according to the producers.

Yoga Hosers also stars Tusk alums Michael Parks, Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, Ralph Garman and Harley Morenstein. New to the cast are Tony Hale, Natasha Lyonne, Austin Butler, Adam Brody, Tyler Posey and Jason Mewes.

The post First ‘Yoga Hosers’ Image Shows Johnny Depp and Kevin Smith’s Daughters appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.