‘Nosferatu’: Harry Styles Pulled Out Of Robert Eggers’ Remake Of The Classic Vampire Flick

Director Robert Eggers has been one of the more exciting directors using harsh and inhospitable environments to help tell his dark and sometimes horrific tales. Next month sees the release of his violent Viking epic that is directly inspired by an original Scandinavian story that was influenced by William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” The film “The Northman” sees the filmmaker reunite with actress Anya Taylor-Joy and they’re already planning a second reunion with a remake of the silent era horror classic, “Nosferatu.”

In a new interview in The New Yorker promoting “The Northman,” Eggers revealed that British pop star Harry Styles (One Direction) was originally going to star in the vampire flick alongside Taylor-Joy as prep for the remake has started in Prague. Unfortunately, Styles, who has already appeared in Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” and the Marvel movie “Eternals” and seems poised to keep shifting into movies, pulled out over scheduling issues.

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It was also mentioned that Jarin Blaschke, Eggers’ talented cinematographer that worked on “The Witch,” “The Lighthouse,” and “The Northman,” is confirmed for “Nosferatu” and is already in Prague with his family. So, the film most certainly could work as another period film shot in black-and-white, and it looks like it’s gearing up for more casting announcements soon.

The original German-made film from 1922 is not only considered a landmark in the horror genre but is one of the highlights of the silent film era that made excellent use of forced perspective and other early special effects of the 1920s. The 1920s “Nosferatu” came out the same year as the iconic Swedish horror/witchcraft film “Häxan,” another classic that feels like something Eggers or other filmmakers could remake in the future. Another version was made in 1979 by Werner Herzog, starring the great Klaus Kinski and Isabelle Adjani, under the title “Nosferatu the Vampyre.”

If you’re unfamiliar with “Nosferatu” here is the basic gist of the movie:

The mysterious Count Orlok summons Thomas Hutter to his remote Transylvanian castle in the mountains. The eerie Orlok seeks to buy a house near Hutter and his wife, Ellen. After Orlok reveals his vampire nature, Hutter struggles to escape the castle, knowing that Ellen is in grave danger. Meanwhile, Orlok’s servant, Knock, prepares for his master to arrive at his new home.

Perhaps, Eggers will offer that unnamed role to Robert Pattinson after working together on “The Lighthouse,” unless he’s just too busy after the success of “The Batman.” Taylor-Joy is expected to shoot the “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel, “Furiosa,” next in Australia and likely explains the hiccup with production.

“The Northman” will hit theaters on April 22.