Robert Eggers is already set to shoot “Werwulf” this fall, but he’s now eyeing his next film after that one. In fact, Eggers appears to be in cheery Holiday spirit this time around. Unusual.
According to Deadline, Warner Bros. is collaborating with Eggers on a new adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” with Eggers on board to write and direct the film. That’s right, Eggers is tackling Scrooge. An unusual pairing.
Sources reveal that Eggers has crafted the role of Ebenezer Scrooge with longtime collaborator Willem Dafoe in mind, making him the frontrunner for the iconic character from Charles Dickens’ beloved tale. Dafoe has become something of a muse for Eggers, having appeared in his last three features: “The Lighthouse,” “The Northman,” and “Nosferatu.”
“A Christmas Carol,” a story that has been retold many times over the years, centers on a bitter old man, Scrooge, who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.
Although the ghostly narrative and 19th-century setting seem well-suited to Eggers' atmospheric and period-specific style, this will be somewhat of a departure for him, especially since his last three films tackled darker topics such as Witches, Vampires, Vikings, and soon, Werewolves.
Eggers’ filmmaking style is deeply rooted in psychological horror, folklore, and historical realism—worlds far removed from the redemptive, sentimental tone traditionally associated with Dickens’ classic.
While “A Christmas Carol” contains supernatural elements and moral darkness, its ultimate message of hope and transformation contrasts sharply with Eggers’ bleak, often ambiguous work.