Robert Eggers Jokes ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Is His Break From Horror, and Fans Are Loving It
Robert Eggers has built a career on dread, folklore, and meticulously recreated history, so the news of his next project caught plenty of horror fans off guard. The Robert Eggers ‘Romeo and Juliet’ adaptation marks a surprising genre detour for a filmmaker best known for witches, Vikings, vampires, and now werewolves.
Eggers has partnered with Focus Features throughout his career, from ‘The Witch’ and ‘The Lighthouse’ to ‘The Northman’ and ‘Nosferatu’. That last collaboration proved especially fruitful, as ‘Nosferatu’ grossed $181 million worldwide and became the studio’s third highest-grossing film ever.
Now, the director has offered a darkly funny explanation for his latest choice. According to comments circulating widely on social media, Eggers said that after ‘Werwulf’ he started writing another horror movie that became so dark he felt he needed a break.
His solution, he joked, was to make something about 2 teenagers killing themselves instead. The deadpan remark instantly went viral, with fans pointing out that only Eggers would consider Shakespeare’s tragic romance a lighter palate cleanser.
Some followers are just as intrigued by what he left unfinished. One fan replied that while they’re excited for his take on the play, they can’t wait to see the even darker horror script he mentioned setting aside.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported that Eggers is setting up the adaptation at Focus Features, which won a bidding war against A24, Sony, and Warner Bros. Eggers will direct and produce, and the project is intended to be his next production.
Robert Eggers explains why he chose to direct ‘ROMEO & JULIET’: « After ‘Werwulf’ I was writing another horror movie and it got so dark again, and I was like.. I need a break. So I’ll do something about two teenagers killing themselves. » https://t.co/WXkhlV1RP5
— Film Crave (@_filmcrave) September 26, 2026
Sources say the deal lands in the high-$70 million range, covering filmmaker and talent fees as well as the production budget. Collider noted that the deal had yet to officially close, while no cast or release date has been announced.
True to his reputation for authenticity, sources say the actors will speak in the play’s original Shakespearean language. It’s a fitting choice from a director who previously had Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson deliver 19th-century maritime dialect in ‘The Lighthouse’.
The Shakespeare pivot makes more sense considering where Eggers has just been. He has described ‘Werwulf’ as the darkest script he has ever written, a werewolf story set in medieval England that he co-wrote with Icelandic writer Sjón, his collaborator on ‘The Northman’.
The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily-Rose Depp, and it will be spoken entirely in Middle English. Focus Features has set it for release on Christmas Day, the same slot ‘Nosferatu’ occupied in 2024.
‘Romeo and Juliet’ has been adapted countless times, from Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film to Baz Luhrmann’s modern-day ‘Romeo + Juliet’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Other reimaginings have ranged from ‘West Side Story’ to the revisionist comedy ‘Rosaline’.
That means Eggers faces the challenge of making a story nearly everyone knows feel urgent again. His knack for atmospheric, historically grounded storytelling could give the doomed romance a fresh, eerie edge, even outside the horror genre.
Timing remains uncertain, since Eggers must finish ‘Werwulf’ first. Given how long his projects typically take, Rue Morgue suggested audiences shouldn’t expect the balcony scene before 2028 at the earliest.
Are you excited to see Robert Eggers bring his style to Romeo and Juliet?
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