Robert Eggers Reveals How Bill Skarsgård Influenced the Ending of ‘Nosferatu’
Picture this—a chilling remake of a horror classic, ‘Nosferatu’, hitting theaters just in time for Christmas 2024. Directed by Robert Eggers, a filmmaker known for his dark, detailed storytelling, this new take on the 1922 silent film has everyone talking. Eggers, who’s already made a name for himself with movies like ‘The Witch’ and ‘The Northman’, brings his unique vision to this gothic tale. It stars Bill Skarsgård as the eerie Count Orlok, alongside a talented cast including Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp. But what’s got people buzzing lately is how Skarsgård, the guy who terrified us as Pennywise in ‘It’, actually shaped the film’s ending in a way nobody saw coming.
Eggers has been obsessed with ‘Nosferatu’ since he was a kid, and this project has been brewing in his mind for years. The original film, directed by F.W. Murnau, is a landmark in horror—a silent, shadowy masterpiece that gave us the creepy Count Orlok. Eggers wanted to honor that legacy while putting his own spin on it, and he teamed up with Skarsgård to bring the vampire to life. What’s wild is that during their collaboration, Skarsgård didn’t just follow orders—he stepped in with ideas that changed the final moments of the movie. It’s a fresh twist on a story over 100 years old, and I can’t wait to break down how it all came together.
Skarsgård’s Push for a Vulnerable Vampire
When Eggers first pictured Count Orlok, he saw a pure monster—a demon with no softness, no humanity. He was done with the sad, romantic vampires we’ve seen in tons of Dracula stories. For him, Orlok was meant to be terrifying, a walking nightmare straight out of old folklore. He even wrote a detailed backstory for the character and shared it with Skarsgård, setting the stage for a brutal, evil vampire. But Skarsgård, known for diving deep into his roles, had a different take.
He told Eggers that Orlok needed some cracks in his armor—just a hint of vulnerability. Not a lot, mind you, but enough to make the character more than a one-note terror. Skarsgård argued that even a monster like Orlok could have moments where we see something human peek through. Eggers wasn’t sold at first, but he listened. And it turns out, that little tweak made a big difference in how the ending hits. Skarsgård still delivers a scary, towering vampire, but there’s a subtle layer that pulls you in deeper.
That vulnerability isn’t in your face—it’s quiet, rare, and easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. But it’s there, and it adds a strange kind of weight to Orlok’s fate. Eggers admitted this made the climax more powerful than his original plan. It’s a perfect mix of Skarsgård’s instinct and Eggers’ dark vision, turning a classic horror ending into something that sticks with you.
A Team Effort That Redefined the Finale
The ending of ‘Nosferatu’ isn’t a total departure from the 1922 version, where Orlok meets his end at sunrise. But Eggers and Skarsgård reworked it into something rawer and more emotional. In the original, sunlight does the vampire in—simple as that. Eggers, though, wanted to dig into the folklore and play up the idea of dawn itself, not just the light, as the killer. Skarsgård’s input took that concept and gave it heart, making Orlok’s downfall feel less like a plot device and more like a personal unraveling.
They built this ending together, bouncing ideas back and forth. Skarsgård brought his experience from playing complex creeps like Pennywise, where he mixed menace with odd little quirks. Here, he pushed for Orlok to have a flicker of weakness that Ellen, played by Lily-Rose Depp, could use against him. She lures him in, and he’s too caught up to notice the fatal morning creeping up. It’s brutal and drawn-out, not a quick zap of sunlight, and that’s where Skarsgård’s touch shines—making Orlok’s end both horrifying and oddly tragic.
Eggers has said this collaboration surprised him. He went in wanting a stone-cold demon, but Skarsgård showed him that a tiny bit of humanity could make the monster even scarier. The result is a finale that’s more gripping than it would’ve been, blending old-school horror with a fresh emotional punch. It’s a bold move that proves remakes can still shake things up.
Why It Works for ‘Nosferatu’
This change isn’t just a random twist—it fits the story Eggers was telling. ‘Nosferatu’ is all about obsession, desire, and how those things can destroy you. Ellen uses Orlok’s fixation on her to trap him, and Skarsgård’s vulnerable streak makes that trap believable. Without it, Orlok might’ve felt too invincible, and the ending could’ve fallen flat. Instead, we get a vampire who’s terrifying but not untouchable, which ramps up the tension.
It also ties into Eggers’ knack for mixing beauty with dread. He’s always been big on visuals—think of the stark beaches in ‘The Lighthouse’ or the bloody battles in ‘The Northman’. Here, the morning sun isn’t just death; it’s a symbol of innocence wiping out evil. Skarsgård’s influence keeps Orlok grounded enough that his defeat feels earned, not cheap. I think that’s why people are raving about this remake—it respects the past but isn’t afraid to evolve.
Plus, Skarsgård’s full-on transformation helps sell it. He lost weight, trained his voice to drop an octave, and vanished into the role so completely that Eggers says you can’t even spot the actor underneath. That dedication, paired with his ending idea, turns ‘Nosferatu’ into a horror flick that’s as haunting as it is smart. It’s hitting screens soon, and I’m betting this twist will have us all talking long after the credits roll.