Robert Eggers’ gothic obsession tale “Nosferatu” debuted in New York City and Los Angeles on Thursday, November 7, including an LA Academy screening led by Guillermo del Toro. The first reactions are in for the 19th century horror piece about the title vampire’s (Bill Skarsgård) obsession with a woman named Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp). Nicholas Hoult plays her husband Thomas, who is sent to Transylvania to finalize a real estate deal with Nosferatu, but ends up signing away his marriage and his wife’s soul. But isn’t it Ellen who lured Nosferatu to her all this time? The rest of the English-accented cast in the period-detailed Gothic horror film includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson.

About Threads, IndieWire’s Anne Thompson wrote: “Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a historical delight, a fantastic horror story that is superbly edited and efficiently told. It is historically authentic with a strong cast with English accents. He first saw Murnau’s Nosferatu when he was nine. More responses are below.

Jordan Raup from the movie stage wrote this morning“Nosferatu: Strangely comforting this week to watch a film that seems summoned from the darkest depths of pure evil. Eggers’ most confident work, in which you feel his obsessions flowing through every nightly frame. Lily Rose-Depp and Bill Skarsgård are out of this world.”

IndieWire contributor Carlos Aguilar said the film “further crystallizes Eggers’ exploration of evil as an elemental force, as inherent to existence as desire, and springing from the same divinity as kindness. It is so inextricably linked to us that fighting it requires great sacrifices.”

Meanwhile, IndieWire contributor Tomris Laffly wrote: “A moody, gothic, EROTIC horror with sharp teeth – grabs you by the throat, takes its time. Between this and Juror No. 2, Nicholas Hoult is killing it. Bill Skarsgård…you have to see for yourself. But the biggest attraction for me is Lily-Rose Depp.”

IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich wrote that he’s “relatively confident that Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu writhes more sweatily in bed than any other movie ever made (Free).”

Gregory Ellwood wrote: “Nosferatu showcases the visionary creativity of Robert Egger. Lily Rose Depp is fantastic. Willem Dafoe is having a good time. A big player below the line. Could it crack BP? Hmmmm. Rose Depp has a chance in a packed supporting actor race”

Critic Courtney Howard said the film “goes HARDER than any other horror movie this year. Holy fuck. A beautiful grotesquerie of fear-drenched horror and divine, dark delight. Bill Skarsgård’s Count Orlok is pure, sinister nightmare fuel. Lily Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult’s best work yet.”

Matt Neglia also said: “Robert Eggers continues his impressive streak of creating highly detailed and transportive historical films with NOSFERATU, one of the most tantalizingly macabre films ever made. Lily-Rose Depp gives every ounce of her body and soul to this dazzling performance of tormented possession, while the overall portrayal of Count Orlok is so utterly compelling every moment he is on screen that his presence lingers even when he isn’t .

‘Nosferatu’ is Eggers’ fourth feature since ‘The Witch’ rocked the Sundance Film Festival in 2015. His subsequent films, including ‘The Lighthouse’ and ‘The Northman’, were widely admired by critics, but did not click as strongly with critics. audience in terms of box office. Focus Features launches “Nosferatu” (a reinterpretation of FW Murnau’s 1922 silent film, itself inspired by Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula”) on Christmas Day as counter-programming for a more festive family. fare and PG-13-friendly awards season fodder.

Eggers initially planned to make “Nosferatu” his follow-up film to “The Witch,” but opted for original screenplay projects before making a remake. Actors connected to “Nosferatu” include “The Witch” star Anya Taylor-Joy and Harry Styles. Production eventually took place in Eastern Europe in early 2023, evoking the film’s ominous 19th century romance. Skarsgård lost a lot of weight for the role and spent up to six hours a day in a makeup chair donning prosthetics. He said the role was difficult to shake, “like you’re summoning pure evil.”

“Nosferatu” opens in theaters on Wednesday, December 25 from Focus Features.