‘Nosferatu’ Director Robert Eggers Confirms Extended Cut Blu-ray Release

Since its premiere on Christmas day, Nosferatu has been receiving nothing but praise from critics and moviegoers, and now director Robert Eggers has confirmed what we’ve all been waiting for: there will be an extended cut of his Gothic horror film released on Blu-ray. Starring Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, and Bill Skarsgård, Nosferatu puts a new spin on an old classic, adapting F.W. Murnau’s 1922 original, which itself was based on Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula.

Eggers, Dafoe, and Skarsgård all recently sat down with Esquire UK (seen below) to discuss Nosferatu, and it was then that the director let the news slip about the extended cut. While going over the trailer for the movie, he noted that one scene in particular didn’t make the theatrical version, but will be available in the near future on Blu-ray.

“The first shot is a funny one because it’s one of those annoying things for film dorks because it’s not in the movie. Because it’s a really cool shot, I really like the shot, but where it was intended was actually ruining some tension to know that Bill was around, and we needed to keep him more mysterious. But if you would wish to purchase the Blu-ray, it is in the extended edition of the film.”

There’s no word yet on when the Blu-ray for Nosferatu will be released, but based on current trends, we expect it will hit shelves at some point in either March or April. As to how long the extended cut will be? Your guess is as good as ours right now. The theatrical release clocks in at 132 minutes, so depending on how many scenes Eggers adds, it could stretch close to 150 to 180 minutes. We’re not complaining, of course, because the more time we get to spend in the film the better, as it’s undoubtedly one of the best in Eggers’ short filmography.

‘Nosferatu’ Is the Movie That Made Robert Eggers Want to Become a Director

Like his three previous films before it, Nosferatu is an atmospheric period piece that’s a visually stunning presentation. It’s one of those movies that just hypnotizes you with its beauty, while at the same time filling you with dread as the suspense continues to build throughout, creating a wonderful blend of both awe and anxiety. For Eggers, he told Esquire that he saw the original at a young age, and – like many will experience with his film – it stayed with him. So much so, that he credited it as the movie that helped cement his desire to be a director.

“I watched the original 1922 film by Murnua when I was nine years old, and it was incredibly compelling. Max Shreck’s performance as the vampire is, of course, iconic, and it stayed with me, as well as the haunting atmosphere. I think what continued my attraction to it as an adult was that Murnau and his collaborators turned Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula into a simple fairy tale. As a teenager, I did a play of it in high school, and the artistic director of a local theater company invited me to do a more professional version of it at his theater, and this sort of changed my life and cemented the fact that I wanted to be a director.”

Needless to say, things have come full circle for Eggers, and the results are spectacular. Not only is Nosferatu an achievement in cinematography, but its performances are second to none, and we can’t wait to find out how many Oscars it gets nominated for when they’re announced on Jan. 17. In the meantime, be sure to check out Nosferatu in theaters now from Focus Features.

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Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Runtime

2h 12m

Main Genre

Horror