The iconic vampire Nosferatu has returned to the big screen, and it’s proving to be an unexpected success. Directed by Robert Eggers, known for The Witch and The Northman, this latest adaptation stars Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, and Bill Skarsgård. Despite fears of a flop due to its Christmas release date, the film is defying expectations and carving out its place in the box office.
A High-Stakes Comeback for Robert Eggers
Robert Eggers has built a reputation for crafting visually stunning, deeply atmospheric films, but his box office track record has been mixed. While his 2016 breakout hit, The Witch, launched both his career and that of Anya Taylor-Joy, his later projects faced greater challenges.
The Lighthouse (2019), starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, received critical acclaim but only achieved modest commercial success. The biggest setback came with The Northman (2022), an ambitious Viking epic featuring Alexander Skarsgård. With a reported budget of $90 million, the film grossed under $70 million worldwide, leading many to label it a box office flop.
Understandably, Eggers’ Nosferatu was under heavy scrutiny. Its timing—released during the holiday season alongside family-friendly juggernauts like Sonic 3 and Mufasa: The Lion King—had some predicting disaster. However, Nosferatu’s early performance has proven otherwise.
Nosferatu’s Surprising Success
Opening on nearly 3,000 screens in North America, Nosferatu pulled in $21 million during its first weekend and exceeded expectations with over $40 million across the five-day holiday stretch. While it ranked third behind Sonic 3 and Mufasa, the film outpaced initial projections of $25 million, signaling a strong start.
In comparison to other recent vampire-themed movies like Renfield ($8 million) or The Last Voyage of the Demeter ($6 million), Nosferatu stands out as a clear winner. Even among broader horror releases such as Smile 2 ($23 million) or Terrifier 3 ($18 million), its opening weekend holds its own.
The momentum continued into its second weekend, with only a 39% drop in attendance, earning another $13 million. By then, the film had surpassed $100 million worldwide, including nearly $70 million domestically—a clear victory for Eggers and his team.
Breaking Records for Robert Eggers
For Eggers, Nosferatu marks a milestone. It has already surpassed the lifetime grosses of The Lighthouse ($18 million) and The Witch ($40 million). While it may not match the cultural impact of The Witch, the film’s box office performance is a career-best for the director.
Budget-wise, Nosferatu was a calculated risk at $50 million, sitting comfortably between the modest $11 million spent on The Lighthouse and the ambitious $90 million of The Northman. While it won’t achieve the tenfold return on investment that The Witch enjoyed, Nosferatu is proving to be a commercially viable project that restores confidence in Eggers’ ability to balance art and profitability.
A Bold Holiday Release Strategy
Releasing Nosferatu at Christmas was a gamble, one that had skeptics questioning the studio’s faith in the project. However, Focus Features and Universal made a calculated decision to counter-program against traditional holiday blockbusters.
Producer Chris Columbus explained the rationale in an interview, noting that Halloween had become oversaturated with horror releases. Instead, the studio leaned into the film’s Christmas setting, drawing inspiration from The Exorcist, which successfully debuted on December 26, 1973.
While unconventional, the decision seems to be paying off. Nosferatu has carved out a niche during a typically family-focused season and is positioned to dominate the quieter January box office. Its only significant competition in the horror genre will be Wolf Man, releasing mid-January.
Looking Ahead: Nosferatu’s Legacy
With its strong performance and positive reception, Nosferatu is a testament to the enduring appeal of horror and the resilience of bold filmmaking. For Robert Eggers, it’s a well-deserved comeback that cements his reputation as one of the most daring directors of his generation.
As Nosferatu continues to climb the box office charts, it’s clear that risk-taking can sometimes yield spectacular rewards. Whether it’s defying genre norms or challenging release date conventions, this vampire story has breathed new life into Eggers’ career—and perhaps the horror genre itself.
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A passionate journalist, Iris Lennox covers social and cultural news across the U.S.