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Following the critical and commercial success of Nosferatu, director Robert Eggers is set to continue his exploration of gothic storytelling with a bold new take on A Christmas Carol. According to Deadline, Warner Bros. Is currently developing the project, with Eggers attached to write and direct the adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless holiday tale. While official casting negotiations have not yet begun, insiders reveal that Eggers is crafting the role of Ebenezer Scrooge with Willem Dafoe in mind.
Eggers, known for his distinctive visual style and fascination with period settings and the supernatural, seems well-suited to tackle the classic story of an aging miser visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The project marks yet another collaboration between Eggers and Dafoe, who has starred in the director’s last three films: The Lighthouse, The Northman, and the recent box office hit Nosferatu.
The director’s Nosferatu reimagining proved to be a major success, grossing $181 million worldwide, including $95 million domestically. The film also garnered critical acclaim and earned four Oscar nominations in the technical categories of Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling. With A Christmas Carol, Eggers appears to be doubling down on the elements that have defined his career: eerie atmospheres, historical detail, and layered character studies.
Chris Columbus and Elenor Columbus are set to produce the film through their Maiden Voyage banner, with Eggers also joining the production team. While plot details remain under wraps, the pairing of Eggers’ haunting sensibilities with Dickens’ ghostly fable promises a darker, more visceral interpretation than previous adaptations.
In addition to this project, Eggers is already preparing for his next film, Werwulf, a collaboration with Focus Features, which is expected to begin shooting later this year.
Eggers is represented by Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, while Dafoe is repped by WME and Circle Management + Production.
With A Christmas Carol, Eggers and Dafoe may once again conjure cinematic magic, this time turning a familiar holiday tale into something chillingly unforgettable.
