Filmmaker Robert Eggers, known for his distinctive horror films such as The Witch and Nosferatu, is reportedly developing a new adaptation of the heartwarming classic A Christmas Carol – it seems unlikely this interpretation will be a musical.
According to Deadline, Eggers is set to write and direct this new iteration for Warner Bros., with early indications that he is eyeing frequent collaborator Willem Dafoe for the infamous grump Ebenezer Scrooge. Dafoe has previously starred in many of Eggers' films, including The Lighthouse, The Northman, and Nosferatu, making this a fruitful friendship so far.
This project marks another wild choice for Eggers, whose work consistently blends historical settings with atmospheric and unsettling narratives. A Christmas Carol, a ghost story at its heart, seems a natural fit for Eggers’ macabre sensibilities, offering ample opportunity for his signature visual style and exploration of darker themes; however, it does feel somewhat out of place with the spirit of Christmas.
The tale famously follows the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by the spectral figures of Jacob Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. While the story ultimately concludes with Scrooge's redemption, Dickens’ original descriptions of the ghosts can be pretty horrific, a detail Eggers will no doubt hone in on and emphasise.
The night before Christmas
Before tackling A Christmas Carol, Eggers is set to direct Werwulf, a werewolf horror-thriller set in the 13th century. This latest jaunt into folklore is slated for a Christmas Day 2026 release, which probably won’t be a light, fluffy Christmas film suitable for the whole family either.
Eggers himself has hinted at his diverse range of upcoming projects, telling IndieWire last year, "I have five things going on, because you never know what’s going to work, what’s going to appeal to people, what’s going to be greenlit.”
He also mentioned his interest in directing a Western and is attached to write and direct a sequel to the 1986 film Labyrinth for Sony’s TriStar.
With a string of successful and critically acclaimed films under his belt, Eggers’ take on A Christmas Carol promises to be a memorable and potentially unsettling new chapter in the enduring legacy of Dickens’ classic, and will likely be one of the most unique interpretations of the story we’ve seen so far.
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