The highly lauded Christmas ghost story A Christmas Carol authored by Charles Dickens is soon getting a new adaptation. Robert Eggers is set to write and direct the film for Warner Bros. Eggers is also known for his latest critically acclaimed Nosferatu, an American Gothic based film. According to the entertainment outlet Deadline, sources have revealed that Willem Dafoe will be cast as Ebenezer Scrooge, the protagonist. The Dafoe-Eggers collaboration is notable, considering they've worked previously in films like The Lighthouse, The Northman and Nosferatu.
Originally published in 1843, the novella centres on Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser, who is visited by the spirits of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, along with the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Along with creating a classic tale, the character development in Scrooge — from a cold to a deeply changed man — makes it a favourite of readers worldwide. The story, although categorised as ghost fiction, concludes on a note filled with generosity and kindness, finally embracing the spirit of Christmas.
Earlier, in 2009, Robert Zemeckis directed an animated version starring Jim Carrey as Scrooge. Other adaptations include a 2019 British Television version starring Guy Pearce, Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley and Joe Alwyn.
Eggers’s hits
Nosferatu was a massive success in Egger’s career, grossing $181 million worldwide and $95 million in the U.S. Moreover, the film also earned Oscar Nominations at the 97th Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Egger also mentioned his disinterest toward making films set in the present day. In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes in December, he said, “The idea of having to photograph a car makes me ill.”
The next awaited project from Eggers is a werewolf horror film titled Werwulf produced by Focus Features, to be released on Christmas day 2026. The shooting is to begin later this year.