In a surprising turn of events, Robert Eggers, the acclaimed director behind The Witch and Nosferatu, is reportedly being considered to helm a remake of A Christmas Carol for Warner Bros. This new version of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic is still in its early stages, with no official confirmations from Eggers or Willem Dafoe, whom Eggers is eyeing for the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.
However, the filmmaker’s strong desire to reunite with his frequent collaborator Dafoe has been revealed by Variety.
At present, Eggers is busy working on Werwulf, a historical horror film slated for a Christmas 2026 release. This project is expected to take precedence over any future ventures, meaning the A Christmas Carol remake would likely come after Eggers finishes his work on the 13th-century nightmare that is Werwulf. The director has described this upcoming film as “the darkest thing” he’s ever written, so it’s intriguing to imagine how he could take a traditionally light-hearted tale like A Christmas Carol and possibly give it his signature dark twist.
Eggers has previously collaborated with Sjón, who co-wrote The Northman with him and will be writing the upcoming Labyrinth sequel. The two have a creative partnership that continues to shape Eggers’ unique approach to storytelling. While details about the A Christmas Carol project remain scarce, the prospect of Eggers taking on this holiday classic in his own dark, atmospheric style is undeniably exciting.
As for the release of this potential film, it could be a while before it sees the light of day. If Warner Bros. is aiming for a 2027 release, we may not have to wait too long, but the project will undoubtedly be in the pipeline for a while as Eggers focuses on his current work. Still, with the perfect mix of a legendary story and a visionary director at the helm, this is one remake that has us eagerly anticipating what’s next.