Willem Dafoe Has a Brilliant Reaction to Watching Werwulf - EXCLUSIVE
Willem Dafoe has teamed up with acclaimed director Robert Eggers yet again on his latest project, Werwulf, and the upcoming folk horror flick has got the veteran actor very excited, it seems.
The pair previously worked together on The Lighthouse – a superb two-hander where Dafoe and Robert Pattinson lose their minds while stranded in the titular watchtower – before linking up again for The Northman and Nosferatu. Dafoe had more of a supporting role in the Scandinavian-set action-drama and in Eggers’ take on the classic vampire story, but that didn’t stop him coming back for collaboration number four.
Speaking exclusively to JustWatch about Werwulf, Dafoe revealed his thoughts on the movie having now seen the final version before its release this winter, and also explained why he loves working with Eggers so much.
Willem Dafoe is “Very Excited” for People to Watch Werwulf
When asked what he can tell us about Werwulf, Dafoe tried his best not to spoil anything but certainly allowed himself to wax lyrical about how wonderful the film is going to be.
“It’s dark. It’s unnerving. It’s not a traditional horror. It’s a continuation of his work. He gets better and better, I think. I don’t want to get into spoiler territory… but it’s impressive. It’s beautiful,” Dafoe said.
There may even be a few surprises in store for viewers when they sit down to watch the horror movie in January, with Dafoe adding: “Werwulf is really interesting. It doesn’t lean into the normal tropes and none of the traditional werewolf stories, so don’t let the title throw you.
“I have to be careful about spoilers, but I’m very excited. I’ve seen it, and I like it a great deal. I just broke my rule – I’m judging my own work. But, I also want to get people juiced up and excited for this, because I think it’s quite a beautiful and powerful film.”
Given the quality of every single one of Eggers’ projects to date, it’s safe to say that Werwulf was already high on our list of the most-anticipated horror movies of 2027 (it’s out on January 1 in the UK). After hearing Dafoe’s glowing reference for the film, we’re now willing time to move a little quicker so we can get to the new year already.
Willem Dafoe Has Been a Robert Eggers Fan Since Day One
As for why he was so keen to sign up for another Robert Eggers movie, Dafoe told us: “I adore working with him. I really enjoy it.”
Turns out, he’s been enamored with Eggers’ work for over a decade now, after having a very satisfying and rewarding experience watching his feature debut, The Witch.
“When I saw The Witch – I’ve said this before, but it really remains with me – I entered that world so easily,” Dafoe said. “It was my world. It was so complete. Nothing was there for show. Everything functioned. Everything had a place. He’s very good at making a world that you can enter.”
More specifically, Dafoe loves the way Eggers tackles period settings in his work, adding: “Some people, when they make period films, they point to stuff. They are always showing off, saying ‘Oh this is old timey. This is this, you know?’ But he really thinks in these worlds.”
Indeed, each of Eggers’ films so far have been set a long, long time ago. He’s even refused to make a contemporary picture, insisting the very idea of having things like phones and cars in his movies makes him feel ill. Still, when you’re this good at period pieces, why do anything else, right?
