Robert Eggers is doing a remake of Nosferatu, but his 2024 version has already been beaten to the punch, as a better version of 1922’s Nosferatu already exists. Nosferatu is a classic of cinema, with its importance to film history leading to many directors attempting to remake it. While Robert Eggers’ upcoming Nosferatu remake is one of the most notable ones, I’m a huge fan of a different remake. So, here is why 1922’s Nosferatu has already been beaten and why I think Eggers’ version should pull from this other popular Nosferatu remake.

The first trailer for Robert Eggers’ highly anticipated 2024 Nosferatu remake is out now, and I and many other fans of vampire movies can’t wait for it to release. After years of being unsure of if the film would get made, Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu movie is finally happening, with the trailer giving first looks at characters like Thomas and Ellen Hutter as well as the terrifying Count Orlok. Eggers’ movie is set to retell Nosferatu‘s 102-year-old story for an all-new generation, but I wish more people knew about a Nosferatu remake that was already incredible.

1979’s Nosferatu The Vampyre Is The Best Version Of Nosferatu (Not The 1922 Original)

I Love Both, But I Prefer Herzog’s Version

Over 50 years after the release of the original Nosferatu, director Werner Herzog took a swing at the story, with him directing the 1979 remake Nosferatu the Vampyre. While I love the 1922 original Nosferatu, I believe that Herzog’s remake is the far superior film, with it using the building blocks of the original movie to craft a horror masterpiece. Nosferatu the Vampyre has everything that fans love about the original Nosferatu while improving on almost every aspect. Although some consider it to be film heresy, I much prefer Herzog’s version of Nosferatu to the original.

1922’s Nosferatu is still a beloved and effective horror film all these years later, but it is mostly praised due to its style, innovative filmmaking techniques, and impact on film history. Nosferatu is one of the most popular foreign films of all time, and it kickstarted the German Expressionist movement, with the original movie still being taught in film schools all across the globe. As a pure story, however, Nosferatu the Vampyre excels over the original, with it being incredibly enjoyable despite not making as big of a splash as the 1922 film.

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu Remake Is Already Copying The 1979 Remake’s Biggest Trick

It Is Fleshing Out The Original’s Characters

Nosferatu the Vampyre is a pretty faithful adaptation, but it does make a handful of changes, and Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake is already copying the 1979 remake’s biggest trick. Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre takes all of the characters from the original film and expands on them, with the fact that it is a sound film which uses dialogue allowing the characters to feel more real. The expansion of Nosferatu‘s characters is what allows Nosferatu the Vampyre to truly excel, adding much more depth to these individuals.

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake seems to be pulling off a similar trick, as the trailer highlights how the characters will be much less flat than their original movie counterparts. Many of the characters in the Nosferatu remake’s cast have been given proper names, and some of the minor characters are played by big-name actors, signaling that they may be getting upgrades in the remake. Each character also seems to have more personality and be more unique, something that is borrowed from Nosferatu the Vampyre.

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu Isn’t Adapting The 1979 Film’s Biggest Change

Count Orlok Will Still Be Star

Although Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is taking some notes from Nosferatu the Vampyre, I’m not surprised that it isn’t adapting the 1979 film’s biggest change. The original Nosferatu was an unofficial adaptation of Dracula, with it telling the same story while changing names and a few story details. However, Nosferatu the Vampyre is a proper Dracula story, with Orlok being named Count Dracula, the Hutters being named the Harkers, and so on.

Now that so many Dracula movies have been made, sticking to the original Nosferatu characters and story will allow Robert Eggers’ remake to stand out. On top of that, it will be more faithful to the original film, keeping not only the Nosferatu aesthetic, but the iconography as well. Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is one of my most anticipated films of the year, and I am eager to see how it compares to Nosferatu the Vampyre.