Robert Eggers' 'Werwulf' Trailer Arrives: First Look at Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Supernatural Thriller

Focus Features has unveiled the inaugural trailer for 'Werwulf,' the upcoming horror film set to hit theaters on December 25. The footage, released Monday (June 29), showcases what appears to be an intense and unsettling experience.

The film marks the directorial effort of Robert Eggers, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside Sjón. The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily-Rose Depp in leading roles.

According to the official description, the film presents "a harrowing tale of devotion, damnation and the devil within," positioning it as Eggers' most visceral and haunting work yet.

In an interview with Esquire, Eggers explained his approach to the project. "I wanted to follow up Nosferatu with another horror movie. I had written something that was a bit too obscure. So I thought, Let me be sensible and make a werewolf movie," he said, noting that he opted to shoot in the United Kingdom, where he currently resides.

The director emphasized that his version strips away familiar werewolf tropes. "Backpedaling away from influences and mythologies that do and don't have to do with the film, the cool thing about going back into the past is that you can kind of hit a reset button. So all the clichés of being bitten by a werewolf and silver bullets and a lot of the stuff that has become almost campy doesn't exist in the mythology of this movie. So you don't need to have seen Lon Cheney Jr.'s The Wolf Man or An American Werewolf in London to get what's going on here," Eggers explained.

He further discussed his creative vision, emphasizing atmosphere over exposition. "Part of this being a horror movie is that it's about mystery and suspense and the slow-burn, uncomfortable vibes that lead us into darkness and ultimately horror. I think the less we know, the better," he added.