Werwulf: Eggers' new trailer splits his fanbase once again

Werwulf: Eggers' take on the werewolf myth, between hypnotic aesthetics and suspicion of empty substance

American filmmaker Robert Eggers is back with a new trailer for his upcoming film, 'Werwulf', a reworking of the classic werewolf myth. The anticipation, as always with Eggers, is directly proportional to the controversy his style generates. The first impression of the trailer confirms what was already known: visually, it's a work of art. But at this point, for many viewers, that's no longer enough.

A music video director or a modern pavor master?

Eggers' filmography is short but intense: 'The Witch' (2015), 'The Lighthouse' (2019), 'The Northman' (2022) and his own take on 'Nosferatu' (2024). With every release, the same debate resurfaces: while some praise his ability to create atmospheres and his attention to historical and visual detail, others accuse him of sacrificing narrative in favor of aesthetics. With 'Werwulf', the first reactions to the trailer point to the same polarization. Some argue that Eggers has become a mere craftsman of framing, a 'music video director' who dazzles but doesn't move audiences, as is claimed in some corners of popular criticism. Against them, his defenders remind everyone that 'The Witch' remains a great film and that his approach to pavor myths is serious and respectful of the genre, with no concessions to trends.

The shadow of 'Nosferatu' and the antiestéticar of another letdown

The 'Werwulf' trailer comes after 'Nosferatu' generated an even deeper divide. For many, that film was an empty exercise in style, an inflated balloon that failed to hold up. The question hanging in the air is whether Eggers has learned his lesson or whether, on the contrary, he's on his way to becoming a director with only one great work. The new film takes on the werewolf, one of pavor's great myths which, unlike Frankenstein or Dracula, hasn't been as heavily mined in recent cinema. That works in his favor. But the suspicion that the visual wrapping will once again hide a hollow interior haunts Eggers like a curse.

With 'Werwulf', the director seems determined to prove he can build a story as solid as his cinematography. The trailer offers glimpses of an oppressive setting and a treatment of the myth that promises to steer clear of the modern werewolf cliché. However, the audience's trust has been dented. The final answer will only come at the film's release, but for now the debate remains open: are we looking at an instant classic or another mirage on celluloid? The coming months will tell.