Eggers' "Carol" Remake Eyes Dafoe as Scrooge

Here’s a fascinating director-studio pairing: Robert Eggers, the visionary behind The Witch and Nosferatu, is reportedly in talks with Warner Bros. to direct a remake of A Christmas Carol—and he's eyeing frequent collaborator Willem Dafoe for the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Variety reports that while neither Eggers nor Dafoe is officially attached yet, the studio is considering Eggers for the project, and he’s keen on casting Dafoe as the lead. Given its early development stage, audiences shouldn’t expect this adaptation anytime soon.

Eggers is currently prioritizing Werwulf, a medieval horror film he’s writing and directing for Focus Features. If this Christmas Carol remake moves forward, production would likely begin after he wraps his 13th-century nightmare—though Hollywood schedules are notoriously unpredictable.

Given that Eggers called Werwulf “the darkest thing” he’s ever written, his take on A Christmas Carol could push the story’s grim themes to new extremes—or perhaps surprise audiences with a softer touch. Either way, his signature style promises something extraordinary.

Co-written by Sjón (The Northman, the upcoming Labyrinth sequel), Werwulf is slated for Christmas 2026. If Eggers’ A Christmas Carol aims for 2027, an official announcement might arrive sooner than expected.