Nosferatu director Robert Eggers will never make a movie set in modern times: "The idea of photographing a cell phone is just death"

Nosferatu director Robert Eggers has no intention of making a movie set in modern times.

"The idea of having to photograph a car makes me ill," Eggers told Rotten Tomatoes, when asked if he'd make a contemporary movie. "And the idea of photographing a cell phone is just death. And to make a contemporary story you have to photograph a cell phone. It's just how life is. So, no."

But how far into modern times would Eggers venture? "I might go potentially to 1950," he added. "But before World War 2 is more inviting for my imagination."

Eggers, fresh off his vampire horror reimagining Nosferatu, will next tackle Werwulf, which is set in 13th century England. It's said to use dialogue accurate to the time period.

Beyond that, he also has a surprise Labyrinth sequel in the works, though further details about what that might look like are yet to be revealed.

Nosferatu, meanwhile, stars an unrecognizable Bill Skarsgård as the titular vampire, with Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult co-starring as Ellen and Thomas Hutter, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe rounding out the cast. It's proved to be a massive hit so far, grossing over $157 million worldwide – and it's now available as a four-minute extended cut.

Eggers' niche is definitely dark and strange period pieces – The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, Nosferatu, and soon Werwulf – so it's not a huge surprise that he might be so opposed to a more modern setting.

While you wait for Werewulf, which is due out on December 25, 2026, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of this year.