Robert Houston Eggers (born July 7, 1983) is an American filmmaker who has written and directed the feature films The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019), The Northman (2022), and Nosferatu (2024).
Originally only a theatredirector, scenic designer and costume designer, he transitioned to film in the late 2000s, working primarily as a costume designer for the production of The Witch in the spring of 2014, his feature film debut as writer and director which was a critical and financial success, kickstarting his current career. His films, which are all set prior to the 20th century, blend elements of horror, folklore, and mythology and are noted for their historical authenticity.[1]
Early life
Robert Houston Eggers was born in New York City on July 7, 1983.[2][3] He does not know his biological father.[1] He and his mother Kelly Houston moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where she met and married Walter Eggers, an English literature professor at the University of Wyoming.[1][4] The couple had twin sons named Max and Sam, who also became filmmakers.[5] In 1990, the family relocated to Lee, New Hampshire, after Walter became a provost at the University of New Hampshire.[1][6]
Eggers returned to New York to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in 2001.[1] He gained an interest in designing, directing, and theatre while there, and would additionally show an interest in filmmaking by directing and designing short films.[7] His childhood in New England often inspires his work; while writing his first feature film, he frequently visited the Plimoth Patuxet in Massachusetts.[8]
Career
Eggers began his career as a designer and director of theatre productions in New York, primarily in experimental and street theatre, before transitioning to working in film.[9] He wrote and directed the horror film The Witch (2015) in his feature film directorial debut, and it premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival before A24 acquired it. It was released theatrically on February 19, 2016.[1] Critical reception was largely positive, and the film earned over $40 million against a budget of $4 million.[1]
In July 2015, it was reported that Eggers would write and direct a remake of the silent film Nosferatu (1922). The film was set to be produced by Jay Van Hoy and Lars Knudsen for Studio 8.[12] In November 2016, Eggers expressed surprise that the Nosferatu remake was going to be his second film, saying, "It feels ugly and blasphemous and egomaniacal and disgusting for a filmmaker in my place to do Nosferatu next. I was really planning on waiting a while, but that's how fate shook out." Eggers had previously directed his high school's performance of the Nosferatu play, and was hired to direct a professional version of the play due to his work. Eggers credited this as the event that inspired him to pursue a career in filmmaking.[13] Eggers eventually opted to delay his version of the film, going on to direct The Lighthouse and The Northman first. The Witch star Anya Taylor-Joy was attached to the cast alongside Harry Styles, but both dropped out in 2022.[1][14] In September 2022, it was reported that the film would star Bill Skarsgård in the title role alongside Lily-Rose Depp.[15]Nosferatu became his fourth film.[1]
Prospective projects
Eggers was at one point developing a miniseries based on the life of Grigori Rasputin.[16] However, he stated in 2024 that development has stalled as he would be unable to film in Russia.[17] He has also developed a medieval film called The Knight, which has yet to be produced.[1]
In January 2025, it was reported Eggers would direct Werwulf, a werewolf horror film set in 13th-century England. The film's North American release is currently set for Christmas Day 2026.[18]Aaron Taylor-Johnson was confirmed to star in Werwulf in July 2025, with Lily Rose-Depp and Willem Dafoe in talks.[19][20]
In June 2025, it was reported Eggers was writing and directing a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol for Warner Bros., with Willem Dafoe the frontrunner to play Ebenezer Scrooge.[21] It was also reported that he will write and direct a sequel to the 1986 film Labyrinth.[22][23] Additionally, Eggers started writing an "Elizabethan" script and expressed interest in making a Western.[24][25][26]
Filmmaking style
One of the major traits of films directed by Eggers is their "strict attention to detail".[27] All of his films are period dramas, and have been noted for their historical accuracy, especially their use of specific language and period-appropriate dialogue.[28][29]
Eggers stated in a Rotten Tomatoes interview that he is not interested in making films set in the contemporary era, claiming that the idea of photographing modern technology disgusts him. When asked what is the latest era he is willing to film, he answered that he will go as far as the 1950s.[30]
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