Robert Eggers revealed why his upcoming Werwulf, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, is set in 1300s England instead of the modern day. According to Eggers, the medieval setting allows the film to explore a time when people treated werewolves as real. In the film’s world, magic and supernatural events are accepted as real. Eggers said, “Superstitions in this period don’t exist, magic doesn’t exist, it is. All this is [real to them].”
Speaking at a Q&A during Beyond Fest 2026 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, Eggers explained that he set Werwulf in 1300s England rather than the modern day because he wanted to explore a time period when werewolves were treated as fact.
Eggers said, “Superstitions in this period don’t exist, magic doesn’t exist, it is. All this is [real to them].”
Willem Dafoe’s Werwulf Character Is Based on a 1300s Wolf Hunter
Eggers reveals that Willem Dafoe’s character in Werwulf is based on a real-life wolf hunter from 1300s England. “He did such a good job [killing wolves] that in 200 years there were no wolves in England,” said Eggers.
Eggers says detailed historical accuracy was important to making Werwulf an immersive experience. Even details that audiences may not consciously notice help make the world feel authentic. These small details also reflect differences in wealth and social status within the film’s world.
“You guys don’t know that Willem’s character has the correct amount of buttons… but you might notice he’s the only person who has buttons because he’s the only person who can afford them,” said Eggers.
Eggers says Werwulf was designed to feel like a silent film. He said, “You don’t need to understand what anyone’s saying to understand the movie because you’re with everyone on an emotional level, particularly Aaron and his family.”
As reported by CBR, Werwulf currently ranks #8 on IMDb’s Most Popular chart, placing it above The Odyssey (#9) and Spider-Man: Brand New Day (#14).
Werwulf Dialogue Is Entirely in 1300s Middle English
During an interview with Esquire, Eggers confirmed that the dialogue in Werwulf is entirely in 1300s Middle English. Eggers co-wrote the film with Sjón. The filmmakers worked with two Oxford professors to develop the Middle English dialogue.
Eggers said, “Sjón is just incredibly imaginative and inspiring. We worked with two Oxford professors on the dialogue, which is in Middle English, and then worked extensively with a dialect coach on a way to temper the pronunciation in a way that would be understandable to modern audiences.”
Werwulf is directed by Robert Eggers, who co-wrote the script with Sjón. Eggers has described the film as the darkest he has ever written, “by far,” and shot it in a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Set in 13th-century England, the werewolf horror film follows townspeople as they investigate a brutal creature terrorizing their town. The film also features period-accurate dialogue.
The cast of Werwulf includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the Man, Lily-Rose Depp as the Woman, Willem Dafoe as the Old Hunter, Ralph Ineson as One-Eyed, Jack Morris as the Young Hunter, Ned Dennehy as the Friar, Bodhi Rae Breathnach as the farmer’s daughter, Hector Byker as the farmer’s son, Valeriia Karaman as a feral woman, Jan Bijvoet, Ritchi Edwards, Hannah Harpin, and Kate Dickie.
Focus Features will release Werwulf in the United States on December 25, 2026, while Universal Pictures will release the film in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2027.
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