A chilling new take on a holiday classic may be coming down the chimney. Acclaimed filmmaker Robert Eggers is reportedly in early talks to develop a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" for Warner Bros., marking what could be his first collaboration with the studio. Though the project is still in its earliest stages and no cast or creatives have officially signed on, sources close to the development say Eggers may be eyeing a familiar face for the haunting tale—frequent collaborator Willem Dafoe.
The two artists have established a notable working relationship over the years, beginning with their critically acclaimed partnership on "The Lighthouse", Eggers' eerie and surreal 2019 black-and-white two-hander set in a remote, storm-ravaged lighthouse. Dafoe's performance in that film was widely praised, and the actor has since appeared in supporting roles in Eggers' films, "The Northman" and "Nosferatu".
, Eggers' most recent film, was not only a critical hit but also a commercial breakout. Released in December by Focus Features, the reimagining of the 1922 silent vampire film grossed an impressive $181 million globally and earned four Academy Award nominations, including nods for cinematography, production design, costume design, and makeup and hairstyling.
Now, "A Christmas Carol" offers him the opportunity to bring his eerie, immersive aesthetic to one of the most adapted pieces of literature in history. First published in 1843, Dickens' novella has seen nearly every type of reinterpretation imaginable—from high-budget studio films and beloved animated versions to stage plays, TV specials, and musical comedies. Everyone from Alastair Sim to Jim Carrey to Bill Murray has portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge, and the story's timeless moral about redemption has been explored by directors such as Richard Donner (Scrooged), Robert Zemeckis (the 2009 CGI version), and Sean Anders (Spirited).
Tags: robert eggers, a christmas carol, willem dafoe