Summary

• Bill Skarsgård's absence in the "Nosferatu" trailer adds mystery to the character, creating anticipation.
• Director Robert Eggers avoids revealing the titular character in trailers to avoid spoilers and generate interest.
• The star-studded cast enhances the promotion of "Nosferatu," but the focus remains on Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok.

Focus Features released the first trailer for Nosferatu, and even though it's a little bit strange that the teaser doesn't show the movie's eponymous character, played by Bill Skarsgård, it's for a good reason. The 2024 supernatural gothic horror film, directed and written by Robert Eggers, is a remake of the 1922 silent German Expressionist movie Nosferatu (which was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 book Dracula). Nosferatu (2024) is garnering a lot of hype based on that premise alone, but the inclusion of Skarsgård, best known for his portrayal of Pennywise in It, also makes the project exciting.

Bill Skarsgård previously revealed that he worked with an opera singer to deepen his voice for the role of Nosferatu and spent three to six hours in makeup and prosthetics every day on the set of Robert Eggers' movie.

Aside from Skarsgård, the other cast of Nosferatu could easily serve as Skarsgård's Pennywise replacement as he takes on the role of another iconic horror character, and many are eager to see what Skarsgård looks like in the feature.

The Nosferatu Trailer Creates A More Mythic Figure Than Had It Shown Him

Bill Skarsgård's Absence In The Trailer Makes The Movie More Tantalizing

The presence of Bill Skarsgård's terrifying vampire figure is woven throughout the trailer of Robert Eggers' horror remake of Nosferatu, even though he isn't seen. Nosferatu lingers in the shadows and his existence seemingly haunts the other characters in the first look. However, Eggers is keeping the character's full appearance a secret (for now), and it is ultimately the best decision for the movie as it generates more intrigue surrounding the story.

By not showing Skarsgård's vampire character Nosferatu in the teaser trailer of the 2024 supernatural gothic horror film, the director is establishing him as a mythic figure. It indicates that the other characters find Nosferatu mysterious and are scared of him. Meanwhile, withholding the reveal of Nosferatu builds anticipation for Nosferatu among potential viewers by making them wonder what Skarsgård looks like as Count Orlok, and, in turn, making them want to learn more about the movie.

Robert Eggers Trailers Never Give Too Much Away (& That's Great)

The Nosferatu Trailer Doesn't Spoil The Film

It's not too surprising that the eponymous character of Nosferatu isn't shown in the trailer given Robert Eggers' history. The filmmaker has always been wary of incorporating too much information in his projects' teaser videos as he, rightfully so, doesn't want to reveal the entire plot before the movie even comes out. Instead, Eggers' trailers provide enough detail without spoiling the film, thereby leaving viewers wanting more and drawing them to theaters. Nosferatu's trailer is the perfect example of this practice, and others should take note as many movie teasers seemingly give their stories away.