NOSFERATU Director Shares Unexpected Influence from Tim Burton’s BATMAN RETURNS

Robert Eggers' Nosferatu remake has been a hit with horror fans with its haunting visuals, gothic tone, and unrelenting sense of dread.

The film is a reimagining of the 1922 silent classic and the story is set in 19th-century Europe and follows Count Orlok's sinister pursuit of a young woman to be his eternal bride.

While it may not seem like Eggers' latest horror masterpiece has much in common with Tim Burton's 1992 Batman Returns, the director himself recently revealed that he sees an influence.

While speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Eggers shared an intriguing realization: “I was watching on one of these flights… I threw on Batman Returns and, like, snowy, gothic atmosphere of that movie is, it’s quite like, shockingly similar to a lot of the stuff we were doing here, which is something that I never really considered at all.

“But Wayne Manor, like, doesn’t look a hell of a lot different than Grűnewald Manor. I have got to say except for falling apart. So that was kind of interesting.”

Once the comparison is made, it’s not hard to see it. The moody gothic visuals, the snow-covered landscapes are undeniably similar. While Eggers doesn’t come right out and say Batman Returns directly influenced his Nosferatu, it’s possible that Burton’s imagery subconsciously seeped into his creative process.

Regardless, both filmmakers are known for their love of heavy gothic aesthetics. However, as Burton often utilizes a playful quality into his work, Eggers leans fully into dark, foreboding atmospheres.

Much of Nosferatu’s visual power comes from its stripped-down production design, which emphasizes the eerie desolation of Orlok’s world.

Production designer Craig Lathrop explained to The World of Interiors: “If you go to Orlok’s castle, for example, it’s pretty sparse. He doesn’t have a lot of furniture; he doesn’t need a lot of furniture.

“And that helps it all feel spooky, right? It’s what gives the castle that haunted-house feel: stripping it all down, because I wanted Hutter to feel really alone. When he walks in there at first, it’s just him and Orlok: there’s nowhere to go.”

This minimalist approach paid off, earning Lathrop an Oscar nomination for Best Production Design.