“Trash and corporate slop”- Fans highlight Nosferatu’s modest $50M budget in critique of big studios

Robert Eggers's project Nosferatu hit theaters on December 25, 2024. The gothic horror film received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with many praising the film for its superb cinematography, direction, and acting performances. Many commended Eggers, who wrote and directed the movie, for delivering a nail-biting, suspense story without the use of CGI.

The movie features Bill Skarsgård as the titular vampire, with Nicholas Hoult and Lily-Rose Depp playing a married couple tormented by the vampire. The horror film has received an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Fans were even more impressed with the film after learning that it was reportedly made on a budget of $50 million. One X user expressed their surprise by saying:

“NOSFERATU BUDGET WAS UNDER 50 MILLION!? Shut the f**k up. SHUT UPPP. Setting myself on fire. The TRASH AND CORPORATE SLOP I SEE FOR $250-300 MILLION.”

Netizens react to Nosferatu's reported budget (Image via X/@ladydragonjj)

Others compared the film to big-budget studio films and wondered why the latter's budget was much higher.

“Nosferatu made $50M look like $500M. What’s your excuse, Disney?” said one user.

"Movies like this will start up an investigation into some of these studios to see where companies like WB and Disney ACTUALLY put their money. Because it's most certainly not in the actual quality of the production that's for sure,” an X user raised a valid point.

“Turns out shooting on location with practical effects is cheaper than CGI slop AND looks better, who'd have thought.” commented another.

Fans praised the gothic horror film, especially the dedication of director Robert Eggers and actress Lily-Rose Depp.

“Amazing! Saw it last night and kept wondering how high the budget went. One incredible shot after another,” one fan praised the movie.

“LILY ROSE DEPP!! JUST WOW! WOW! Beautiful movie. Some of the best horor cinematography I’ve seen! Such a clean well made film,” said one user.

“Yeah this is what happened when a dude who actually cares about making good movies gets 50 million. Disney should be burned to the ground,” remarked one user.

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What is Nosferatu about?

Nosferatu centers around Count Orlok / vampire Nosferatu and his obsession with Ellen Hutter, a resident of the German town of Wisborg. Set in 1838, the film follows Ellen and her solicitor husband, Thomas Hutter. The count invites Thomas to Transylvania under the guise of wanting to purchase Wisborg's run-down estate, Schloss Grünewald.

During their meeting, Thomas learns that Count Orlok is a plague-causing vampire and is in love with Ellen. Meanwhile, Ellen's condition worsens back at home as she is plagued by seizures and sleepwalking. Not long after, the vampire descends on Wisborg with rats in search of Ellen.

Albin Eberhart Von Franz, a brilliant occult scientist, informs Ellen that the only way to kill the vampire is to sacrifice herself. In the end, Ellen allows the vampire to drink her blood, causing both of them to perish at the time of sunrise.

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Cast and characters

The film's full cast list is given below:

• Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok / Nosferatu
• Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter
• Nicholas Hoult as Thomas Hutter
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Friedrich Harding
• Willem Dafoe as Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz
• Emma Corrin as Anna Harding
• Ralph Ineson as Dr. Wilhelm Sievers
• Simon McBurney as Knock
• Adéla Hesová as Clara
• Milena Konstantinova as Louise
• Stacy Thunes as Head Nurse
• Gregory Gudgeon as Hartmann
• Jordan Haj as Vampire Hunter
• Robert Russell as First Clerk
• Curtis Matthew as Second Clerk
• Katerina Bila as Virgin on Horseback
• Claudiu Trandafir as Innkeeper
• Georgina Bereghianu as Innkeeper's Mother-in-Law
• Maria Ion as Old Roma Woman
• Tereza Duskova as Orthodox Novice
• Alex East as Sailor
• Robin Finesilver as Hospital porter
• Liana Navrot as Orthodox Schema nun
• Mihai Verbintschi as Orthodox priest
• Karel Dobrý as Captain Yusou
• Andrea Miltnerova as Hospital Nurse
• Andrei Sergeev as First Mate
• Matej Benes as Vomiting Sailor
• Marek Pospíchal as First Deck Hand
• Jan Filipenský as Second Deck Hand
• Christian Dunkley-Clark as Hospital Orderli / Raving Maniac
• Paul A Maynard as Dockhand
• Charles Horne as Drunkhard
• Ella Bernstein as Clara (voice)
• Meredith Digings as Louise (voice)

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Nosferatu is currently playing at theaters in the United States.