Why do horror directors want to have their own darker take on a perfect Christmas story and a perfect character like Scrooge? Ti West and Robert Eggers are planning a new, darker, and atmospheric take on the classic Dickens tale.
Charles Dickens’ original story has been adapted several times before in musical, animated, and live-action versions, including Scrooge (1951), A Christmas Carol (1938), Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983), The Muppet’s Christmas Carol (1992), and A Christmas Carol of 2009.
None of them have been scary, and with filmmakers like Ti West and Robert Eggers, we predict that the warmth and moral clarity of the original will be built more on ghosts, isolation, and psychological torment.
Since the original story has three spirits that remind Scrooge that his ways of thinking are not decent, Eggers and West might use this plot to make it spooky with their visionary interpretations and clever use of core elements of horror.
Details of Robert Eggers’ A Christmas Carol
Robert Eggers’ take on the 1922 silent movie, Nosferatu, was a worldwide sensation. It paid a perfect homage to the unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, where a rat-like vampire, Count Orlok, brought plague to a German town in search of a woman with whom he was infatuated.
It makes us even more excited for the news that Eggers will be directing a new Christmas Carol film, which he is writing and directing by himself, that too, for Warner Bros. The distributor has already surprised us this year with several early predictions from its brilliant releases in 2025, and finally, Oscars voters recognized the potential and gave three of its frontrunners a prestigious place in Best Picture nominations (Sinners, One Battle After Another, and F1 The Movie).
Keeping Eggers’ previous projects in mind, we know he likes to play with a blend of historical authenticity and supernatural constituents. He loves period settings in conjunction with black-and-white cinematography, evident in Nosferatu (set in the 1830s) and The Lighthouse (set in the 1890s), to create an oppressive atmosphere.
His bygone-era mindset gives layers of authenticity by emphasizing texture, isolation, and authenticity. And with Dafoe’s intense physical presence, Scrooge’s hauntings might transform into a ghostly spectacle, with raw expressiveness and posture, and amplification of the character’s true internal terror.
Willem Dafoe as Scrooge
Deadline reported that his old frequent collaborator, Willem Dafoe, might be on board to play Ebenezer Scrooge. Dafoe has been with Eggers in the last three films: The Lighthouse (2019), The Northman (2022), and Nosferatu (2024). His potential casting as Scrooge feels particularly fitting due to his facial similarity.
Dafoe has been known to portray men consumed by obsession, as in The Lighthouse and his recent The Man in My Basement (2025), spiritual anguish, and moral extremity. These traits align with Eggers’ bleak and historically grounded sensibilities.
Dafoe’s voice and demeanor will add depth to Eggers’ reenvisioning. If redemption is to be centralized as one of Scrooge’s story themes, then it might be hard-earned and ambiguous, leading us to picture Dafoe’s Scrooge as cruel, just like Count Orlok. Egger’s grim atmospheric approach to Dickens’ classic might be justified with Dafoe’s bare-knuckled emotions.
Details on Ti West’s A Christmas Carol
Ti West is best known for his slow-burn approach in horror films like The House of the Devil (2009), The Innkeepers (2011), and the acclaimed A24 trilogy (X, Pearl, and MaXXXine). His directorial style includes retro aesthetics, which are heavily influenced by 1970s and 80s genre cinema.
He usually employs long takes and builds dread with a “less is more” approach so that his unfiltered “video” aesthetic appears real and the fear feels more natural. He relies less on jump scares and more on character-driven horror.
How that will impact A Christmas Carol makes us wonder how Scrooge will be. Will he be terrifying, and will the production involve supernatural aspects, possibly focused on his guilt and madness?
Knowing that he uses slow-burning tension, A Christmas Carol might focus on the claustrophobic nature of Scrooge’s home and his mind. The gothic visuals would be inevitable, as flickering candlelight, foggy streets, and decaying environments will add to the atmosphere of his retro-style filmmaking.
Johnny Depp as Scrooge
Imagining Johnny Depp as Scrooge automatically recreates the image of the character as haunting, cruel, or even fragile. Choosing Depp naturally fits well with West’s reimagining of the classic story, as Depp will give a theatrical edge to the character.
Depp has excelled at playing characters who are fractured, who try to hide their pain, and who still appear eccentric. These qualities will reinvent the way Scrooge is meant to be in the darker version of the story. His role might be more unsettling than the traditionally played ones.
Depp’s Scrooge would surely be greedy but likely to be emotionally exposed and unpredictable. The sudden outburst of despair or rage will be inescapable, as West’s direction might be aiming at the character’s psychological breakdown, even with Scrooge’s cruelty, feeling painfully human.
Whose vision of A Christmas Carol will haunt us the most?
Certainly, Eggers has the edge over West, as the former has shown his expertise in period pieces before. Reaching the heights of Eggers’ historical filmography might be a tough task at hand for West.
Given that both are horror directors, both prefer anachronistic stylization; it is literally hard to give a verdict in favor of one. However, I suspect Eggers’ version would leave people physically unsettled in the theaters if you want to feel as though Victorian London itself is reaching out to drag you into the shadows.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was originally published as a novella in 1843. If Eggers wants to stay true to its roots, then Eggers will likely stick to its hyper-realistic historical details with folkloric dread. Eggers has proven it before with Nosferatu and The Lighthouse, where even a street scene felt like the air was choking you.
Release dates of Ti West and Robert Eggers’ A Christmas Carol
Robert Eggers’ Werwulf is expected to release on Christmas 2026, and A Christmas Carol is expected to follow. However, since the name has “Christmas” in it, it might get a final release date near Christmas next year.
Eggers’ decision to schedule a Christmas release for his adaptation may also be strategic, especially with Ti West’s A Christmas Carol set to arrive earlier on November 13, 2026. Releasing two reimaginings of the same classic story so close together could dilute interest and hurt both films at the box office. In that context, delaying Eggers’ version makes sense, giving his film space to stand apart and avoid direct competition with West’s take on Dickens’ tale.
Passionate Entertainment Writer | Trusted Pop Culture Voice
Madiha Ali is an experienced entertainment writer with over five years of expertise in covering movies, TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Her bylines appear on trusted platforms like High on Films, Ary News, The Express Tribune, Tea and Banter, Show Snob, CelebFeedz, Snapfeedz, Daily Planet Media, The Irish Insider, and Movie Insiderz.
She brings a personal, insightful approach to every story—whether she’s analyzing the emotional layers of a film or giving her take on trending celebrity headlines. Madiha’s writing style is known for being authentic, well-researched, and reader-focused.
When she’s not writing, she’s fully immersed in the world of entertainment—watching new releases, revisiting classics, exploring behind-the-scenes content, or reading books that fuel her creativity. Her passion for storytelling drives her work and helps her stay connected to what matters most in the industry.
Madiha believes great stories start conversations, challenge perspectives, and stay with us long after the credits roll. Through her writing, she continues to share those stories with clarity, depth, and heart.
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