Robert Eggers is set to adapt Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet for Focus Features, according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter cited by Dread Central. This announcement marks a significant departure from the director’s recent focus on horror and period pieces, shifting his attention to a well-known literary classic.
The play, penned in the 1590s, tells the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, the son and daughter of rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues. The play has been adapted numerous times, with Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 version cited as a notable example.
In the same report, details regarding Eggers’ upcoming film Werwulf were provided. Set in 13th-century England, the film follows a community terrorized by a mysterious creature as folklore begins to manifest into reality. The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp, Ralph Ineson, and Bodhi Rae Breathnach. This ensemble reunites Eggers with several frequent collaborators following his previous film, Nosferatu. Focus Features is scheduled to release Werwulf exclusively in theaters this Christmas.