Robert Eggers is returning to folk horror after his gothic detour with Nosferatu, reuniting with star Lily-Rose Depp on upcoming film Werwulf, which also features Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a farmer plagued by a supernatural curse in 13th-century England. A new trailer was released today (29 June), showcasing The Idol stars’ prosthetic cleft lip, which sparked backlash when first-look images of Depp circulated last year.
Depp plays Taylor-Johnson's character's wife, with Eggers having previously described her character as the "most gracious person in the film" (via Esquire).
Co-written by Eggers and Icelandic poet and screenwriter Sjón, the film's atmospheric trailer combines different aspect ratios as well as colour and black-and-white grading to tell the story of an ordinary family haunted by a mysterious creature.
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Juxtaposing pagan rituals and Christian symbolism, the trailer further reveals Taylor-Johnson's protagonist's close connection to the bloodthirsty werewolf in a link that goes back to his childhood.
The clip also offers a more detailed look at Depp's farmer character, though her role in the story still remains unclear. When a first picture of Depp dropped online in November 2025, some had previously pointed out how the coverage of the prosthetic look seemed to perpetuate the stigma around cleft lips.
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One media outlet branded the transformation a "de-glammed" look for the Nosferatu star, with UK charity Changing Faces calling for "calling for responsible, respectful reporting" on Facebook.
Related: Aaron Taylor-Johnson hailed for his "best performance" as first look lands at Gothic horror
As the language used by some media outlets and speculation that Werwulf would exploit the birth difference as "inspiration for horror" was also criticised in a Glamour op-ed, the new trailer hasn't clarified much about Depp's character and whether her cleft lip would be portrayed sensitively.
Releasing on Christmas Day, the film also stars Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson and Hamnet's Bodhi Rae Breathnach.
Werwulf marks Eggers' fifth feature film, following his 2015 directorial debut, The Witch, starring Anya Taylor-Joy in a breakout performance as a Puritan teen suspected of communing with the devil. Eggers also wrote, directed and produced 2019's The Lighthouse, 2022's The Northman and 2024's Nosferatu.
Werwulf is released in cinemas on Christmas Day.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
