The creature feature releases on Christmas Day.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson transforms into a horrifying Werwulf in CinemaCon footage from Nosferatu director

The creature feature releases on Christmas Day.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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April 15, 2026 10:07 p.m. ET

Aaron Taylor-Johnson in London on March 26, 2026. Credit:

Neil Mockford/Getty

- Aaron Taylor-Johnson's character begins turning into a werewolf in the first teaser for *Werwulf*.

- The first footage from the period horror film was shown during Focus Features' presentation at CinemaCon 2026.

- The film releases on Christmas day.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is facing a bit of a hairy situation in his latest movie.

The *Kraven the Hunter* star starts transforming into a werewolf in the first footage from Robert Eggers' appropriately titled *Werwulf*, screened as part of Focus Features' presentation during Universal's CinemaCon event in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

The trailer doesn't quite go full wolf, but we do see Taylor-Johnson begin his agonizing canine evolution, frothing at the mouth under the full moon. We also meet his weary family, including Lily-Rose Depp, who appears to be his wife. The actress starred alongside Taylor-Johnson in Eggers' previous movie, *Nosferatu* — as did Willem Dafoe, who also reappears here.

Robert Eggers in Los Angeles on Dec. 12, 2024.

Andrew Toth/WireImage

Set in 13th-century England, the trailer is reminiscent of Eggers' 2015 debut, *The Witch*, which solidified him as a commanding horror director. His sophomore film, 2019's *The Lighthouse*, marked his first collaboration with Dafoe, and the two have been inseparable ever since, reuniting on 2022's *The Northman* and 2024's *Nosferatu*.

"Do not dread the darkness," a deep voice says in the teaser via narration. "Embrace it."

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The beginning of the footage emphasizes a disturbing ritual in which a crowd circles a bonfire — and at one point, there appears to be a person being crucified within the flames, as well as some kind of decor featuring a skull on top of a small cross.

"I've heard of a raving beast that ravaged this country," he warns. "A werewolf."

The teaser then shows a grotesque image of a hanging corpse, a medieval illustration of a werewolf terrorizing a crowd, a full moon, and several naked people crawling on the ground.

Taylor-Johnson previously discussed his casting in *Werwulf* with *Esquire*.

"I felt very honored and privileged that he asked me to do something else with him," he told the outlet of Eggers. "Other than being a phenomenal filmmaker and a strong visionary for these genre movies, I really loved being in his presence. He's a strong filmmaker, he knows exactly what he wants, and he's very much in control. I like being an actor that is under the influence of a strong director. There are just limitations and boundaries within that, and it allows you to then differentiate between the other things you do, because he's so strong and bold in his style."

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*Werwulf* crawls into theaters on Christmas Day.

- Horror Movies

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Source: “EW Horror”