The surprise success ofNosferatumeans the timing couldn’t be better for Hammer Horror to stage a glorious resurrection. Gothic horror movies like the classic Universal Monsters or the output of Britain’s Hammer Films used to dominate the genre, once upon a time. Hammer franchises like theChristopher LeeDraculamoviesor theirFrankensteinseries leaned into their Gothic origins, but the arrival of more modern, psychological chillers likeRosemary’s Babyleft the genre very dated in later years.
Modern horror tends to be defined by the likes of A24, but the occasional Gothic horror effort likeCrimson Peakor evenThe Fall of the House of Usheroccasionally breaks through. That’s what makes the success of Robert Egger’sNosferaturemake so exciting. On the surface, the movie’s retro feel and Gothic tone would have been considered offputting to modern viewers; instead,Nosferatuhas grossed over $100 million worldwide (viaBox Office Mojo) and nabbed 85% onRotten Tomatoes. This shows that contrary to popular wisdom, there is still an audience for these kinds of classic chillers.
Nosferatu Box Office Outgrosses Smile 2 In U.S., Becoming One Of 2024’s Biggest Horror Hits
Robert Eggers' Nosferatu remake surges past the domestic box office gross of Smile 2 to become one of the biggest horror movie hits of 2024.
Nosferatu’s Success Should Pave The Way For A Hammer Horror Comeback
Nosferatu was heavily inspired by Hammer’s output
Aside from the original film, Robert Eggers has admitted in many interviews (likeThe Standard) forNosferatuthat the remake’s tone and look were heavily inspired byHammer Horror movies. From the lush, fog-laden visuals to the stylized dialogue, it couldn’t be more different from 2024’s other horror hits likeA Quiet Place: Day OneorThe Substance. A quick scan of 2024’s other horror offerings showsthere is a renewed leaning towards Gothic horror though, withThe First Omen,Longlegs, and evenBeetlejuice, Beetlejuiceall containing elements of the genre. That’s why the stage is perfect for Hammer Horror’s return.
The company has been largely dormant since the 1970s, though in recent years a revived Hammer has produced films like Daniel Radcliffe’sThe Woman in Blackor theLet the Right One InremakeLet Me In. However, the studio is said to be planning a major revival in the years ahead, and the success ofNosferatuis a positive sign that audiences are ready for their distinct brand of horror again.
Gothic horror movieshave been out of favor for so long that they’ve started to feel oddly refreshing again, andEggers’Nosferatuinjects a classic Gothic tale with a modern feel, which is why it connected with audiences. This would be the best template for Hammer to follow, where they find a fresh spin on their classic movies but retain the Gothic edge that made them so unique. It wouldn’t hurt to nab some name stars either, and given that it’s reviving a beloved franchise, it shouldn’t be too difficult to lure in some recognizable faces.
Why The Original Hammer Films Productions Folded During The 1970s
Hammer Studios got out of the horror game in 1976
Hammer was prolific throughout the 1950s and 1960s, though it was often a case of quantity over quality. For every great movie likeThe Devil Rides OutorQuatermass and the Pit, there were shoddier efforts likeScars of Dracula. Much of Hammer’s funding also came from America, but due to financial regulations that arrived during the late 1960s, overseas investments quickly dried up moving into the 1970s (viaHammer). There was alsoa new wave of grounded horror movies likeThe Exorcistthat left Hammer’s Gothic offerings looking very passé.
By the time Hammer’s final horror movie To the Devil a Daughter arrived, the wheels had come off and it was clear audiences had moved on…
That’s why much of the studio’s output during the 1970s felt more experimental, with films likeDracula AD 1972orCaptain Kronosattempting to appeal to a younger audience. By the time their final horror movieTo the Devil a Daughterarrived, the wheels had come off and it was clear audiences had moved on from their branding. In hindsight,their 1980 horror anthology TV seriesHammer House of Horroralmost felt like a farewell to loyal viewers.
Hammer Horror Could Become The Franchise The Dark Universe Failed To Be
Hammer Horror could deliver the monster mash Universal couldn’t
The success of the MCU saw most of the major studios trying to stitch together their own cinematic universes during the 2010s. Many of these attempts crashed and burned, with the most infamous being Universal’s Dark Universe. 2017’sThe Mummystarring Tom Cruise was meant to kick off a shared run of movies, withBride of FrankensteinandThe Invisible Manstarring Johnny Depp meant to follow.The underwhelming performance ofThe Mummykilled the Dark Universe outright, but Hammer Horror could learn from Universal’s mistakesin this regard.
Tim Burton has labeled Hammer’s delightfully campyDracula AD 1972as one of his all-time favorite movies.
The biggest flaw with the Dark Universe was taking classic horror characters and trying to insert them into action blockbusters. This approach would have robbed these monsters of their identities, butNosferatuhas shown how to do a faithful, big-budget approach that doesn’t take away from the horror. Hammer also has famous iterations of Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and The Mummy in the back catalog, so with a little planning, they could create the shared monster universe that Universal failed to.
It will be interesting to see how Hammer goes about its revival, but it feels like the best move would be to come strong out of the gate with one movie and develop from there. It wouldn’t hurt their chances to get a major filmmaker like Tim Burton (a self-professed Hammer fan) or Eggers himself behind it.Nosferatufeels about as close to Hammer Hammer as a modern film has gotten, so the company should strike while the iron is hot.
Nosferatu
Cast
Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name from director F. W. Murnau. Robert Eggers is crafting his own version of the story for the reboot as writer and director, with Bill Skarsgård stepping into the shoes of Count Orlok. Nosferatu tells the tale of a young woman who falls victim to a vampire utterly infatuated with her.
