Robert Eggers to Direct 'Romeo and Juliet' Film Adaptation

According to exclusive information from According to The Hollywood Reporter, Robert Eggers will direct an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet at Focus Features. The studio won a bidding war that involved A24, Sony, and Warner Bros.

The value of the deal was not revealed, but sources indicate it is in the region of $70 million, an amount that covers the director's and cast's fees, as well as the production budget. Eggers will direct and produce. It is not yet known who else is credited with producing or executive producing.

Known for his obsessive attention to period details, including dialogue, the director is expected to have the actors speak in Old English. Shakespeare's play, written in the 1590s, tells the story of young lovers from rival families, the Capulets and the Montagues, in the city of Verona, Italy. It is one of the playwright's most enduring works and has already yielded remarkable adaptations, such as Franco Zeffirelli's in 1968 and Baz Luhrmann's in 1996, Romeo + Juliet, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

Focus, headed by Peter Kujawski , has already released all of its films, including The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman. Its most recent partnership was with Nosferatu  a 2024 hit that surprisingly grossed overruns and was released by Universal.

Eggers' next film, Werwulf, is also being released by Universal and reunites Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily-Rose Depp, who were in Nosferatu. The film is scheduled for release at Christmas.