2 Movies In 2024 Can Rectify This Year's Terrible Box Office Curse

After a year of disappointing releases, two high-profile vampire movies are set to return the horror subgenre to glory in 2024.

Summary

• Two high-profile vampire movies, Salem's Lot and Nosferatu, are set to revive the horror subgenre in 2024 after a year of disappointing releases.
• The box office failures of Renfield and The Last Voyage of the Demeter highlighted the need for critical acclaim in order to succeed.
• Both Salem's Lot and Nosferatu have the potential to rejuvenate the vampire subgenre by offering legitimate horror and returning to the beloved elements of vampire movies.

After a year of disappointing releases both critically and at the box office, two high-profile vampire movies are set to return the horror subgenre to glory in 2024. In 2023, two box office bombs centered directly around elements of Bram Stoker's original Dracula story. The horror comedy Renfield focused on Dracula's famous minion from Stoker's original novel, while the period piece The Last Voyage of the Demeter chronicled the fateful voyage Dracula made across the sea from Transylvania to London.

Renfield bombed at the box office, making just $26.7 million on a budget of $65m. The Last Voyage of the Demeter didn't fare much better, with similar takings of just $21.8 million against a budget of around $45m. Neither movie received critical acclaim either, which certainly contributed to the disappointing box office returns. However, two 2024 releases could well be among the best vampire movies in recent years, and help the subgenre make a box office comeback.

Both Salem's Lot And Nosferatu Are Set To Release In 2024

Neither movie has a set theatrical release date yet

Nosferatu (2024)

Nosferatu is based on the 1922 silent horror movie of the same name, which is itself a loose adaptation of Bram Stoker's original Dracula novel. The original movie is one of the most universally-acclaimed horror movies of all time, and is widely considered to be a foundational film in the horror genre. The remake will be the next of Robert Eggers' movies, and he has established himself as one of the top up-and-coming directors with critical hits like The Witch, The Lighthouse and The Northman. The remake is set to be a gothic folk horror movie, and while no official date has been set yet, it is currently going to be released in 2024.

Salem's Lot will be the first theatrical remake of the 1979 two-part miniseries of the same name, based upon the 1975 Stephen King novel. The original miniseries was well-received, and mixed elements of classic vampire films and haunted house stories. The remake will be written and directed by Gary Dauberman, who had a hand in writing the recent It remakes, along with the Annabelle and The Nun movies. Salem's Lot originally had release dates in 2022 and 2023, but various delays have pushed its release back. As of now, the film does not have a release date, but could receive a release on Warner Bros' Max streaming platform.

Why Salem's Lot and Nosferatu Will Likely Be Critical Successes

The source material of both movies and quality of the productions should yield success.

Nosferatu will be the latest period film from Robert Eggers, who has directed three critically-acclaimed movies that all contained horror elements. More importantly, all three of his previous movies received praise for their attention to the details of the various historical periods in which they were set. This bodes extremely well for Nosferatu, which will also be set in the 1800s as the original movie was. The movie's cast should also ensure its quality, as Bill Skarsgård - the actor celebrated for his extremely creepy portrayal of Pennywise in the recent It remakes - is set to play Nosferatu, with Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult also starring.

Salem's Lot has the benefit of a talented and experienced set of writers and producers, as both writer/director Gary Dauberman and producer James Wan have been celebrated for their contributions to modern horror movies. The source material is widely regarded as one of Stephen King's best books, which will, of course, set the movie up for success as far as the actual story is concerned. King himself has praised the Salem's Lot remake, which means it should have a good baseline for quality.

Why Salem's Lot And Nosferatu Can Rejuvenate The Vampire Subgenre

Most modern vampire movies have been critical failures.

For the most part, modern vampire movies have a low rate of critical success. The aforementioned Renfield, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and even 2014's Dracula Untold have all been misses at the box office as well. There are certainly a number of beloved vampire movies in American cinema, including The Lost Boys, Dracula (1931), and Interview With the Vampire, but with a few exceptions, modern high-profile theatrical releases have been disappointments. Salem's Lot and Nosferatu can buck that trend if they are critical successes, and rejuvenate the beloved subgenre moving forward.

Both movies also have an opportunity to bring back an essential element of vampire movies: legitimate horror. One of the most widely-celebrated vampire movies in recent memories is What We Do In the Shadows, which is essentially a straight comedy. The biggest modern vampire box office phenomenon is the Twilight series, which certainly didn't include much legitimate horror. Both Nosferatu and Salem's Lot should be high-quality horror movies that lean into the darkest and most terrifying elements of vampires, which is something that the subgenre desperately needs.