PETA Plans To Protest a Screening of ‘Nosferatu’ Due to the Film Depicting Rats as the Harbingers of Death

Nosferatu had its world premiere in Berlin on December 2, 2024, and will hit theaters in the United States on December 25, 2024. The film has been well-received by critics.

On Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of 67 critics gave the movie positive reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The site’s consensus reads: “Expertly crafted by Robert Eggers, Nosferatu is a massive horror experience that’s both disturbing and captivating.” Metacritic also rated the movie highly, giving it a score of 83 out of 100 based on 25 reviews, indicating “universal acclaim.”

However, not everyone is thrilled about the film. PETA plans to protest an Academy screening of Nosferatu this Sunday. The organization will send someone dressed as a giant rat to the Samuel Goldwyn Theater to speak out against the use of 5,000 live rats in a scene showing them invading London, representing the spread of the bubonic plague.

Lauren Thomasson, PETA’s director for animals in film and TV, said, “Rats are no more dangerous to humans in real life than vampires are. Portraying them as bringers of death takes away the chance for audiences to see them as smart, social, and loving creatures. The real issue on set is directors who put animals in stressful and chaotic environments. PETA urges people to reject these harmful stereotypes and treat rats with the respect they deserve.”

After an early screening, director Robert Eggers discussed the rat scene with Guillermo del Toro. Eggers explained, “When you see rats up close, they’re real, but in the background, they’re CG. They were well-trained. I didn’t realize rats are incontinent, so the smell was intense.”

Production designer Craig Lathrop added, “None of the rats were lost. We had plexiglass barriers to keep the live rats in a controlled space. In the street scene, the horses were on one side, and the rats were on the other to ensure no one got hurt.”

PETA emphasizes that rats are social animals who bond with their families, enjoy playing, and even laugh when tickled. They also point out that rats are less likely than dogs or cats to spread diseases.

Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 German classic based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The film features a star-studded cast, including Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.

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