It is 1922 and the filming of the silent-film classic "Nosferatu" is about to begin at a remote Czechoslovakian castle. The director of the film, Friedrich Murnau (John Malkovich) struggles to convince the cast and crew that everything will be fine despite the weird methods of the lead actor Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) who is playing the vampire Count Orlok. Max refuses to appear to anyone out of vampire character, only showing up in full costume and makeup. This makes the crew uneasy but they accept him as just a highly-trained method actor. But the truth is something more sinister. Schreck reveals himself as a true vampire, centuries old. He proceeds to show the crew elements of his vampire nature, including drinking the blood of animals and a predilection for bats. Murnau is revealed to have made a deal with Max. In order to make his film as real as possible, Murnau promises the lead actress (Catherine McCormack) to Max as a prize. Schreck is impatient to claim his prize. When Max kills another actor, Murnau must get destroy Max yet still film the movie he truly wants.