The legendary silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is getting a modern makeover with a new psychological horror titled Doctor Caligari’s Cabinet of Wonders.

Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals, Revolutionary Road) has been tapped to play the titular villain, Deadline reports. Production begins in June under the direction of John Erick Dowdle (As Above, So Below, Devil), who co-wrote the script with his brother Drew Dowdle.

Shannon previously collaborated with the Dowdle brothers on Showtime’s Waco and Waco: The Aftermath, and he brings his trademark intensity to the role of Doctor Caligari — a traveling mesmerist who roams from town to town with a sleepwalker under his control, leaving a trail of grisly murders. When a young woman’s boyfriend disappears mysteriously, she suspects Caligari is responsible — but no one believes her.

“Having worked with Michael Shannon on multiple projects, my brother and I have seen firsthand the unnerving intensity he can bring to even the simplest moments,” said John Erick Dowdle. “The idea of seeing him play the horrifying Doctor Caligari became an obsession for us. The trust and creative shorthand we’ve built together allows us to push deeper and bolder as we reimagine this iconic German Expressionist classic for a modern audience.”

Anton is financing the film and handling worldwide rights at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin, with CAA Media Finance co-representing North American rights.

Producing the film are Drew Dowdle for Brothers Dowdle Productions, alongside Sébastien Raybaud (Greenland, The Night House) and Brandt Wrightsman (Greenland 2: Migration) for Anton, with Stuart Manashil (His House, Boy Kills World) also producing.

Originally released in 1920, Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a cornerstone of German Expressionist cinema and widely considered the first true horror film. This new adaptation promises to honor the classic while delivering a fresh, modern nightmare.