Director Robert Eggers grew up in a small town in Southern New Hampshire called Lee. New Hampshire is a part of a group of states (including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) nominally called "New England." Growing up, Eggers became fascinated with the history of that region, as well as the history of witches and magic. Eggers was also interested in oftentimes unsettling subjects, leading to the creation of The Witch, in which he drew upon his interest in New England and the folk history of the region. "Folk tales, fairy tales, religion, the occult - these are the things I'm most passionate about," Eggers said. He wanted, ultimately, to make an homage to the place he grew up and its history.
Above all, Eggers sought to create an authentic film grounded in reality. To that end, he worked with museums across the world and relevant historians to make the film and its appearance as accurate, and rooted in reality, as possible. In crafting the film, Eggers said he cited the possession cases of the Goodwin Children in Boston and Elizabeth Knapp from Groton, MA. He spent much of his life frightened of witches, but those cases were instrumental in crafting a film with a horrifying, tense atmosphere. To maintain that atmosphere, Eggers likewise insisted on the actors using period-accurate accents. He only hired actors who were able to do the accent, and contend with the old-fashioned dialogue, on the first go to maintain authenticity.
Throughout the film, Eggers explores family dynamics. He particularly pays attention to Katherine, the family's mother, whom guides much of the narrative and creates (in part) its conflict. He likewise explores the pull strong forces can have a person (Thomasin) who has otherwise been isolated for her life. These themes have remained consistent across Eggers' filmography; they started to be explored in The Witch.
