There is no better way to say it: The king of body horror is back. “Crimes of the Future” is not just the first film David Cronenberg has made since “Map to the Stars” from 2014. More poignantly, it is his first dive into the horror subgenre since “Existenz” from 1999. With its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this month rapidly approaching, excitement is at its peak. After a short teaser from April, the first full trailer for “Crimes of the Future” is now available to better showcase the return of Cronenberg.
“Crimes of the Future” shares a name with a low-budget film of Cronenberg’s at the start of his career, all the way back from 1970. It has, however, been noted to not be a remake of that film, despite the shared name. That said, the director returning to a previously used title may suggest that the film will serve as a return to his grotesque roots. The teaser trailer showcases that the director will seemingly not hold back with delving into the macabre. In particular, one of its most penetrating shots is of a man with ears on his forehead, and his eyelids and mouth sewn shut. Whatever lies in wait at Cannes and for wider audiences, it is sure to be unforgettable.
Here’s the official synopsis:
As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed. Their mission: To use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Scott Speedman, Welket Bungué, Don McKellar, Yorgos Pirpassopoulos, Tanaya Beatty, Nadia Litz, Lihi Kornowski, and Denise Capezza, “Crimes of the Future” has its limited release in Los Angeles and New York on June 3rd before expanding wide on June 10th. Watch the new trailer below.