‘Crimes Of The Future’: David Cronenberg Reunites With ‘Pacific Rim’ & ‘Blade II’ Production Designer Carol Spier For New Sci-Fi Movie

Canadian director David Cronenberg (The Fly, Naked Lunch, Eastern Promises) is finally returning to the sci-fi genre as he’ll write and direct the science fiction thriller Crimes of The Future (title lifted from his 1970 film) that will be distributed in the U.S. by Neon (Parasite).

While some embrace the limitless potential of trans-humanism, others attempt to police it. Either way, “Accelerated Evolution Syndrome” is spreading fast. Saul Tenser is a beloved performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, sprouting new and unexpected organs in his body. Along with his partner Caprice, Tenser has turned the removal of these organs into a spectacle for his loyal followers to marvel at in real-time theatre. But with both the government and a strange subculture taking note, Tenser is forced to consider what would be his most shocking performance of all.

Crimes of The Future’s cast so far includes Viggo Mortensen (Lord of The Rings, Eastern Promises, The Road, Alatriste), Lea Seydoux (Spectre, No Time To Die, The Lobster), Kristen Stewart (Underwater, Panic Room, Spencer), Scott Speedman (Underworld The Strangers), Welket Bungué, Don McKellar, and Lihi Kornowski.

The Ronin can confirm the sci-fi film will see Cronenberg reunite with his longtime production designer Carol Spier (Eastern Promises, Naked Lunch, A History of Violence). She’s also worked on Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim, Blade II, Mimic, and had been attached for his At The Mountains of Madness film at Universal Pictures before the project dissolved.

There is also an expectation that David Cronenberg will again work with cinematographer Peter Suschitzky (Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, Eastern Promises, Naked Lunch) on the pic as he’s been the filmmaker’s go-to director of photography since Dead Ringers.

UPDATE: Deadline reports that Canadian cinematographer Douglas Koch (Funny Boy) will be working on the film and that production has started in Greece.

Filming on Crimes of The Future is expected to begin within days as previous reports stated production is taking place in Athens, Greece over the summer.

A release date has yet to be officially announced by Neon.

David Cronenberg’s Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Crimes of The Future’ To Star Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux & Kristen Stewart

We finally have some solid confirmation about Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg’s next feature film as Deadline has revealed that he’ll write and direct the science fiction thriller Crimes of The Future that will be distributed in the U.S. by Neon, according to a report from Deadline. Filming is set to take place in Athens, Greece over the summer, a location that is said to be used for Rian Johnson’s sequel to Knives Out.

Crimes of The Future will be David’s first original script in over 20 years and uses the title of his 1970 film that takes place in 1997 but seemingly will attempt a difference route.

While some embrace the limitless potential of trans-humanism, others attempt to police it. Either way, “Accelerated Evolution Syndrome” is spreading fast. Saul Tenser is a beloved performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, sprouting new and unexpected organs in his body. Along with his partner Caprice, Tenser has turned the removal of these organs into a spectacle for his loyal followers to marvel at in real-time theatre. But with both the government and a strange subculture taking note, Tenser is forced to consider what would be his most shocking performance of all.

The outlet also mentions the cast so far includes Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Scott Speedman, Welket Bungué, Don McKellar, and Lihi Kornowski. Mortensen and Cronenberg have worked together previously with A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, and A Dangerous Method.

David previously directed genre flicks such as The Fly, Videodrome, Naked Lunch, Scanners, Dead Ringers, and eXistenZ.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Viggo Mortensen Teases Reunion With Director David Cronenberg For A Disturbing Film – Could It Be ‘The Fly’ Sequel?

Viggo Mortensen and Canadian director David Cronenberg are apparently trying to work together on a new film as the actor revealed in a recent chat with GQ Magazine, revealing that the film will see Cronenberg going back to his “origins.” The project might even end up in the thriller or horror genre depending how you take in Viggo’s answers below during the interview.

Adding that filming could begin as early as this summer.

GQ: Are you two in talks for another collaboration sometime soon?

MORTENSEN: “Yes, we do have something in mind. It’s something he wrote a long time ago, and he never got it made. Now he’s refined it, and he wants to shoot it. Hopefully, it’ll be this summer we’ll be filming. I would say, without giving the story away, he’s going maybe a little bit back to his origins.”

GQ: So, body-horror type stuff?

MORTENSEN: “Yeah, it’s very interesting. It’s almost like a strange film noir story. It’s disturbing and it’s good, I think. But since his origins, he’s obviously developed in terms of technique and self-assurance as a director.”

I’m sure the “origins” comment would lead many to believe he’s talking about David’s early work in the horror genre but we’ll likely have to wait on more concrete details.

At one point, David tried to get 20th Century Fox (pre-Disney merger) to make a film within the same universe of his remake The Fly. Here is how the filmmaker described the project to The Playlist back in 2012 calling it more of a sequel/sidebar than a full-on remake.

CRONENBERG: “It wasn’t really a remake, it was more of a sequel or a sidebar. It was a meditation on fly-ness. None of the same characters or anything and, of course, with an understanding of modern technology. It was something I was very pleased with and it was a disappointment not to get it made.”

THE FLY – When scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) completes his teleportation device, he decides to test its abilities on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a housefly slips in during the process, leading to a merger of man and insect. Initially, Brundle appears to have undergone a successful teleportation, but the fly’s cells begin to take over his body. As he becomes increasingly fly-like, Brundle’s girlfriend (Geena Davis) is horrified as the person she once loved deteriorates into a monster.

Viggo and David have previously worked together on the comic book adaptation A History of Violence, the Russian gangster film Eastern Promises, and A Dangerous Method. Interesting enough, a spiritual sequel to Eastern Promises is moving forward with Jason Statham’s Small Dark Look that was penned by screenwriter Steven Knight and that had been originally planned as a direct follow-up with Cronenberg expected to direct (formerly known as Body Cross) before budget issues killed it.

SOURCE: GQ

Jason Statham In Talks For ‘Small Dark Look’ Penned By ‘Eastern Promises’ Screenwriter Steven Knight – Focuses On The Russian Mafia In London

Deadline is reporting that British action star Jason Statham is in talks to take a role in a gangster drama titled Small Dark Look. Danish director Martin Zandvliet will be working from a script written by Steven Knight (Eastern Promises, Peaky Blinders) as the film will take place within the world of the Russian mafia in London, obviously the film is in Knight’s wheelhouse after writing David David Cronenberg’s underrated Eastern Promises.

Details on the project aren’t mentioned in the Deadline article but it had been once said to be Knight’s Eastern Promises 2 script reworked as Body Cross (via Screen Daily and Collider) which has now been given the new title of Small Dark Look.

According to Screen Daily, which broke the news, Body Cross is described a mafia tale about two immigrant brothers living in London. Collider’s sources indicate the script follows a Russian agent who rises to become a London mafia boss’ trusted lieutenant and is soon instructed to assassinate one of his fellow countrymen. As far as I know, Mortensen’s character of Nikolai has been written out of the script, or at least renamed ‘Gregory.’

Jason has been busy with Snatch director Guy Ritchie filming the armored car thriller Wrath of Man and the upcoming spy flick Five Eyes. He’s also loosely attached for a new Expendables film and a sequel to Hobbs & Shaw.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Anne Hathaway To Lead Doug Liman’s Pandemic Heist Flick ‘Lockdown’ – Penned By ‘Eastern Promises’ Screenwriter Steven Knight

It was recently reported by Deadline that Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway is in final talks to take a lead role in director Doug Liman’s next film a pandemic-themed heist movie titled Lockdown. Hathaway recently did the heist film Ocean’s 8 and played thief Selina Kyle aka Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. 

The new film is referred to as a romantic comedy and was written by screenwriter Steven Knight, who is known for Eastern Promises, Locke, Peaky Blinders, Taboo, Allied, and The Girl In The Spider’s Web. 

They also mention that filming could begin before the end of the month in London with a budget of under $10 million. 

Director Doug Liman has been busy with the feature film adaptation of Chaos Walking starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, which had undergone extensive reshoots. He is also planning on shooting an action-pic in space starring Tom Cruise and had been developing a sequel to Edge of Tomorrow. 

SOURCE: DEADLINE