Intense Sci-Fi Horror Made Audiences Sick, Now On Streaming
Audiences may have been prepared to bring a barf bag along with them when going to screenings of Damien Leone’s Terrifier 2 but who would’ve thought they’d need one for David Cronenberg’s sci-fi feature, Crimes of the Future? Well, we’re warning you now because the Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart, and Léa Seydoux-led film is streaming on Hulu for you to see what all the fuss is about. Just maybe wait to eat until after.
Both penned and directed by the legendary David Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future follows the story of Saul (Viggo Mortensen) and Caprice (Léa Seydoux) as two performance artists with a very strange bit – they perform surgeries in front of audiences.
Crimes of the Future, a nauseating sci-fi body horror film, is streaming on Hulu.
Based in the future, the human body isn’t as we know it now, and Saul can grow new organs when the old ones are taken away. From the synopsis alone, potential viewers may already see why having a bucket on stand-by would be a good idea.
Along with its three principal stars, Crimes of the Future also features performances from Scott Speedman (Felicity), Don McKellar (Exotica), Tanaya Beatty (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1), and Nadia Litz (The Five Senses).
The movie could’ve looked very different as Nicolas Cage was the first in line for Saul, with Ralph Fiennes picking up the torch before it finally went to Viggo Mortensen. Likewise, Léa Seydoux’s role of Caprice was initially given to Natalie Portman who had to back out due to COVID-19.
When he did agree to do Crimes of the Future, Viggo Mortensen really wasn’t in the mood to take on the leading role and rather wanted the supporting part that ultimately went to Don McKellar. After all, how can you say “no” to David Cronenberg? The pair’s fifth project together, Mortensen and Cronenberg previously worked on A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, A Dangerous Method, and Falling.
Crimes of the Future Made Audiences Sick
Celebrating its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, it was here that Crimes of the Future first made headlines for all the wrong reasons. According to Variety, a handful of attendees left their seats, running for the exit doors as the unsettling film rolled along.
It’s said that most of the abandonment came during the first few minutes but even more happened during a scene featuring Seydoux’s character licking an open wound.
Call it good or bad press, the news surrounding the grotesque images playing out during David Cronenberg’s flick was mostly a miss with audiences when looking at the box office numbers. With a production budget of $27 million, Crimes of the Future only managed to rake in $4.6 million during its run. However, the film was a hit with critics who expected nothing but this sort of blood, guts, and psychological thrill ride from the filmmaker.
Crimes of the Future marked a comeback for David Cronenberg as it was his first feature in eight years, following 2014’s Maps to the Stars. Interestingly enough, it isn’t the only film in his resume with that title as a movie he made all the way back in 1970 is also titled Crimes of the Future although the two do not share a direct connection. Known for his focus on the human body, this also wasn’t the first time that the director and writer delved into such topics.
Cronenberg’s 1988 psychological thriller, Dead Ringers, was also made of a similar stock to Crimes of the Future. Starring Jeremy Irons as a set of twin gynecologists, moments of the ‘80s flick certainly inspired how the filmmaker would approach his stomach-churning Crimes of the Future.
The movie could’ve looked very different as Nicolas Cage was the first in line for Saul, with Ralph Fiennes picking up the torch before it finally went to Viggo Mortensen.
And, if you were looking for an updated version of Dead Ringers, Amazon Prime Video came out with a series based on the original film with Rachel Weisz (The Mummy) flipping the script as a set of twin sisters who run a gynecology office.
A longtime legend for titles like The Dead Zone, The Fly, Naked Lunch, Crash, Cosmopolis, and more, David Cronenberg has always challenged his following with bizarre and sometimes nauseating storylines. Crimes of the Future was the director’s latest film, but soon he’s sure to be making headlines all over again with The Shrouds.
News has just begun to come out surrounding the follow-up to Crimes of the Future, with The Shrouds promising to be another edge-of-your-seat thriller based around death and grieving. Leading the cast will be Diane Kruger, Elizabeth Saunders, Guy Pearce, Jennifer Dale, Vincent Cassel, Eric Weinthal, and Steve Switzman.
As of right now, no release date for The Shrouds has been set but you can stream Crimes of the Future now on Hulu.
