Good News for Cronenberg Fans – “The Shrouds” Coming to the U.S. in 2025

Key Takeaways:

– “The Shrouds” by David Cronenberg has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Janus and Sideshow.
– The movie is set to release in 2025.
– Despite mixed reviews at Cannes, it’s received higher ratings at North American festivals and on review aggregators.
– Cronenberg mentions cultural differences as a potential reason for the lackluster Cannes reception.
– Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, and Guy Pearce star in the film.

You might remember a while back when David Cronenberg’s film “The Shrouds” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. If you’re not familiar with it, don’t worry, you’re not alone. The early verdict was sort of “meh.”

Even so, there’s been a twist in the tale. It took almost five Earth orbits around the sun, or to put it simply, five months for the film to get a U.S. distributor. Apparently, Janus and Sideshow are taking a shot and they’ve announced a release date in 2025.

There’s a glimmer of hope, though. It seems that North American film festivals, like the NYFF (New York Film Festival) and TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) are warming to the movie. It’s not like it’s breaking any records, but the reviews are slightly better.

A Resurrection in Review Scoring

For you numbers folks out there, it currently holds a 59 on Metacritic and a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. Not bad, right? Especially when you consider that the Cannes reception was frosty at best.

A Misstep for “The Shrouds”?

Cronenberg himself has since confessed that, well, maybe premiering at Cannes wasn’t the best idea. He feels the audience just didn’t vibe with his flick. Perhaps there were too many cultural and language differences.

He explains that maybe people felt it was disrespectful to laugh at the film’s dark humor because of the serious Cannes atmosphere. The Toronto audience, he suggested, or even a crowd in the U.S. might have a better appreciation for the film’s nuances.

A Memorable U.S. Premiere

Upon the film’s U.S. premiere at the NYFF, Cronenberg took a moment to address the audience. He admitted he wasn’t present while the movie was playing but hoped they found at least a few chuckles within the narrative.

He stars Vincent Cassel in this film as an inventive businessperson dealing with the loss of his wife, played by Diane Kruger. Here’s where it gets interesting – the grieving widower creates a unique cemetery that permits mourners to watch their loved ones decompose via underground cameras.

Now, wait! That’s not all! Kruger also portrays the late wife’s sister and Guy Pearce steps in to play the paranoid, conspiracy enthralled ex-husband.

A Whole Lot to Unpack

Personally, the film had our heads spinning. It starts off wholly engaging, but the plot becomes somewhat tangled as it moves along. It wouldn’t be a Cronenberg film without a dash of kink and an unwavering fascination with the human form. Plus, the music by Howard Shore beautifully underscores the movie with a blend of hymns and organ music.

So, all in all, despite its rocky start, it seems like “The Shrouds” is piquing more interest as it makes its journey across the globe. Who knows, you could even find yourself cheering for it when it hits U.S. cinemas in 2025!

Until then, we’re left to wonder – will the U.S. audience, like those in Toronto and New York, find the dark humor and complexity in Cronenberg’s latest creation? Only time will tell.