David Cronenberg’s newest film “Crimes of the Future” has found its cast. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart, with supporting work from Scott Speedman, Welket Bungué, Don McKellar and Lihi Kornowski. NEON and Serendipitity Point Pictures are co-producing the film, announcing on Friday that production in Greece will commence this summer.
Cronenberg will direct and write “Crimes of the Future”, making it the Canadian director’s first original script since 1999’s “eXistenZ”. Interestingly enough, Cronenberg’s second feature back in 1970 was also titled “Crimes of the Future”. This iteration, however, differs completely in plot and characters; centered around a not-so-distant future where humankind is learning to adapt to its synthetic surroundings. The evolution allows humans to enter a state of metamorphosis called “Accelerated Evolution Syndrome.”
The film revolves around Saul Lesner, a cherished street performer who has embraced “Accelerated Evolution Syndrome”, growing new and unexpected organs on his body for the pleasure of his audience. However, not everyone feels the same way about ACE as Lesner; some want it destroyed. Lesner, who I’m assuming is played by Viggo, must decide whether his final and most audacious performance is worth the scrutiny of the government and anti-ACE activists.
In a way, Lesner’s character is somewhat symbolic of Cronenberg’s career. The director consistently pushes the boundaries of cinema; exploring the depths of humanity typically through a sci-fi, horror lens. And he’s been incredibly successful, with films like “The Fly,” “Videodrome,” and “Scanners” revered as some of the best sci-fi of all time.
It’s also exciting to see Cronenberg and Viggo working together again. They’ve previously collaborated on “Eastern Promises” and “A History of Violence”, two films showcasing Mortensen’s innate ability to play a total badass. Not sure if a performance artist will require this skill, but with Viggo’s extensive range and Cronenberg’s powerful direction, I’m amped to see “Crime of the Future”, in the future.
