Another year, another legendary director returns to the silver screen. This time, it’s David Cronenberg, whose 2024 The Shrouds is shrouded in mystery; well, not too much, but let the pun exist. The Canadian’s cult status ensures that this will be one to watch for all movie buffs, especially those who have kept up with his films in the last decade.

The movie, which is being touted as his most personal work yet, stars Vincent Cassel as Karsh, an innovative businessman and grieving widower who creates a novel device allowing individuals to connect with the dead inside a burial shroud. This macabre invention is at the centre of Karsh’s business, which faces a crisis when several graves, including that of his wife, are vandalised. This sets Karsh on a path of reevaluation, questioning his business, marriage, and his late wife’s memory. Diane Kruger plays multiple roles in the film, including Karsh’s wife, her sister, and an avatar-like personal assistant. 

The film’s plot, interweaving elements of grief, business ethics, and the supernatural, aligns with Cronenberg’s signature of blending psychological depth with unsettling horror elements. It deals with problems Cronenberg has explored in the past, like the ethics of technology and themes of memory, loss, and the ethical implications of technological advances in dealing with human emotions and mortality.

Forgive the return of the pun, but the production of “The Shrouds” has been shrouded in typical Cronenberg mystery, with little information available about its release date or distribution. The film’s production wrapped in mid-2023 in Toronto, indicating that post-production is currently underway. Despite the lack of a trailer or a confirmed release date, the mere announcement of a new Cronenberg film, especially one so personal and enigmatic, is enough to generate significant buzz and anticipation.

Release Date: Unknown

Will It Be Good?

Don’t fool yourself. Cronenberg is unlikely to ever make a major mainstream success again. His movies since his Viggo Mortensen collaborations in the late 2000s have generally been divisive in most circles. Some of his films, like Map to the Stars or Cosmopolis, have been huge misses for a director who had, for the most part, been consistent for three decades. So, we probably shouldn’t go into this one with the highest expectations.

But having said that, Cronenberg still clearly has the talent to pull this one off. Crimes of the Future was something of a rebound for him, so this could follow the same trajectory. Ultimately, though, any film the director makes is worth watching.

Will It Be Worth Watching? It’s possible, but don’t bank on it.