Amazon's Dead Ringers Updates: Release Date & Story Details
David Cronenberg's 1988 psychological thriller Dead Ringers is set to join the Amazon original series lineup as a re-imagining of the iconic story. The director made his mark early on in the genre as a virtuoso of bodily torment as well as a master of evoking some of the most visceral reactions in horror. Dead Ringers features one of Cronenberg's most creative and unique stories that necessitates an adaptation for the 21st century. Here is everything we know so far about the series's release date and plot details.
In 1969, Cronenberg made his directorial debut with Stereo. That movie was followed by some of the genre's most beloved films such as Scanners (1981) with its iconic head exploding scene and an adaptation of Stephen King's novel, The Dead Zone (1983). Cronenberg has both defined the body horror sub-genre and showcased his range with paranormal features and psychological thrillers. Dead Ringers follows the story of twins Elliot and Beverly Mantle (Jeremy Irons) as they run a highly problematic gynecology clinic where they mistreat their patients. Elliot seduces and preys on the unsuspecting women. As the story progresses, the relationship between the twins grows contentious and causes an onslaught of disturbing and disorienting instances of "gyneahorror".
With such a well-known director's film as the basis for the upcoming re-imagining, Amazon's Dead Ringers will undoubtedly usher in a new wave of popularity for Cronenberg's works and the body horror sub-genre. While it will feature a plot familiar to the original, the show has chosen to take a new route in telling the twins' story. In that regard, Dead Ringers is finding new life.
Amazon has yet to announce a release date for the series. Due to the fact that news about the series is still fresh, it is likely that they have gone very far into production and development. As of this writing, they are in the midst of casting with filming on hold as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to bring a new set of obstacles for the industry to overcome. It is likely that the show will release on Amazon Prime streaming in late 2021 or sometime in the summer of 2022.
The only actor who has been cast in the series so far is Rachel Weisz as the gender-swapped Mantle Twins. Weisz will also executive produce Dead Ringers alongside Alice Birch, who is tied to the project as a writer as well. Neither Weisz or Birch have delved too far into the horror genre in their respective careers. Despite this, they will undoubtedly bring their own set of talents and creativity to make Dead Ringers an unforgettable series.
Dead Ringers will retain the original story written by Cronenberg while taking an alternate route in order to highlight reproductive health issues, healthcare access for women, and an array of other problems people face when seeking the assistance of an OB-GYN. Considering that it will be a TV show rather than a film, the creators will have the ability to expand the story as far as they desire in order to perfectly encapsulate the themes of sexuality within the realm of a psychological thriller. Weisz pitched Dead Ringers to Amazon as much darker and intense than the original, which she and Birch fully intend to deliver.