Renowned director David Cronenberg has captivated audiences with his cinematic masterpieces including Scanners, Videodrome, and The Fly, but the upcoming film The Shrouds raises questions about whether it might be his final feature film. At 82 years of age, Cronenberg has not shown any signs of slowing down, yet he candidly shared with the Los Angeles Times that he is not overly optimistic about future opportunities to direct another film.

“We all have some kind of arrogance,” Cronenberg reflected. “But I don’t have that much. The world does not need my next movie.” He further expressed his mixed feelings about the potential of The Shrouds being his last film, stating, “Well, yes and no. Even when I thought I might never make another movie, I never thought I’d stop being creative. I thought maybe I’d write another novel. There are many ways you can be creative.”

Despite having a plethora of ideas, Cronenberg admitted he grapples with whether he possesses the necessary stamina to complete another film project. “Directing is physical and it really takes it out of you,” he explained. “You could certainly imagine a moment where you’re halfway through a movie and you say, ‘I actually can’t do this anymore. I’m not focused enough to be good at it. I don’t even know if I can survive today.’” Nevertheless, he admires the late Manoel de Oliveira, the Portuguese director who continued to create films until he passed away at the remarkable age of 106, saying, “Now that is something to aspire to,” highlighting his ongoing passion for filmmaking.

The Shrouds made its debut at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival last year, and it is now finally being released in theaters. The film officially premiered today in major cities like New York and Los Angeles, with plans for a nationwide expansion set for April 25th. Featuring Vincent Cassel in the lead role as Karsh, the film tells the compelling story of an “innovative businessman and grieving widower, who builds a novel device to connect with the dead inside a burial shroud. This burial tool installed at his own state-of-the-art though controversial cemetery allows him and his clients to watch their specific departed loved one decompose in real time.”

In his insightful review of the film, our own Chris Bumbray remarked, “The Shrouds has enough ultra-weird imagery and kinky twists to make this Cronenberg’s edgiest movie since Crash and perhaps his most personal work to date.” Bumbray noted that while the film may not cater to everyone’s tastes, “it hits surprisingly hard” and promises that viewers “won’t be bored by it.” For a more in-depth analysis, you can check out the rest of his review right here.