Cronenberg’s ‘Scanners’ is Returning to Explode More Heads in a New Series
Scanners – the cult classic about weaponized psychic powers – is making a comeback. A new series is in the works at HBO.
David Cronenberg’s Scanners is a cult classic. Released in 1981, it brought the director’s distinct style of sci-fi body horror to the mainstream – it was the most approachable. A company (ConSec) that develops weaponry and security systems searches for scanners – psychics with telepathic and telekinetic powers – to use in their business. Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside), a renegade scanner, decides to wage war against ConSec and its scanners. Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack) is dispatched by ConSec to stop him.
The ConSec demonstration scene with a graphic head explosion has become a permanent part of popular culture. Doesn’t matter if you’ve seen the whole movie or not – you know what it is.
A New Scanners Series
Scanners has two sequels and two spin-offs already (none involved Cronenberg). The whole universe dropped off by the mid-1990s. There was a remake planned in the mid-aughts, but it fell apart. The director wouldn’t do it without Cronenberg’s approval, and he wasn’t able to secure it.
This is the first revival that’s shown any promise since, and the company behind it has been working on it for five years. William Bridges is attached as showrunner and writer – he won an Emmy for Black Mirror. He’s joined by Yann Demange who worked on Lovecraft Country. And the important bit: Cronenberg will act as an executive producer.
And the story sounds right in line – via the Hollywood Reporter:
“The series is being described as a visceral thriller set in the mind-bending world of Cronenberg’s film. It will focus on two women living on the fringes of modern society who are pursued by relentless agents with unimaginable powers and thus must learn to work together to topple a vast conspiracy determined to bring them to heel.”
Cronenberg being involved, along with proven writers and a production company that’s made critically acclaimed, makes this interesting. No dates yet. It’s being made in cooperation with HBO, so we know where to tune in.
