Ahead of the film's World Premiere at FrightFest this month, we've gotten our hands on several images from American Mary directors Jen and Sylvia Soska‘s Rabid, their new take on David Cronenberg's 1977 film. These images showcase some of the gruesome practical effects we'll be treated to in the film, courtesy of MastersFX in Toronto.
In the remake, "After aspiring fashion designer Rose (Laura Vandervoort) suffers a disfiguring traffic accident she undergoes a radical and untested stem-cell treatment. The experimental transformation is a miraculous success, transforming her into a ravishing beauty. But she soon develops an uncontrollable sexual appetite, resulting in several torrid encounters, which sees her lovers become rabid carriers of death and disease. As the illness mutates and the contagion spreads out of control, all hell breaks loose as the infected rampage through the city on a violent and gruesome killing spree."
Rabid is written by the Soskas and John Serge with a modern and relevant spin from the woman’s perspective, and the addition of Vandervoort, the new Rabid is going to be a uniquely chilling, and captivating film.
The film also stars Ben Hollingsworth as "Brad", a fashion photographer with Hanneke Talbot ("Playing Dead") portraying Rose’s best friend Chelsea; and Mackenzie Gray ("Legion", "Riverdale") is arrogant fashion designer "Gunter". Rabid will also feature WWE superstars CM Punk as "Billy" and his wife, New York Times best-selling author AJ Mendez as "Kira".
The Soska's Rabid has already stirred up some controversy with the twins being banned from Twitter for sharing another gory image from the film.
FrightFest will host the World Premiere of Rabid on August 26th.
At the event, the Soska Sisters will also introduce a screening of a new-to-the-UK 2K restoration of Cronenberg’s original Rabid on Sunday, August 25th.
