The two movies from Cannes 2024 that horror fans need to look out for

The 2024 Cannes Film Festival is almost over, and we can't help but think about all the movies that premiered there this year. Two films in particular have been receiving a lot of buzz since their premieres, and we're definitely looking forward to seeing them ourselves. These two movies are of the horror genre, so horror fanatics hear me out for a second.

The two horror flicks that should be on all horror fans' radars are The Shrouds and The Substance. The Substance premiered at Cannes on May 19 and received an impressive 13-minute standing ovation, while The Shrouds premiered at the festival on May 20 and received a three-and-a-half-minute applause.

Let's first start with The Shrouds. It's described as an arthouse horror film written and directed by well-known Canadian film director and screenwriter David Cronenberg. He's best known for writing and directing the horror flicks Shivers, Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly. While The Shrouds was initially planned to be a Netflix series, with Cronenberg having had written two episodes, the streaming giant ended up backing out of the director's project. However, Cronenberg was determined to bring his project to life and ultimately decided to turn it into a movie.

The Shrouds explores the concepts of life and death. It follows an innovative and acclaimed businessman named Karsh, who is still struggling with the death of his wife. His immense grief leads him to develop a revolutionary yet controversial technology that allows people to monitor the decomposition of their deceased loved ones in their graves. But when multiple gravesites, including that of his wife's, are desecrated, Karsh sets out to track down the culprits with the help of his brother-in-law.

French actor Vincent Cassel stars in the leading role of Karsh. You might've previously watched him in the movies Elizabeth, Ocean's Twelve, Black Swan and Jason Bourne. Diane Kruger, who many people may know from her previous roles in Troy, Inglourious Basterds and The Bridge, plays the role of Karsh's late wife, Becca, while Guy Pearce plays Maury, Karsh's brother-in-law. Sandrine Holt, Elizabeth Saunders, Jennifer Dale, Eric Weinthal, Steve Switzman, and Jeff Yung also star.

Unfortunately, The Shrouds has not been given a U.S. theatrical/streaming release, but it will premiere in theaters in France on Sept. 25, 2024. Fingers crossed, the film secures a U.S. distributor soon! If it does, we'll definitely let you know right away. Check out the short yet gripping teaser trailer for the movie below.

Now, let's discuss The Substance. It's a body horror film written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, who is best known for writing and directing the French action thriller flick Revenge. Originally set to be distributed by Universal Pictures, Mubi ended up acquiring worldwide rights to The Substance. It is expected to be released theatrically in the U.S. later this year. We'll get back to you with the official theatrical release date once it is revealed.

The film is described as a feminist take on body horror and stars Demi Moore as an aging movie star named Elisabeth Sparkle. After being rejected from her job by her sexist boss, Elisabeth decides to consume a black-market drug called "The Substance," a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of yourself. This is where Maid actress Margaret Qualley comes in. She plays the new and younger version of Elisabeth, Sue. Joining them in the cast are Dennis Quaid as Harvey, Elisabeth's sleazy boss, Hugo Diego Garcia, Phillip Schurer, and Joseph Balderrama.

See Moore's character learn about "The Substance" in this short 44 second clip from the movie.

I don't know about you, but I'm super excited to see these two horror films! As we learn more about them, we'll make sure to share with you everything we found. So, stay tuned to 1428 Elm!

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