The Shrouds (2024)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
A grieving businessman invents a technology that broadcasts live 3D images of decomposing corpses, leading to a haunting intersection of grief, technology, and conspiracy.
The story
Four years after his wife Becca's death from cancer, businessman Karsh invents "GraveTech," a tombstone that broadcasts a live, interactive 3D image of a decomposing corpse. Karsh plans to be buried with Becca using this technology. While unable to find new love, he maintains a close friendship with Becca's identical sister, Terry. However, the technology is targeted by hackers, leaving the shrouds unviewable. As Karsh navigates his grief and a burgeoning sexual relationship with Terry, he becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving the security of GraveTech and the mysterious nature of the digital images.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Four years after his wife Becca's death from cancer, businessman Karsh invents "GraveTech," a tombstone that broadcasts a live, interactive 3D image of a decomposing corpse. Karsh plans to be buried with Becca using this technology. While unable to find new love, he maintains a close friendship with Becca's identical sister, Terry. The technology is targeted by hackers, and Terry's ex-husband, Maury, who coded the security, suspects a conspiracy. Karsh begins sleeping with Soo-Min, the blind wife of a CEO. As the hack persists, Maury claims to have been tortured by investors for information on a Russian operation. Karsh eventually meets Maury in the woods, where Maury shows him bloody remains of his hand. A doctor later informs Karsh that the protrusions on Becca's body are merely computer-generated. Karsh discovers Eckler's murdered body buried next to Becca. Believing Becca now has company in death, Karsh gives up his spot and travels to Budapest with Soo-Min. During a kiss, Soo-Min suddenly appears with identical scars to Becca and, speaking in her voice, offers to be buried with him, which he accepts.
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- France; Canada
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Cronenberg
- Writers
- David Cronenberg · writer
- Cast and characters
- Vincent Cassel; Diane Kruger; Guy Pearce; Sandrine Holt
- Genres
- body horror; drama; science fiction horror
- Themes
- grief; artificial intelligence; security and surveillance; death
- Tone and mood
- body horror; personal; autobiographical
- Premise and plot tags
- body horror; drama; science fiction; artificial intelligence; grief
- Source material / true-story basis
- A television series concept for Netflix.
- Content notes
- body horror
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, was named to TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2024, and was ranked 39th on IndieWire's list of the 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far).
- Reported review scores
- IndieWire · score: 39 · scale: 100
- Production trivia
- The film was reportedly pushed back from a January 2025 release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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