The "twisted twins" Jen and Sylvia Soska have cast the lead role for their upcoming remake of David Cronenberg's 1977 body horror tale RABID. Taking on the role of Rose, who was played by Marilyn Chambers in the original film, is Laura Vandervoort, a Canadian actress who recently appeared in the SAW sequel JIGSAW (pictured above).
Among Vandervoort's other credits are roles on Smallville, Supergirl, and the 2009 version of V.
It's said that the remake script written by the Soskas and John Serge puts "a modern and relevant spin" on the original concept. The story centers on
Rose, a young woman who, after an accident leaves her scarred beyond recognition, undergoes a radical untested stem-cell treatment. While turning Rose into the belle of the ball, the experimental transformation comes at a price.
The new version of RABID is being produced by Michael Walker, Paul Lalonde, and John Vidette of Back 40 Pictures. Media Finance Capital's David Gilbery and Charles Dorfman serve as executive producers. Media Finance Capital is financing the movie with Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.
RABID has already secured distribution from A71 in Canada, Shout! Studios in the US, and 101 FILMS in the UK. Film Mode Entertainment is currently presenting the project to potential distributors in other territories.
Taking on Cronenberg-created material is quite a challenge, so it will be interesting to see how this remake turns out.