Do you remember David Cronenberg’sDead Ringers? While the acclaimed director is more closely associated with the body horror genre, no doubt due tofilms likeVideodromeandThe Fly, his forays into other genres are just as terrifying as his most grotesque productions. In the case ofDead Ringers, Cronenberg did a fantastic job of depicting a pair of manipulative twins named Elliot and Beverly whose illicit behaviors ultimately bring about their downfall. It’s a fantastic thriller film and, arguably, one of Cronenberg’s best. Apparently, it was good enough to warrant a re-imagining on Prime Video.
Yes, Cronenberg’sDead Ringersisgetting the remake treatmentat the streaming giant, but with a twist. Not only will it be converted into a six-episode series, but it’ll also make some pretty significant changes to the casting and, possibly, the overall story. Will these changes help or hinder the upcoming series? We’ll just have to wait and see. For now, at least, we can discuss just about everything we know about Prime Video’sDead Ringers.
Theplot of Prime Video’sDead Ringerswill share a similar setup to the original 1988 film. A pair of twins, Elliot and Beverly Mantle, are both in the same medical practice. Like most twins, they share just about everything with each other. They just take it a step further than most. Drugs, sexual partners, and other unethical practices are a significant part of their daily lives. While more details are currently left obscure, it’s possible that we may see some slight changes to the Mantle twins.
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Coinciding with a recasting of Jeremy Irons, it’s possible that the Mantle twins' motivations have also changed. While the two will likely remain as gynecologists, their focus has shifted from seeking illicit relationships with their patients to progressing the field of women’s health care. It’s not as if they’ll go about it in a completely ethical way, mind you, but it’s still something worth acknowledging. Given the change in pacing and plotting that six episodes will allow for, it feels appropriate to further differentiate Prime Video’s take from the original film.
As stated before, the role of Elliot and Beverly Mantle will not be played by a returning Jeremy Irons. Instead, in an interesting decision, both roles will now beplayed by Rachel Weisz. The prolific actress has appeared in a variety of genre films with varying degrees of popularity. Most may remember her from her significant role as Evelyn Carnahan in bothThe MummyandThe Mummy Returns. She also acted alongside Colin Farrell inThe Lobster, Mark Wahlberg inThe Lovely Bones, and Keanu Reeves inConstantine.
Weisz will be tasked with playing two significantly different characters that share a deep tie to each other. In the originalDead Ringers, Elliot Mantle is cold, confident, and cynical, whereas Beverly is more passive in comparison. Despite this, Beverly is the first of the twins to dive headfirst intodrug abuse and paranoid delusionsfollowing a twisted affair. Beverly would ultimately kill Elliot in the original film before assumedly dying in his deceased brother’s arms. While the twins' motivations may be changed in Prime Video’sDead Ringers, aimed less at inappropriate sexual relationships and more at the progression of women’s health care, we can reasonably expect a similar dynamic between Weisz’s performances.
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Several members ofDead Ringers’ensemble cast have also been confirmed. Britne Oldford (American Horror Story: Asylum), Poppy Liu (Hacks), Michael Chernus (Severance), Jennifer Ehle (Saint Maud), and Emily Meade (The Leftovers) will also be appearing alongside Weisz. As of writing, their exact roles aren’t necessarily clear. Character names have been established, but how they will relate to the story is yet to be determined.
A slate of high-profile crew members have also signed onto Prime Video’sDead Ringers. Sharing directing duties will be Sean Durkin (The Iron Claw), Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body), Karena Evans (Snowfall), and Lauren Wolkstein (A Friend of the Family). In addition to starring in the film, Rachel Weisz will also be executive producing alongside Alice Birch, Ali Krug, Erica Kay, James G. Robinson, and Sue Naegle among others.
Release Date
Dead Ringerswill be streaming exclusively on Prime Video starting on April 21. All six episodes will be available at the time of its premiere.
Everything Else We Know
Dead Ringerswas originally confirmed to be in production as far back as 2020, with little news released between then and now. The series will be a co-production between both Amazon Studios and Annapurna Television, the latter of which being responsible forThe Plot Against America,Pam & Tommy,The Staircase, and Peacock’sPaul T. Goldman.
