Editing David Cronenberg

{{Short description|Canadian filmmaker and film director (born 1943)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = David Cronenberg
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CC|OOnt|size=100%}}
| image              = David Cronenberg 2012-03-08.jpg
| caption            = Cronenberg in 2012
| other_names        = The Baron of Blood<br/>King of Venereal Horror
| birth_name         = David Paul Cronenberg
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1943|3|15}}
| birth_place        = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| education          = [[University of Toronto]] (BA)
| occupation         = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter|producer|actor}}
| years_active       = 1966{{ndash}}present
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Margaret Hindson<br />|1972|1979|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Carolyn Zeifman<br />|1979|2017|reason=died}}
}}
| children           = 3, including [[Brandon Cronenberg|Brandon]] and [[Caitlin Cronenberg|Caitlin]]
| relatives          = [[Denise Cronenberg]] (sister)<br/>[[Aaron Woodley]] (nephew)
}}
'''David Paul Cronenberg''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CC|OOnt}} (born March 15, 1943) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, producer and actor.{{sfn|Cronenberg|1992|p=1}} He is a principal originator of the [[body horror]] genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation, infectious diseases, and the intertwining of the psychological, physical, and technological. Cronenberg is best known for exploring these themes through [[science fiction film|sci-fi]] [[horror film|horror]] films such as ''[[Shivers (1975 film)|Shivers]]'' (1975), ''[[Scanners]]'' (1981),  ''[[Videodrome]]'' (1983) and ''[[The Fly (1986 film)|The Fly]]'' (1986), though he has also directed [[Drama film|dramas]], [[psychological thriller]]s and [[gangster film]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=David Cronenberg: 10 essential films|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/david-cronenberg-10-essential-films|access-date=2021-06-14|website=British Film Institute|date=March 14, 2017 |language=en}}</ref>

Cronenberg's films have polarized critics and audiences alike; he has earned critical acclaim and has sparked controversy for his depictions of gore and violence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/cronenberg-defends-movie-s-naked-bathhouse-scene-1.256007|title=Cronenberg defends movie's naked bathhouse scene|date=September 11, 2007|work=CTVNews|access-date=22 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/21/david.cronenberg/|title=Director David Cronenberg: Responsible violence? |publisher=CNN|access-date=22 June 2017}}</ref> ''[[The Village Voice]]'' called him "the most audacious and challenging narrative director in the English-speaking world".<ref>{{cite web |author=J. Hoberman |author-link=J. Hoberman |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-05-17/film/historical-oversight/ |title=Historical Oversight |work=[[The Village Voice]] |date=May 17, 2005 |access-date=May 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629080807/http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-05-17/film/historical-oversight/ |archive-date=June 29, 2011  }}</ref> His films have won numerous awards, including the [[Jury Prize (Cannes Film Festival)|Special Jury Prize]] for ''[[Crash (1996 film)|Crash]]'' at the [[1996 Cannes Film Festival]], a unique award that is distinct from the Jury Prize as it is not given annually, but only at the request of the official jury, who in this case gave the award "for originality, for daring, and for audacity".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maslin |first1=Janet |title=Secrets and Lies' Wins the Top Prize at Cannes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/21/movies/secrets-and-lies-wins-the-top-prize-at-cannes.html |access-date=September 20, 2018 |work=The New York Times |date=May 21, 1996}}</ref>

From the [[2000s in film|2000s]] to the [[2020s in film|2020s]], Cronenberg collaborated on several films with [[Viggo Mortensen]], including ''[[A History of Violence]]'' (2005), ''[[Eastern Promises]]'' (2007), ''[[A Dangerous Method]]'' (2011) and ''[[Crimes of the Future (2022 film)|Crimes of the Future]]'' (2022). Seven of his films were selected to compete for the [[Palme d'Or]], the most recent being ''[[The Shrouds]]'' (2024), which was screened at the [[2024 Cannes Film Festival]].

==Early life and education ==
David Cronenberg was born in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], on March 15, 1943.<ref name=fullbio/> Cronenberg is the son of Esther ({{nee}} Sumberg), a musician, and Milton Cronenberg, a writer and editor.<ref name="filmr">{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/84/David-Cronenberg.html |title=David Cronenberg Biography (1943–) |publisher=Filmreference.com |access-date=May 18, 2011}}</ref> He was raised in a "middle-class progressive [[Jewish]] family".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.egs.edu/faculty/david-cronenberg/biography/ |title=David Cronenberg - Film Director - Biography |access-date=August 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817024054/http://www.egs.edu/faculty/david-cronenberg/biography |archive-date=August 17, 2012  }}."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/heraldmagazine/99409-canadian-icon-david-cronenberg|title=Canadian Icon: David Cronenberg|work=The Chronicle Herald |date=April 14, 2014|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref> His father was born in [[Baltimore, Maryland]], and his mother was born in Toronto; all of his grandparents were [[Lithuanian Jews|Jews from Lithuania]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viggo-works.com/index.php?page=1392|publisher=Viggo Works|title=Film-Related 2007|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref> Milton wrote some short stories for ''[[True Detective (magazine)|True Detective]]'' and had a column in the ''[[Toronto Telegram]]'' for around thirty years.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=2}} The Cronenberg household was full of a wide variety of books, and Cronenberg's father tried to introduce his son to [[art films]] such as ''[[The Seventh Seal]]'', although at the time Cronenberg was more interested in [[Western film|western]] and [[Pirate film|pirate]] films, showing a particular affinity for those featuring [[Burt Lancaster]].<ref name="nymag.com">{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/movies/features/14547/|title=Filmmaker David Cronenberg Discusses His Influences - Nymag|website=New York Magazine|date=September 22, 2005 |accessdate=June 8, 2021}}</ref>

A voracious reader from an early age, Cronenberg started off enjoying [[science fiction magazines]] like  ''[[The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction]]'', ''[[Galaxy (magazine)|Galaxy]]'', and ''[[Astounding]]'', where he first encountered authors who would prove influential on his own work, including [[Ray Bradbury]] and [[Isaac Asimov]], although he wouldn't encounter his primary influence, [[Philip K. Dick]], until much later. Cronenberg also read [[comic books]], noting his favorites were ''[[Tarzan (comics)|Tarzan]]'', ''[[Little Lulu]]'', ''[[Uncle Scrooge]]'', ''[[Blackhawk (DC Comics)|Blackhawk]]'', ''[[Plastic Man]]'', ''[[Superman]]'', and the original [[Fawcett Comics]] version of ''[[Captain Marvel (DC comics)|Captain Marvel]]'', later known as ''Shazam''. Although as an adult, Cronenberg feels [[superhero films]] are artistically limited, he maintains a fondness for ''Captain Marvel''/''Shazam'', criticizing how he feels the character had been neglected.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cronenbergmuseum.tiff.net/science_transcription_06-science_transcript_06-eng.html|title=David Cronenberg: Virtual Exhibition|website=cronenbergmuseum.tiff.net|accessdate=June 8, 2021|archive-date=June 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613043527/http://cronenbergmuseum.tiff.net/science_transcription_06-science_transcript_06-eng.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a448221/david-cronenberg-superhero-movies-are-adolescent-at-the-core/|title = Cronenberg: Superhero films are adolescent|website = [[Digital Spy]]|date = January 3, 2013}}</ref> Cronenberg also read [[horror comics]] published by [[EC Comics|EC]], which in contrast to the others, he described as "scary and bizarre and violent and nasty—the ones your mother didn't want you to have."<ref name="nymag.com"/> He has cited [[William S. Burroughs]] and [[Vladimir Nabokov]] as influences.<ref>{{cite book|author=Browning, Mark |date=2007|title=David Cronenberg: Author or Film-maker?|publisher= Intellect Books|isbn= 978-1-84150-173-4}}</ref> 

Early films that later proved influential on Cronenberg's career include [[Experimental film|avant-garde]], [[Horror film|horror]], [[Science fiction film|science fiction]], and [[Thriller film|thriller]] films, such as ''[[Un Chien Andalou]]'', ''[[Vampyr]]'', ''[[The War of the Worlds (1953 film)|War of the Worlds]]'', ''[[Freaks (1932 film)|Freaks]]'', ''[[Creature from the Black Lagoon]]'', ''[[Alphaville (film)|Alphaville]]'', ''[[Performance (film)|Performance]]'', and ''[[Duel (1971 film)|Duel]]''. He also cited less obvious films as influences, including comedies like ''[[The Bed Sitting Room (film)|The Bed Sitting Room]]'', as well as [[Disney cartoons]] such as ''[[Bambi]]'' and ''[[Dumbo]]''.<ref name="indiewire.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2013/05/watch-90-minute-discussion-with-david-cronenberg-about-his-career-films-inspirations-much-more-98530/|title=Watch: 90-Minute Discussion With David Cronenberg About His Career, Films, Inspirations & Much More|first=Joe|last=Cunningham|date=May 6, 2013|accessdate=June 8, 2021}}</ref> Cronenberg said he found these two Disney animated films, as well as [[Universal Pictures|Universal's]] live-action ''[[The Blue Lagoon (1949 film)|Blue Lagoon]]'', "terrifying" which influenced his approach to horror.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/14/david-cronenberg-interview-my-imagination-not-a-place-of-horror|title=David Cronenberg: 'My imagination is not a place of horror'|date=September 13, 2014|website=the Guardian|accessdate=June 8, 2021}}</ref> Cronenberg went on to say that ''Bambi'' was the "first important film" he ever saw, citing the moment when Bambi's mother died as particularly powerful.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/the-cronenbergs-dark-art-just-runs-in-the-family/article4198336/|title=The Cronenbergs: Dark art just runs in the family|accessdate=June 8, 2021|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=May 21, 2012|last1=Lacey|first1=Liam}}</ref> Cronenberg even wished to screen ''Bambi'' as part of a museum exhibition of his influences,  but Disney refused him permission.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cronenbergmuseum.tiff.net/tiff_01-eng.html|title=David Cronenberg: Virtual Exhibition|website=cronenbergmuseum.tiff.net|accessdate=June 8, 2021|archive-date=June 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613042635/http://cronenbergmuseum.tiff.net/tiff_01-eng.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In terms of conventional horror films that frightened him, Cronenberg cited ''[[Don't Look Now]]''.<ref name="indiewire.com"/>

Cronenberg attended Dewson Street Public School, Kent Senior School, [[Harbord Collegiate Institute]] and [[North Toronto Collegiate Institute]]. He enrolled at the [[University of Toronto]] for Honours Science in 1963, but changed to Honours English Language and Literature the next year. He graduated from university in 1967, at the top of his class with a general Bachelor of Arts.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|pp=1–2}}<ref name=fullbio/> Cronenberg decided to not study for a master of arts after making ''[[Stereo (1969 film)|Stereo]]''.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=17}}

Cronenberg's fascination with the film ''[[Winter Kept Us Warm]]'' (1966), by classmate [[David Secter]], sparked his interest in film. He began frequenting film camera rental houses and learned the art of filmmaking.<ref name=fullbio>{{cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/person/86249/David-Cronenberg/biography|title=David Cronenberg: Full Biography|access-date=April 16, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222043459/https://movies.nytimes.com/person/86249/David-Cronenberg/biography|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Jonathan Crow|date=2009|archive-date=February 22, 2009}}</ref> Cronenberg made two short films, ''[[Transfer (1966 film)|Transfer]]'' and ''[[From the Drain]]'', with a few hundred dollars.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=13}} Cronenberg, [[Ivan Reitman]], Bob Fothergill, and Iain Ewing were inspired by [[Jonas Mekas]] and formed the Toronto Film Co-op.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=15}}

==Career==
=== 1969–1979: Film debut and early work ===
After two short sketch films and two short [[art-house]] features (the [[black-and-white]] ''[[Stereo (1969 film)|Stereo]]'' and the colour ''[[Crimes of the Future (1970 film)|Crimes of the Future]]'') Cronenberg went into partnership with [[Ivan Reitman]]. The Canadian government provided financing for his films throughout the 1970s.<ref name=fullbio/> During this period, he focused on his signature "[[body horror]]" films such as ''[[Shivers (1975 film)|Shivers]]'' (1975)  and ''[[Rabid (1977 film)|Rabid]]'' (1977), the latter of which provided pornographic actress [[Marilyn Chambers]] with work in a different genre, although Cronenberg's first choice for the role had been a then little-known [[Sissy Spacek]]. ''Rabid'' was a breakthrough with international distributors, and his next horror feature, ''[[The Brood (film)|The Brood]]'' (1979), gained stronger support. Even then, he showed variety by making ''[[Fast Company (1979 film)|Fast Company]]'' (1979) between ''The Brood'' and ''Rabid'', a project reflecting his interest in car racing and bike gangs.

=== 1981–1988: Breakthrough and acclaim ===
In 1981, Cronenberg directed the [[science-fiction]] [[horror film]] ''[[Scanners]]'' (1981). In it, "scanners" are [[psychic]]s with unusual [[telepathy|telepathic]] and [[psychokinesis|telekinetic]] powers. The film has since become a [[cult classic]]. He followed it with another science-fiction horror film ''[[Videodrome]]'' (1983) starring [[James Woods]]. The film was distributed by [[Universal Pictures]]. [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' remarked on the film's "innovativeness", and praised Woods' performance as having a "sharply authentic edge".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0CE6D9103BF937A35751C0A965948260|title='VIDEODROME,' LURID FANTASIES OF THE TUBE|author=Janet Maslin|date=February 4, 1983|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 11, 2018}}</ref> That same year he directed ''[[The Dead Zone (film)|The Dead Zone]]'' (1983), based on [[Stephen King]]'s [[The Dead Zone (novel)| novel of the same name]], starring [[Christopher Walken]].

Cronenberg directed ''[[The Fly (1986 film)|The Fly]]'' (1986), starring [[Jeff Goldblum]] and [[Geena Davis]]. The film is loosely based on [[George Langelaan]]'s 1957 [[The Fly (Langelaan)|short story of the same name]] and [[The Fly (1958 film)|the 1958 film of the same name]]. It was distributed by [[20th Century Fox]] and was a box office hit, making $60 million. Cronenberg has not generally worked within the world of big-budget, mainstream Hollywood filmmaking, although he has had occasional near misses. At one stage he was considered by [[George Lucas]] as a possible director for ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (1983) but turned down the offer. [[Peter Suschitzky]] was the director of photography for ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980), and Cronenberg remarked that Suschitzky's work in that film "was the only one of those movies that actually looked good",<ref>{{cite web |title=David Cronenberg Re-Examines David Cronenberg |publisher=Film Freak Central |url=http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/notes/dcronenbergretrointerview.htm |date=March 9, 2003 |access-date=March 9, 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030401142610/http://filmfreakcentral.net/notes/dcronenbergretrointerview.htm |archive-date=April 1, 2003  }}</ref> which was a motivating factor to work with him on ''[[Dead Ringers (film)| Dead Ringers]]'' (1988).

Since ''Dead Ringers'', Cronenberg has worked with Suschitzky on each of his films (see [[List of film director and cinematographer collaborations]]). Cronenberg has collaborated with composer [[Howard Shore]] on all of his films since ''The Brood'' (1979), (see [[List of film director and composer collaborations]]) with the exception of ''The Dead Zone'' (1983), which was scored by [[Michael Kamen]]. Other regular collaborators include actor [[Robert A. Silverman]], [[art director]] [[Carol Spier]] (also his sister) [[Sound editor (filmmaking)|sound editor]] Bryan Day, film editor Ronald Sanders, his sister, [[costume designer]] [[Denise Cronenberg]], and, from 1979 until 1988, [[cinematographer]] Mark Irwin. In 2008, Cronenberg directed Shore's first opera, ''[[The Fly (opera)|The Fly]]''.

=== 1991–2002: Career fluctuations ===
[[File:David Cronenberg(CannesPhotoCall)-.jpg|thumb|left|170px|Cronenberg at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in 2002]]
Perhaps the best example of a film that straddles the line between Cronenberg's works of personal chaos and psychological confusion is his 1991 "adaptation" of ''[[Naked Lunch]]'' (1959), his literary hero [[William S. Burroughs]]' most controversial book. The novel was considered "[[unfilmable]]", and Cronenberg acknowledged that a straight translation into film would "cost 400 million dollars and be banned in every country in the world". Instead—much like in his earlier film, ''Videodrome''—he consistently blurred the lines between what appeared to be reality and what appeared to be [[hallucinations]] brought on by the main character's drug addiction. Some of the book's "moments" (as well as incidents loosely based upon Burroughs' life) are presented in this manner within the film. Cronenberg stated that while writing the screenplay for ''[[Naked Lunch (film)|Naked Lunch]]'' (1991), he felt a moment of [[synergy]] with Burroughs' writing style. He felt the connection between his screenwriting style and Burroughs' prose style was so strong, that he jokingly remarked that should Burroughs pass on, he might write his next novel.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Self |first=Will |date=2015-06-17 |title=Man-Eating Philosophers |url=https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v37/n12/will-self/man-eating-philosophers |access-date=2024-06-12 |work=London Review of Books |language=en |volume=37 |issue=12 |issn=0260-9592}}</ref>

Cronenberg has also appeared as an actor in other directors' films. Most of his roles are [[cameo appearance]]s, as in the films ''[[Into the Night (1985 film)|Into the Night]]'' (1985), ''[[Blood and Donuts]]'' (1995), ''[[To Die For]]'' (1995), and ''[[Jason X]]'' (2002) and the television series ''[[Alias (TV series)|Alias]]'', but on occasion he has played major roles, as in ''[[Nightbreed]]'' (1990) and ''[[Last Night (1998 film)|Last Night]]'' (1998). He has not had major roles in any of his own films, but he did put in a brief appearance as a gynecologist in ''The Fly''; he can also be glimpsed among the sex-crazed hordes in ''Shivers''; he can be heard as an unseen car-pound attendant in ''Crash''; his hands can be glimpsed in ''[[eXistenZ]]'' (1999); and he appeared as a stand-in for [[James Woods]] in ''Videodrome''.

Cronenberg has said that his films should be seen "from the point of view of the disease", and that in ''Shivers'', for example, he identifies with the characters ''after'' they become infected with the anarchic parasites. Disease and disaster, in Cronenberg's work, are less problems to be overcome than agents of [[Morphological freedom|personal transformation]]. Of his characters' transformations, Cronenberg said, "But because of our necessity to impose our own structure of perception on things we look on ourselves as being relatively stable. But, in fact, when I look at a person I see this maelstrom of organic, chemical and electron chaos; volatility and instability, shimmering; and the ability to change and transform and transmute."<ref>{{cite news|author=Gordon, Bette|url=https://bombmagazine.org/articles/david-cronenberg/ |title=David Cronenberg|work=[[BOMB Magazine]]|date= Winter 1989|access-date= January 18, 2022}}</ref> Similarly, in ''[[Crash (1996 film)|Crash]]'' (1996), people who have been injured in car crashes attempt to view their ordeal as "a fertilizing rather than a destructive event". In 2005, Cronenberg publicly disagreed with [[Paul Haggis]]' choice of the same name for the latter's [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-winning film ''[[Crash (2004 film)|Crash]]'' (2004), arguing that it was "very disrespectful" to the "important and seminal" [[Crash (J. G. Ballard novel)|J. G. Ballard novel]] on which Cronenberg's film was based.<ref>{{cite news |title=Double Trouble |work=Slate |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2118602/fr/nl/ |date=May 12, 2005 |access-date=December 13, 2009 |archive-date=May 14, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050514233203/http://www.slate.com/id/2118602/fr/nl/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== 2005–present: Resurgence ===
[[File:Director DAVID CRONENBERG of the film 'Spider' during the Toronto International Film Festival.jpg|thumb|right|Cronenberg at the 2011 [[Toronto International Film Festival]]]]
His thriller ''[[A History of Violence]]'' (2005) is one of his highest budgeted and most accessible to date. He has said that the decision to direct it was influenced by his having had to defer some of his salary on the low-budgeted ''[[Spider (2002 film)|Spider]]'' (2002), but it was one of his most critically acclaimed films to date, along with ''[[Eastern Promises]]'' (2007), a film about the struggle of one man to gain power in the Russian Mafia. Although Cronenberg has worked with a number of Hollywood stars, he remains a staunchly Canadian filmmaker, with nearly all of his films (including major studio vehicles ''The Dead Zone'' and ''The Fly'') having been filmed in his home province Ontario. Notable exceptions include ''[[M. Butterfly (film)|M. Butterfly]]'' (1993), most of which was shot in China, ''Spider'', and ''[[Eastern Promises]]'' (2007), which were both filmed primarily in England, and ''[[A Dangerous Method]]'' (2011), which was filmed in Germany and Austria. ''Rabid'' and ''Shivers'' were shot in and around [[Montreal]]. Most of his films have been at least partially financed by [[Telefilm Canada]], and Cronenberg, a vocal supporter of government-backed film projects, has said: "Every country needs [a system of government [[Grant (money)|grants]]] to have a national cinema in the face of Hollywood".<ref>{{cite web|last=Phipps |first=Keith |url=https://www.avclub.com/david-cronenberg-1798208259 |title=David Cronenberg |work=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=March 12, 2003 |access-date=September 18, 2020}}</ref>

In 2008, Cronenberg realized two extra-cinematographic projects: the exhibition ''Chromosomes'' at the [[Rome Film Fest]], and the opera ''The Fly'' at the LaOpera in Los Angeles and Theatre Châtelet in Paris. In July 2010, Cronenberg completed production on ''[[A Dangerous Method]]'' (2011), an adaptation of [[Christopher Hampton]]'s play ''The Talking Cure'', starring [[Keira Knightley]], [[Michael Fassbender]], [[Vincent Cassel]], and frequent collaborator [[Viggo Mortensen]]. The film was produced by independent British producer [[Jeremy Thomas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/03/viggo-mortensen-replaces-christoph.html |title=Viggo Mortensen Replaces Christoph Waltz As Sigmund Freud in David Cronenberg's 'The Talking Cure' |website=The Playlist |date=March 9, 2010 |access-date=May 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Keira Knightley Takes The Talking Cure | url=https://www.empireonline.com/News/story.asp?nid=26588|work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]|date=December 23, 2009 |access-date=May 18, 2011}}</ref> On television, he has appeared in the recurring roles of Dr. Brezzel in Season 3 of ''[[Alias (TV series)|Alias]]'', and Kovich in seasons 3, 4, and 5 of ''[[Star Trek: Discovery]]''. He has also had main roles as Reverend Verrenger in ''[[Alias Grace (miniseries)|Alias Grace]]'', and Spencer Galloway in ''[[Slasher (TV series)|Slasher: Flesh & Blood]]''.
[[File:David Cronenberg Cannes 2014.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Cronenberg at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in 2014]]
In 2012, his film ''[[Cosmopolis (film)|Cosmopolis]]'' competed for the [[Palme d'Or]] at the [[2012 Cannes Film Festival]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2012-05-28|title=Five things we learned from the Cannes premiere of Cosmopolis|url=https://torontolife.com/culture/cosmopolis-cannes-premier/|access-date=2021-06-14|website=Toronto Life|language=en-US}}</ref>

Filming for Cronenberg's next film, a satire [[drama film|drama]] entitled ''[[Maps to the Stars]]'' (2014)—with [[Julianne Moore]], [[Mia Wasikowska]], [[John Cusack]], and [[Robert Pattinson]]<ref>{{cite web|title=David Cronenberg's 'Maps to the Stars' Finds Julianne Moore, John Cusack & EOne|url=https://deadline.com/2013/04/david-cronenberg-julianne-moore-john-cusack-robert-pattinson-maps-to-the-stars-entertainment-one-477706/|access-date=February 4, 2013|publisher=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Julianne Moore, John Cusack & Sarah Gadon Join Robert Pattinson in David Cronenberg's 'Map to the Stars'|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/julianne-moore-john-cusack-sarah-gadon-join-robert-pattinson-in-david-cronenbergs-maps-to-the-stars-20130418|access-date=February 4, 2013|website=IndieWire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424030004/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/julianne-moore-john-cusack-sarah-gadon-join-robert-pattinson-in-david-cronenbergs-maps-to-the-stars-20130418|archive-date=April 24, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>—began on July 8, 2013, in [[Toronto]], Ontario and Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cronenberg starts Maps shoot|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/cronenberg-starts-maps-shoot/5058318.article#.UeRHiRx5XpE.twitter|access-date=July 16, 2013|website=Screen Daily}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=David Cronenberg Says His Novel May Arrive in 2013, Talks Working With Robert Pattinson, 'Map to the Stars' & More|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/david-cronenberg-talks-cosmopolis-robert-pattinson-his-novel-and-what-he-really-thought-of-dark-knight-rises-20130103|access-date=June 27, 2013|website=IndieWire|date=January 3, 2013 }}</ref> This was the first time Cronenberg filmed in the United States. On June 26, 2014, Cronenberg's short film ''The Nest'' was published on YouTube. The film was commissioned for "David Cronenberg – The Exhibition" at EYE Film Institute in Amsterdam and was available on YouTube for the duration of the exhibition, until September 14, 2014.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp8IU1PcThQ#t=530
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627235057/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp8IU1PcThQ| archive-date=2014-06-27|title=IFFR presents: The Nest by David Cronenberg
|publisher=YouTube|date=June 26, 2014}}</ref> Also in 2014, Cronenberg published his first novel, ''[[Consumed (novel)|Consumed]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pevere|first1=Geoff|title=David Cronenberg's consuming obsession|url=http://www.quillandquire.com/authors/david-cronenbergs-consuming-obsession/|access-date=November 16, 2014|work=Quill and Quire}}</ref> In a May 2016 interview, [[Viggo Mortensen]] revealed that Cronenberg is considering retiring due to difficulty financing his film projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2016/05/david-cronenberg-why-hes-considering-retiring-from-filmmaking-290720/|title=David Cronenberg: Why He's Considering Retiring From Filmmaking|first1=Michael|last1=Nordine|date=May 12, 2016}}</ref>

Cronenberg appears as himself in the minute-long short film ''The Death of David Cronenberg'', shot by his daughter [[Caitlin Cronenberg|Caitlin]], which was released digitally on September 19, 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nowtoronto.com/movies/david-cronenberg-kisses-his-own-dead-body-in-nft-short-film | title=David Cronenberg kisses his own dead body in NFT short film | date=September 16, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://superrare.com/artwork-v2/the-death-of-david-cronenberg-28414 | title=SuperRare &#124; NFT Art &#124; NFT Art Marketplace &#124; Digital Art }}</ref> In February 2021, Mortensen said Cronenberg had refined an older script he had written and hoped to film it with Mortensen that summer. He further hinted that it is a "strange film noir" and resembles Cronenberg's earlier body horror films.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/viggo-mortensen-david-cronenberg-new-movie/|title=Viggo Mortensen Teases David Cronenberg Reunion — A "Strange Film Noir"|date=February 1, 2021|website=Collider|accessdate=June 8, 2021}}</ref> In April 2021, the title was revealed to be ''[[Crimes of the Future (2022 film)|Crimes of the Future]]''.<ref name="pnws">{{cite web|url=https://primenews.pl/rozrywka/film/2021/04/29/david-cronenberg-crimes-of-the-future-nowy-film/|title=David Cronenberg returns with a new material. The production of 'Crimes of the Future' is set to begin soon|work=Prime News|publisher=Virtual Press Sp. z o.o.|date=April 29, 2021|access-date=April 29, 2021}}</ref> It was shot in Greece during the summer of 2021,<ref name="pnws"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/04/david-cronenberg-sci-fi-movie-crimes-of-the-future-shoot-1234633841/|title=David Cronenberg Returns: Sci-Fi Movie 'Crimes of the Future' Sets 30-Day Shoot in Greece|first=Zack|last=Sharf|date=April 29, 2021|accessdate=June 8, 2021}}</ref> and competed for the [[Palme d'Or]] at the [[2022 Cannes Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/crimes-of-the-future-cannes-premiere-1235030273/|title=David Cronenberg's 'Crimes Of The Future' Nabs Six-Minute Standing Ovation At Cannes World Premiere|date=May 23, 2022 |publisher=Deadline}}</ref> Cronenberg's next film ''[[The Shrouds]]'' premiered at the [[2024 Cannes Film Festival]] in competition, and was released theatrically in September 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-11 |title=The films of the Official Selection 2024 |url=https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/press/press-releases/the-films-of-the-official-selection-2024/ |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Festival de Cannes |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Unrealized projects==
One of Cronenberg's earliest unproduced film concepts was ''Roger Pagan, Gynecologist'', about a neurotic man who impersonates a medical expert.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tupper|first=Peter|url=https://thetyee.ca/ArtsAndCulture/2012/01/18/David-Cronenberg/|title=Can David Cronenberg Still Provoke?|website=[[The Tyee]]|date=January 18, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2024}}</ref> The project was initially conceived in the early 1970s in the form of a novel.

In the early 1980s Cronenberg attempted to make a film adaption of [[Mary Shelley]]'s ''[[Frankenstein]]'' that took place in the modern day.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=92}} Cronenberg wrote an original script for Universal after ''Videodrome'' titled ''Six Legs'', but the film was never made, although aspects were incorporated into ''The Fly'' and ''Naked Lunch''.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=119}}

Since the 1980s, Cronenberg had planned on directing a film called ''Red Cars'', about the [[1961 Formula One season|1961 Grand Prix automobile race]] won by [[Phil Hill]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://corona.bc.ca/films/details/brothertermite.html|title=Coming Attractions - Red Cars|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=June 22, 2000|access-date=April 13, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011116140317/http://corona.bc.ca/films/details/redcars.html|archive-date=November 16, 2001|url-status=dead}}</ref> Unable to get the project funded, he adapted his screenplay in the form of an artbook, [[Red Cars|published in 2005]].

Cronenberg was offered the role of director for ''[[Witness (1985 film)|Witness]]'' while it was under the name ''Come Home'', but declined as he "could never be a fan of the Amish". He was also offered the director's position for ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'', ''[[Flashdance]]'', ''[[Top Gun]]'', and ''[[Beverly Hills Cop]]''.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=116}}{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=119}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Seibold|first=Whitney|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/867790/the-projects-you-didnt-know-david-cronenberg-turned-down/|title=The Projects You Didn't Know David Cronenberg Turned Down|website=[[/Film]]|date=May 18, 2022|access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref> Marc Boyman offered Cronenberg the position of director for ''[[The Incubus (film)|The Incubus]]'', but declined although this led to Boyman producing ''The Fly'' and ''Dead Ringers''.{{sfn|Rodley|1997|p=136}}

Cronenberg also worked for nearly a year on a version of ''[[Total Recall (1990 film)|Total Recall]]'' (1990), but experienced "creative differences" with producers [[Dino De Laurentiis]] and [[Ronald Shusett]]; a different version of the film was eventually made by [[Paul Verhoeven]]. Cronenberg related in his 1992 memoir, ''Cronenberg on Cronenberg'' that, as a fan of [[Philip K. Dick]]—author of "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale", the short story upon which the film was based— his dissatisfaction with what he envisioned the film to be and what it ended up being pained him so greatly that, for a time, he suffered a [[migraine]] just thinking about it, akin to a needle piercing his eye.<ref name="Cronenberg, David 1992">{{cite book|author=Cronenberg, David|title=Cronenberg on Cronenberg|date=1992|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/901380.Cronenberg_On_Cronenberg|isbn=9780571144365|publisher=Faber & Faber}}</ref>

In 1993, Cronenberg signed a deal with [[Paragon Entertainment Corporation]] in which he would create a six-part television series called ''Crimes Against Nature'' for [[CBC Television]]. Cronenberg described the series as "[[William S. Burroughs|William Burroughs]] meets [[Jean-Luc Godard]]'s ''[[Alphaville (film)|Alphaville]]''."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Murray|first=Karen|url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/news/cronenberg-commits-crimes-108851/|title=Cronenberg commits 'Crimes'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 20, 1993|access-date=February 4, 2025}}</ref> He started writing it on August 1, and filming was meant to begin in February 1994 using 35&nbsp;mm film. The show was set in 2010 and was about members of the "Flesh Squad" police force. Carol Reynolds, the president of Paragon Entertainment, stated that each episode would cost between $500,000-600,000.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McCann |first=Wendy |date=August 26, 1993 |title=Cronenberg brings brand of terror to CBC series |page=D2 |work=[[The StarPhoenix]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-phoenix/154002503/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826230329/https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-phoenix/154002503/ |archive-date=August 26, 2024 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=August 26, 1993 |title=Cronenberg to produce suspense TV series |page=B4 |work=[[Toronto Star]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/154063707/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826230431/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/154063707/ |archive-date=August 26, 2024 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In the mid-1990s, he was attached to direct a version of ''[[American Psycho (film)|American Psycho]]'', with a screenplay adaptation by the author himself [[Bret Easton Ellis]] and with [[Brad Pitt]] starring in the role of [[Patrick Bateman]]. Cronenberg's vision of the film would have concluded with a musical number involving [[Barry Manilow]]'s "[[Daybreak (Barry Manilow song)|Daybreak]]" and Bateman on the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Molloy |first1=Tim |title=American Psycho: An Oral History, 20 Years After Its Divisive Debut |url=https://www.moviemaker.com/american-psycho-anniversary-oral-history-christian-bale-mary-harron-bret-easton-ellis/ |website=[[MovieMaker]] |access-date=April 10, 2022 |date=April 14, 2020 |pages=1–4}}</ref>

In 1998, author [[Patricia Anthony]] stated that Cronenberg would direct the adaptation of her novel ''[[Brother Termite]]'' written by [[John Sayles]], and to be executive produced by [[James Cameron]]. The premise follows an alien race that co-exists with man on Earth, influencing human society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://corona.bc.ca/films/details/brothertermite.html|title=Coming Attractions - Brother Termite|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=February 28, 2001|access-date=April 13, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011116122232/http://corona.bc.ca/films/details/brothertermite.html|archive-date=November 16, 2001|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1999, Cronenberg was reportedly interested in taking the helm of [[Charlie Kaufman]]'s adaptation of ''[[Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (film)|Confessions of Dangerous Mind]]'', with [[Sean Penn]] at that time circling to star.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Shaw|first=Jessica|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/07/30/re-best-unproduced-screenplays/|title=Re: Best Unproduced Screenplays|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=July 30, 1999|access-date=August 6, 2024}}</ref> The following year, he was circling to direct ''[[Basic Instinct 2]]'' for which he had a "good script" and [[Rupert Everett]] in the lead, but [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] said no because the actor is gay.<ref>{{cite web|last=Constantine|first=Zade|url=https://thefilmstage.com/watch-david-cronenberg-discusses-his-filmmaking-process-in-recent-one-hour-conversation/|title=Watch: David Cronenberg Discusses His Filmmaking Process In Recent One-Hour Conversation|website=The Film Stage|date=March 11, 2014|access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref> At one stage, Cronenberg was going to make ''[[The Singing Detective (film)|The Singing Detective]]'' as a [[horror film]], with [[Al Pacino]] starring.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} In 2004, Cronenberg was attached to direct ''[[London Fields (film)|London Fields]]'', based on [[Martin Amis]]' [[London Fields (novel)|1991 novel of the same name]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Brodesser|first=Claude|url=https://variety.com/2004/film/news/london-calls-cronenberg-1117902034/|title='London' calls Cronenberg|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 21, 2004|access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref>

In the mid-2000s, Cronenberg had adapted and was planning to direct an adaptation of ''[[The White Hotel]]'' by [[D. M. Thomas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/aug/28/books.featuresreviews|title=Celluloid dreams|website=[[The Guardian]]|date=August 27, 2004|access-date=March 4, 2025}}</ref>

For a time it appeared that, as ''[[Eastern Promises]]'' producer Paul Webster told [[Screen International]], a sequel was in the works that would reunite the key team of Cronenberg, [[Steven Knight]], and Viggo Mortensen. It was slated for production by Webster's new company ''Shoebox Films'' in collaboration with [[Focus Features]], and shot in early 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/reports/one-on-one/paul-webster/5040550.article?blocktitle=One-On-One&contentID=1799
|title=Paul Webster|website=Screen International|access-date=April 23, 2012}}</ref> In 2012, Cronenberg said the ''Eastern Promises'' sequel had fallen through due to budget disagreement with [[Focus Features]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Drew|title=Exclusive: David Cronenberg Shares Details Of Canceled 'Eastern Promises 2' & 'The Fly' Remake|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2012/12/exclusive-david-cronenberg-shares-details-of-canceled-eastern-promises-2-the-fly-remake-250273/|access-date=January 19, 2018|agency=IndieWire|publisher=Penske Business Media, LLC|date=December 14, 2012}}</ref>

In 2010, it was announced that Cronenberg would be directing an adaption of ''[[As She Climbed Across the Table]]'' by [[Jonathan Lethem]]. The following year, [[Media Rights Capital]] picked up the project, with [[Bruce Wagner]] set to write the script.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fischeraug|first=Russ|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/516939/david-cronenbergs-black-hole-thriller/|title=MRC Gets Behind David Cronenberg Adaptation Of Jonathan Lethem's 'As She Climbed Across The Table'|website=[[/Film]]|date=August 5, 2011|access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref>

In the October 2011 edition of ''[[Rue Morgue (magazine)|Rue Morgue]]'', Cronenberg stated that he has written a companion piece to his 1986 remake of ''The Fly'', which he would like to direct if given the chance. He has stated that it is not a traditional sequel, but rather a "parallel story".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Versions of The Fly that Didn't Fly|url=http://www.untoldhorror.ca/2017/03/15/versions-of-the-fly-that-didnt-fly/|last=UntoldHorror|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}}</ref>

In March 2012, [[Media Rights Capital]] announced that Cronenberg would be directing and executive producing the [[television pilot]] ''Knifeman'', adapted by [[Rolin Jones]] and [[Ron Fitzgerald]] from [[Wendy Moore]]'s 2005 novel about a radical [[surgeon]] who goes to extraordinary lengths to uncover secrets of the human body.<ref>{{cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Mike |date=12 March 2012 |title=MRC Teams With David Cronenberg & Sam Raimi For 'Knifeman' Series Project |url=https://deadline.com/2012/03/mrc-teams-with-david-cronenberg-sam-raimi-for-knifeman-series-project-243086/ |access-date=5 May 2019 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref>

As of 2022, Cronenberg was working to turn his novel ''[[Consumed (novel)|Consumed]]'' into his next film.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Keslassy|first=Elsa|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/david-cronenberg-cannes-interview-crimes-of-the-future-walkouts-netflix-1235267464/|title=David Cronenberg Breaks Down Cannes Walkouts, His New Film's Sexuality, and Why Netflix Turns Him Down|magazine=Variety|date=May 16, 2022|access-date=April 14, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ruimy|first=Jordan|url=https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2019/10/david-cronenberg-may-soon-be-un-retiring-for-a-netflix-series-based-on-his-own-novel|title=David Cronenberg to Write-Direct Netflix Mini-Series Based on His Own Novel 'Consumed' [Nouveau Cinema]|website=World of Reel|date=October 11, 2019|access-date=April 14, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ruimy|first=Jordan|url=https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2024/12/18/david-cronenbergs-next-film-might-be-consumed|title=David Cronenberg's Next Film Might Be 'Consumed'|website=World of Reel|date=December 18, 2024|access-date=April 13, 2025}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Cronenberg lives in [[Toronto]].{{sfn|Cronenberg|1992|p=1}} He married his first wife, Margaret Hindson, in 1972: their seven-year marriage ended in 1979 amidst personal and professional differences. They had one daughter, Cassandra Cronenberg. His second wife was film editor Carolyn Zeifman, to whom he was married from 1979 until her death in 2017.<ref name=carolyn>{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/carolyn-cronenberg-dead-film-editor-david-cronenbergs-wife-was-66-1018686|title=Carolyn Cronenberg, Film Editor and Wife of David Cronenberg, Dies at 66|date=July 5, 2017|work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> The couple met on the set of ''Rabid'' while she was working as a production assistant.<ref name=carolyn /> They have two children, [[Caitlin Cronenberg|Caitlin]] and [[Brandon Cronenberg|Brandon]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Mottram, James |date=October 21, 2007|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/david-cronenberg-im-not-ready-to-embrace-hollywood-respectability-quite-yet-397311.html |title=David Cronenberg: 'I'm not ready to embrace Hollywood respectability quite yet|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=January 8, 2012}}</ref> In the book ''Cronenberg on Cronenberg'' (1992), he revealed that ''[[The Brood]]'' was inspired by events that occurred during the unraveling of his first marriage, which caused both Cronenberg and his daughter Cassandra a great deal of turmoil. The character Nola Carveth, mother of the brood, is based on Cassandra's mother. Cronenberg said that he found the shooting of the climactic scene, in which Nola was strangled by her husband, to be "very satisfying".{{sfn|Cronenberg|1992|p=84}}

In a September 2013 interview, Cronenberg revealed that film director [[Martin Scorsese]] admitted to him that he was intrigued by Cronenberg's early work but was subsequently "terrified" to meet him in person. Cronenberg responded to Scorsese: "You're the guy who made ''[[Taxi Driver]]'' and you're afraid to meet me?"<ref name="Henry" /> In the same interview, Cronenberg identified as an [[atheist]]. "Anytime I've tried to imagine squeezing myself into the box of any particular religion, I find it claustrophobic and oppressive," Cronenberg elaborated. "I think atheism is an acceptance of what is real." In the same interview, Cronenberg revealed that it depends on the "time of day" as to whether or not he is afraid of death. He further stated that he is not concerned about posthumous representations of his film work: "It wouldn't disturb me to think that my work would just sink beneath the waves without trace and that would be it. So what? It doesn't bother me."<ref name="Henry" />

In ''Cronenberg on Cronenberg'', the director further elaborated that he was raised in a [[List of Jewish atheists and agnostics|secular Jewish]] home, and while he and his family had no disdain towards any religion, such matters were not discussed. In the same book, Cronenberg said that in his teens he went through a phase where he wondered about the existence of God, but ultimately came to the conclusion that the God concept was developed to cope with the fear of death.<ref name="Cronenberg, David 1992"/> In a 2007 interview, Cronenberg explained the role atheism plays in his work. He stated, "I'm interested in saying, 'Let us discuss the existential question. We are all going to die, that is the end of all consciousness. There is no afterlife. There is no God. Now what do we do.' That's the point where it starts getting interesting to me."<ref>{{cite news|author=Guttsman, Janet|work=Reuters|date=September 10, 2007|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN0824644320070910 |title=Cronenberg gets down and dirty with Russian mob}} "I'm an atheist," Cronenberg said."</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Interview|work= Esquire|date= February 1992}} "I'm simply a nonbeliever and have been forever. ... I'm interested in saying, 'Let us discuss the existential question. We are all going to die, that is the end of all consciousness. There is no afterlife. There is no God. Now what do we do.' That's the point where it starts getting interesting to me."</ref>

In Cronenberg's later films (e.g. ''[[A History of Violence]]'', ''[[Eastern Promises]]'' and ''[[A Dangerous Method]]'') openly religious characters become more common. During an interview for ''A History of Violence'', Cronenberg even chose to identify as a [[materialist]] rather than an atheist, stating, "I'm not an atheist, but for me to turn away from any aspect of the human body to me is a philosophical betrayal. And there's a lot of art and religion whose whole purpose is to turn away from the human body. I feel in my art that my mandate is to not do that."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-02-09|title='A History of Violence': David Cronenberg's Superb Study of the Basic Impulses that Drive Humanity • Cinephilia & Beyond|url=https://cinephiliabeyond.org/a-history-of-violence/|access-date=2020-10-02|website=Cinephilia & Beyond|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{{main|Filmography of David Cronenberg}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Directed features
! Year
! Title
! Distribution
|-
| 1969
| ''[[Stereo (1969 film)|Stereo]]''
| Film Canada Presentations
|-
| 1970
| ''[[Crimes of the Future (1970 film)|Crimes of the Future]]''
| New Cinema Enterprises
|-
| 1975
| ''[[Shivers (1975 film)|Shivers]]''
| [[Lionsgate Films|Cinépix Film Properties]]
|-
| 1977
| ''[[Rabid (1977 film)|Rabid]]''
| Cinépix Film Properties / [[New World Pictures]]
|-
|rowspan=2| 1979
| ''[[Fast Company (1979 film)|Fast Company]]''
| Admit One Presentations / Danton Films
|-
| data-sort-value="Brood, The" | ''[[The Brood]]''
| New World Pictures
|-
| 1981
| ''[[Scanners]]''
| New World Pictures / [[Manson International]]
|-
|rowspan=2| 1983
| ''[[Videodrome]]''
| [[Universal Pictures]]
|-
| data-sort-value="Dead Zone, The" | ''[[The Dead Zone (film)|The Dead Zone]]''
| [[Paramount Pictures]]
|-
| 1986
| data-sort-value="Fly, The" | ''[[The Fly (1986 film)|The Fly]]''
|rowspan=3| [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]]
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Dead Ringers (film)|Dead Ringers]]''
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Naked Lunch (film)|Naked Lunch]]''
|-
| 1993
| ''[[M. Butterfly (film)|M. Butterfly]]''
| [[Warner Bros.]]
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Crash (1996 film)|Crash]]''
| [[Alliance Films|Alliance Communications]]
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Existenz|eXistenZ]]''
| [[Alliance Atlantis]]
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Spider (2002 film)|Spider]]''
| [[Cineplex Odeon Films|Cineplex Films]]
|-
| 2005
| data-sort-value="History of Violence, A" | ''[[A History of Violence]]''
| [[New Line Cinema]]
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Eastern Promises]]''
| [[Focus Features]]
|-
| 2011
| data-sort-value="Dangerous Method, A" | ''[[A Dangerous Method]]''
| [[Sony Pictures Classics]]
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Cosmopolis (film)|Cosmopolis]]''
| [[Entertainment One]]
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Maps to the Stars]]''
| [[Focus Features|Focus World]]
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Crimes of the Future (2022 film)|Crimes of the Future]]''
|rowspan=2| Sphere Films
|-
| 2024
| data-sort-value="Shrouds, The" | ''[[The Shrouds]]''
|-
|}

==Awards and recognition {{anchor|Awards|Honours}}==

Cronenberg has appeared on various "Greatest Director" lists. In 2004, Science Fiction magazine ''[[Strange Horizons]]'' named him the second greatest director in the history of the genre, ahead of better known directors such as [[Steven Spielberg]], [[James Cameron]], [[Jean-Luc Godard]], and [[Ridley Scott]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Jeremy Adam Smith |url=http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/articles/the-ten-best-science-fiction-film-directors |title=The Ten Best Science Fiction Film Directors |work=strangehorizons.com |date=April 19, 2004 |access-date=June 19, 2020}}</ref> In the same year, ''[[The Guardian]]'' listed him 9th on their list of "The world's 40 best directors".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/page/0,11456,1082823,00.html |title=The world's 40 best directors |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=May 18, 2011 |location=London}}</ref> In 2007, [[Total Film]] named him as the 17th greatest director of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the_greatest_directors_ever_-_part_2 |title=Greatest Directors Ever |website=[[Total Film]] |date=August 20, 2007 |access-date=May 18, 2011}}</ref> Film professor Charles Derry, in his overview of the horror genre ''Dark Dreams'', called the director one of the most important in his field, and that "no discussion of contemporary horror film can conclude without reference to the films of David Cronenberg."<ref name="americanhorrors">{{Citation | last = Derry | first = Charles | contribution = More Dark Dreams: Some Notes on the Recent Horror Film | editor-last = Waller | editor-first = Gregory | title = American Horrors: Essays on the Modern American Horror Film | pages = [https://archive.org/details/americanhorrorse0000unse/page/173 173] | publisher = University of Illinois Press | place = Chicago | year = 1987 | isbn = 0-252-01448-0 | url = https://archive.org/details/americanhorrorse0000unse/page/173 }}</ref>

Cronenberg received the [[Jury Prize (Cannes Film Festival)|Special Jury Prize]] at the [[1996 Cannes Film Festival]] for ''[[Crash (1996 film)|Crash]]''.<ref name="festival-cannes.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/4682/year/1996.html |title=Festival de Cannes: Crash |access-date=September 15, 2009 |work=festival-cannes.com |archive-date=August 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805012125/http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/4682/year/1996.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1999, he was inducted onto [[Canada's Walk of Fame]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/99_david_cronenberg.xml.htm |website=Canada's Walk of Fame |title=David Cronenberg, film director, Cannes Film Festival winner |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060826110041/http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/99_david_cronenberg.xml.htm |archive-date=August 26, 2006  }}</ref> awarded the [[Silver Bear]] Award at the [[49th Berlin International Film Festival]].<ref name="Berlinale1999">{{cite web |url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1999/03_preistr_ger_1999/03_Preistraeger_1999.html |title=Berlinale: 1999 Prize Winners |access-date=January 29, 2012 |work=berlinale.de |archive-date=March 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327024128/http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1999/03_preistr_ger_1999/03_Preistraeger_1999.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and that November received the [[Governor General's Performing Arts Award]], Canada's highest honour in the performing arts.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Cronenberg biography|url=http://ggpaa.ca/award-recipients/1999/cronenberg-david.aspx|publisher=Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation|access-date=February 4, 2015}}</ref>

In 2002, he was made an Officer of the [[Order of Canada]], and was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada (the order's highest rank) in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=15694&lan=eng|title=Order of Canada Appointments|date=June 30, 2014|access-date=July 1, 2014}}</ref> In 2006 he was awarded the [[Cannes Film Festival]]'s lifetime achievement award, the Carrosse d'Or.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/19/arts/19iht-dupont.html|title=Cronenberg: An intellectual with ominous powers|last=Dupont|first=Joan|date=May 19, 2006|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 30, 2011}}</ref> In 2009 Cronenberg received the [[Légion d'honneur]] from the government of France.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/cronenberg-to-receive-france-s-l%C3%A9gion-d-honneur-1.791376 |title=Cronenberg to receive France's Légion d'honneur |access-date=January 25, 2010 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=March 12, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405171050/http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2009/03/12/cronenberg-france.html |archive-date=April 5, 2009 }}</ref> The following year Cronenberg was named an honorary patron of the [[University Philosophical Society]], [[Trinity College Dublin]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=David Cronenberg {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/david-cronenberg|access-date=2022-01-25|website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref> In 2012, he received the [[Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/diamond-jubilee-gala-toasts-exceptional-canadians-1.1226414| title=Diamond Jubilee Gala toasts exceptional Canadians| date=June 18, 2012| publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation| access-date=June 19, 2012}}</ref>

The opening of the "David Cronenberg: Evolution" [[Toronto International Film Festival|Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)]] exhibition occurred on October 30, 2013. Held at the [[TIFF Bell Lightbox]] venue, the exhibition paid tribute to the director's entire filmmaking career and the festival's promotional material referred to Cronenberg as "one of Canada's most prolific and iconic filmmakers". The exhibition was shown internationally following the conclusion of the TIFF showing on January 19, 2014.<ref name="Henry">{{cite news|title=David Cronenberg: 'I never thought of myself as a prophet'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/12/david-cronenberg-suicide-fantastic-exit?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2&et_cid=48826&et_rid=7107573&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2ffilm%2f2013%2fsep%2f12%2fdavid-cronenberg-suicide-fantastic-exit|access-date=September 13, 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=September 12, 2013|author=Henry Barnes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Evolution|url=http://tiff.net/cronenbergparty|work=tiff.|publisher=Toronto International Film Festival Inc.|access-date=September 13, 2013|date=September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909055438/http://tiff.net/cronenbergparty|archive-date=September 9, 2013}}</ref>

In 2014, he was made a Member of the [[Order of Ontario]] in recognition for being "Canada's most celebrated internationally acclaimed filmmaker".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.ontario.ca/mci/en/2014/01/new-appointees-to-the-order-of-ontario.html|title=New Appointees to the Order of Ontario|date=January 23, 2014}}</ref>

In April 2018, it was announced that Cronenberg would receive the honorary [[Golden Lion]] at the [[75th Venice International Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/intrattenimento/spettacolo/2018/04/19/david-cronenberg-leone-oro-alla-carriera_OYgfPwjzOSxyHIyKUkDJQO.html|title=A David Cronenberg il Leone d'oro alla Carriera|date=April 19, 2018}}</ref>

{|class= "wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" 
! scope="col"| Organizations
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Category
! scope="col"| Work
! scope="col"| Result 
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{refh}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="1"| [[British Academy Film Awards]] 
| 2008
| [[BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film|Outstanding British Film]]
| ''[[Eastern Promises]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| [[Berlin International Film Festival]]
| 1992
| rowspan=2|[[Golden Bear]]
| ''[[Naked Lunch (film)|Naked Lunch]]''
| {{nom}}
| 
|-
| rowspan=2|1999
| rowspan=2|''[[Existenz|eXistenZ]]''
| {{nom}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| [[Silver Bear]]
| {{won}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="9"| [[Cannes Film Festival]]
| rowspan=2|1996
| [[Jury Prize (Cannes Film Festival)|Jury Prize]]
| rowspan=2|''[[Crash (1996 film)|Crash]]''
| {{won}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| rowspan=3|[[Palme d'Or]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Spider (2002 film)|Spider]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[A History of Violence]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2006
| colspan=2|Golden Coach
| {{won}}
|
|-
| 2012
| rowspan="4" |[[Palme d'Or]]
| ''[[Cosmopolis (film)|Cosmopolis]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Maps to the Stars]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Crimes of the Future (2022 film)|Crimes of the Future]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2024
| ''[[The Shrouds]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="18"| [[Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television|Canadian Screen Award]]
| rowspan=2| 1981
| [[Canadian Screen Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| rowspan=2| ''[[Scanners]]''
| {{nom}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| [[Canadian Screen Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2| 1983
| Best Director
| rowspan=2| ''[[Videodrome]]''
| {{won}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| Best Screenplay
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=3| 1988
| [[Canadian Screen Award for Best Motion Picture|Best Picture]]
| rowspan=3| ''[[Dead Ringers (film)|Dead Ringers]]''
| {{won}}
| rowspan=3|
|-
| Best Director 
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Screenplay
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=2| 1991
| Best Director 
| rowspan=2| ''[[Naked Lunch (film)|Naked Lunch]]''
| {{won}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| Best Screenplay
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=3| 1996
| Best Picture
| rowspan=3| ''[[Crash (1996 film)|Crash]]''
| {{nom}}
| rowspan=3|
|-
| Best Director 
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Screenplay
| {{won}}
|-
| 1999
| Best Picture
| ''[[eXistenZ]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2002
| Best Director 
| ''[[Spider (2002 film)|Spider]]''
| {{won}}
|
|-
| 2007
| Best Director 
| ''[[Eastern Promises]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2011
| Best Director 
| ''[[A Dangerous Method]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2012
| Best Screenplay 
| ''[[Cosmopolis (film)|Cosmopolis]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 2014
| Best Director 
| ''[[Maps to the Stars]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="5"|[[Saturn Awards]]
| 1983
| rowspan=2|[[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
| ''[[The Dead Zone (film)|The Dead Zone]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[The Fly (1986 film)|The Fly]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
| rowspan=2|1988
| [[Saturn Award for Best Horror Film|Best Horror Film]]
| rowspan=2|''[[Dead Ringers (film)|Dead Ringers]]''
| {{nom}}
| rowspan=2|
|-
| [[Saturn Award for Best Writing|Best Writing]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1999
| [[Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film|Best Science Fiction Film]]
| ''[[eXistenZ]]''
| {{nom}}
|
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|first=David|last=Cronenberg|editor=Rodley, Chris|title=Cronenberg on Cronenberg|edition=1st|year=1992|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-14436-5}}
* {{cite book|first=David|last=Cronenberg|title=Crash|publisher=Faber and Faber|date=1997|isbn=0-571-19127-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/crash00cron}}
* {{cite book|first=David|last=Cronenberg|title=eXistenZ: A Graphic Novel|url=https://archive.org/details/davidcronenbergs0000cron|url-access=registration|publisher= Key Porter Books|date= 1999|isbn= 1-55263-027-7}}
* {{cite book|first=David|last=Cronenberg|title=David Cronenberg: Collected Screenplays 1: Stereo, Crimes of the Future, Shivers, Rabid|date= 2002|publisher= Faber and Faber|isbn= 0-571-21017-1}}
* {{cite book|author= Cronenberg, David |title=[[Red Cars]]|series= Volumina Artbooks|location= Bologna, Italia|publisher= Associazione culturale Volumina|date= 2005 |isbn=978-88-901996-8-4}}
* {{cite book|first=David|last=Cronenberg|title=[[Consumed (novel)|Consumed: A Novel]]|publisher= Scribner|date= 2014|isbn= 978-1-416-59613-4}}
* {{cite book|author=Grünberg, Serge|author2=Cronenberg, David|name-list-style=amp|title=David Cronenberg: Interviews with Serge Grünberg|publisher= Plexus Publishing|date= 2005|isbn=0-85965-376-5}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Rodley |editor-first=Chris |title=Cronenberg on Cronenberg |publisher=[[Faber and Faber]] |date=1997 |url=https://archive.org/details/cronenbergoncron0000cron |isbn=0571191371}}
* {{cite book|author=Dreibrodt, Thomas J. Dreibrodt |date=2000|title= Lang lebe das neue Fleisch. Die Filme von David Cronenberg – von 'Shivers' bis 'eXistenZ'|publisher=Paragon-Verlag |language= de|isbn= 978-3-932872-05-1}}
* {{cite book|author=Handling, Piers |date=1983|title=The Shape of Rage: The Films of David Cronenberg|publisher=General Publishing Company |isbn= 978-0-7736-1137-5}}
* {{cite news|author=Humm, Maggie |author-link=Maggie Humm |year=1997|title=Cronenberg's Films and Feminist Theories of Mothering|work= Feminism and Film|publisher= Edinburgh University Press|isbn= 978-0-253-21146-0}}
* {{cite book|author=Newman, Kim|author-link=Kim Newman|date=1989|title=Nightmare Movies: A Critical History of the Horror Film 1968–1988|publisher=Harmony Books |isbn=978-0-517-57366-2}}
* {{cite book|editor=Robnik, Drehli Robnik|editor2=Palm, Michael|date=1992|title= Und das Wort ist Fleisch geworden. Texte über Filme von David Cronenberg|location= Vienna|publisher= PVS|isbn= 978-3-901196-02-7}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* [http://litreactor.com/columns/behold-the-unfilmable-the-literary-adaptations-of-david-cronenberg/ The Literary Adaptations of David Cronenberg] (via LitReactor, 2011)
* [http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/cronenberg.html David Cronenberg Bibliography] (via UC Berkeley)
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/18/magazine/18cronenberg.html?pagewanted=all David Cronenberg Profile] by ''[[The New York Times Magazine]]'' (September 2005)
* [http://www.channel4.com/film/media/video/I/italian_machine_lg_01.ram ''Teleplay'' episode "The Italian Machine" online] at the Channel4 website ([[RealMedia]])

{{Portal bar|Film|Horror|Ontario|Science fiction}}
{{David Cronenberg}}
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|title = Awards for David Cronenberg
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{{Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay}}
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{{Donostia Award}}
{{The George Pal Memorial Award}}
{{Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Director}}
{{TFCA Award for Best Director}}}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cronenberg, David}}
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