David Cronenberg’s ‘Eastern Promises 2’ Is Dead In The Water

David Cronenberg is one of my favorite directors, and Eastern Promises is perhaps one of his strongest efforts. Despite the fact that the film only made roughly $17 million during its theatrical run here in the United States, the Canadian filmmaker had hoped to craft a sequel in the coming months. However, according to Cinema Blend, Eastern Promises 2 is no longer happening.

Cronenberg is currently doing promotional appearances for his Robert Pattinson flick Cosmopolis, an adaptation of the novel by Don Delillo. It was during his chat with the folks over at The Playlist that the director revealed the status of the aforementioned project. As one might imagine, Cronenberg is as disappointed about the news as his fans.

“We were supposed to start shooting Eastern Promises 2 in October,” the filmmaker explained. “[But] It’s done. … If you don’t like it talk to James Schamus at Focus. It was his decision.”

Eastern Promises, which features History of Violence star Viggo Mortensen in another Cronenberg-directed role, is a crime-thriller centered around a woman’s investigation in the rape and murder of a Russian teenager. Her quest for the truth soon leads her straight into the criminal underworld, a universe populated with several sick, twisted, and deadly individuals.

In addition to Mortensen, the film also featured Naomi Watts and Black Swan co-star Vincent Cassel. The news of the project’s cancellation is certainly dark news for Cronenberg worshipers the world over.

Fortunately, David Cronenberg is preparing to unleash his latest feature Cosmopolis upon North American audiences in a limited theatrical engagement beginning August 17. The film follows the adventures of a guy (Robert Pattinson) in a limo looking to get a haircut. Along the way, he encounters a number of peculiar individuals including those portrayed by such notable actors and actresses as Juliette Binoche, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Samantha Morton, and Paul Giamatti.