As Women in Horror Month is drawing to a close, what better way than to end with the announcement of two well known female horror directors landing a fantastic project?  Per Variety, John Vidette’s Somerville House Releasing has entered into a joint venture with Paul Lalonde and Michael Walker to produce a feature film and original TV series based on the 1977 David Cronenberg horror film Rabid.  Jen and Sylvia Soska, known for American Mary and Dead Hooker In A Truck, will helm not just the film, but the subsequent TV series as well.

The original film starred Marilyn Chambers as a woman who underwent experimental plastic surgery due to a horrible motorcycle accident.  The surgery left her with a bizarre stinger-like organ that sucked blood and turned its victims into bloodthirsty zombies.

“The work of David Cronenberg is legendary, and Rabid is much more than just a horror movie,” the Soskas said in a statement. “The real message of his film is powerful and even more pivotal as we look at the world around us today. It’s an honor to be involved in this love letter to his original, which we handle with the same respect as Paul Schrader’s Cat People, Alexandre Aja’s The Hills Have Eyes, and John Carpenter’s The Thing.”

“The addition of Jen and Sylvia Soska to the team is a real coup,” Lalonde said. “When you’re remaking a classic horror film like Rabid, you have to make sure you don’t compromise when it comes to the director. The Soskas are among the hottest young directors in the horror genre, and I couldn’t be happier with our choice.”

Like Cronenberg and his films, the Soska sisters also hail from Canada.  So it’s no surprise that filming is scheduled to begin this summer in Canada.  Two established female horror directors handling a powerful female driven narrative?  I can’t wait.soska sisters