'Stranger Things' and 'Euphoria' Stars Cast In Cult-Classic Horror Remake

By Stephen Andrew

Stranger Things alum Dacre Montgomery and former Euphoria star Barbie Ferreira have reportedly been cast in a remake of the cult-classic horror movie Faces of Death. According to The Wrap, the pair will lead a "reimagining" of the controversial 1978 horror film by John Alan Schwartz. The new movie is being written by Isa Mazzei and directed by Daniel Goldhaber, with Legendary Entertainment producing.

In a joint statement on the new project, Mazzei and Goldhaber said, "Faces of Death was one of the first viral video tapes, and we are so lucky to be able to use it as a jumping off point for this exploration of cycles of violence and the way they perpetuate themselves online." The original film is notable for being presented as a documentary of various ways people have died in real life, while the majority of the most shocking death sequences were actually staged. It sparked quite a bit of controversy and was ultimately banned in dozens of countries around the world.

At this time, Ferreira and Montgomery are the only two confirmed cast members. Ferreira is well known for her role as Kat Hernandez in the first two seasons of Euphoria. She has since exited the show. Montgomery is most recognized for playing Billy Hargrove for two seasons of Stranger Things on Netflix. However, he also starred as Red Ranger Jason Scott in the 2017 Power Rangers remake movie, and recently portrayed real-life film ad TV producer Steve Binder in Oscar-nominated 2022 biographical film Elvis.

Faces of Death was not critically well-received when it was first released, but it did end up being a big hit with horror fans. The film is said to have grossed $35 million on a budget of $450,000. The movie starred actor Michael Carr as fictional pathologist Francis B. Gröss, who takes the viewer on a journey through death, including scenes of war atrocities, plane crash footage, and a gunfight between police and an armed murderer, among other grotesque sights.

The movie would go on to spawn a franchise consisting of seven more movies, most with no real connection to the original other than the first few, which Schwartz was involved with. It has left a compelling legacy, even ranking at #50 on Entertainment Weekly's 2003 list of "Top 50 Cult Films of All Time," while being referred to by at least one critic as "crude, tasteless exploitation footage." At this time, there is no announced premiere date for the Faces of Death reimagining.

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