David Cronenberg returns to directing with his first film in eight years, "Crimes of the Future."

The movie takes place in a futuristic, synthetic world where human bodies undergo transformation and mutations. Viggo Mortensen stars as a celebrity performance artist, Saul Tenser, who metamorphosizes his organs and showcases them in avant-garde performances.

Kristen Stewart plays Timlin, an investigator from the National Organ Registry who's obsessively followed Saul and his shows. She soon discovers a mysterious group who plans to use Saul's fame in "the next phase of human evolution."

Léa Seydoux, Scott Speedman and Don McKellar also star in the film, which is directed by horror master David Cronenberg. In his statement about the film, he says the purpose was to unpack and play with with concept of human evolution. He states,

"'Crimes of the Future' is a meditation on human evolution. Specifically — the ways in which we have had to take control of the process because we have created such powerful environments that did not exist previously."

Fans looking for Cronenberg's past work to carry over into "Crimes of the Future" are in luck, as he says the film continues to explore "technology as connected to the human body." He continues,

"Technology is always an extension of the human body, even when it seems to be very mechanical and non-human. A fist becomes enhanced by a club or a stone that you throw — but ultimately, that club or stone is an extension of some potency that the human body already has."

The state of current affairs inspired Cronenberg to wonder what could come next for the world's technology, as he concludes,

"At this critical junction in human history, one wonders — can the human body evolve to solve problems we have created? Can the human body evolve a process to digest plastics and artificial materials not only as part of a solution to the climate crisis, but also, to grow, thrive, and survive?"

"Crimes of the Future" premieres at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Until then, watch the disturbing teaser for it here.