A Whole New Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka was one of the greatest–and darkest–writers of the twentieth century. His most famous story, The Metamorphosis, follows a young salesman named Gregor Samsa who awakens one morning to find he’s turned into a “giant abomination.” (It’s usually translated from German as “insect” or “cockroach,” but Kafka intended the creature to be indistinct.)

Two young filmmakers are creating a new film that takes the story of Metamorphosis and throws it into a contemporary context. Starring Nick Searcy from the F/X series Justified, Metamorphosis takes Gregor’s dilemma and renders it visually–and vividly.

The idea of modernizing stories often seems hackneyed or cliche, but in this case it works because Kafka’s writings were free of period-specific details, which is one of the reasons they’re still so beloved. His stories could happen any time, to anyone. And the fear of falling asleep and waking up changed is shared by many of us.

That’s why this new film trailer excites us. Sure, we wince when the filmmakers refer to Gregor as “Greg,” but it’s an intriguing concept, and an even more intriguing trailer. We can’t wait to see more.