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Paging Dr. Mantle and...Dr. Mantle? Expect to see double with Prime Video's upcoming psychological drama based on David Cronenberg's film, Dead Ringers. The remake was first announced as a straight-to-series order in August 2020 with Amazon Studios, Annapurna Television, and Morgan Creek Entertainment signing on. Alice Birch (Lady Macbeth) was hired as the head writer and executive producer along with Rachel Weisz being cast as the lead and also joining as an executive producer.

The original Cronenberg film was a psychological drama that starred Jeremy Irons as Beverly and Elliot Mantle. The twin brothers are gynecologists with their own successful clinic and steady flow of patients. Though the siblings evidently look alike, the pair are total opposites in disposition. Elliot, as the confident brother, is a womanizer who seduces some of the women that visit their clinic. When he loses interest in them, he dumps them onto his shy brother, Beverly. However, it's a sleazy ploy by Elliot who switches himself with his brother unbeknownst to the women that are seeing him. When an actress named Claire Niveau (Geneviève Bujold) visits the clinic one day, she becomes the center of a twisted love triangle between both brothers. The film has the classic Cronenberg traits of body horror and violence infused with dark psychosexual tones. The rebooted series will most likely touch on some thematic elements from the original film while still maintaining its modernized style.

Before the doctor will see you, the helpful guide below will catch you up on everything we know so far on Dead Ringers.

Rachel Weisz on the Dead Ringers poster
Image via Prime Video

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When and Where Can You Watch Dead Ringers?

The limited series will stream worldwide exclusively on Prime Video on April 21. All six episodes will be available to watch on its premiere date. Each episode has a general runtime of 60 minutes.

Watch the Trailer for Dead Ringers

The teaser trailer was released by Prime Video on February 28. Opening up with Blondie's track "Heart of Glass", the short teaser establishes a bleak hospital setting with twin doctors, Dr. Beverly and Dr. Elliot Mantle, donned in red medical scrubs similar to the film. One of the siblings cradles her seemingly pregnant stomach while the other is leaned over, unconcerned by the blood covering her face. As the pair are observing a baby, a key piece of dialogue saying "Radicalism always begins with something small" ominously sets up the ambitious medical endeavor that they will take on.

What Is Dead Ringers About?

Rachel Weisz examining petri dishes in Dead Ringers
Image via Prime Video

As mentioned, the series is an adaption of the 1988 film by David Cronenberg which by extension is an adaption of the 1977 novel, Twins, written by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland. The two original source materials were based on real-life twins, Stewart and Cyril Marcus, who were New York-based gynecologists. Though they had successful careers as fertility specialists, their mysterious deaths in 1975 garnered more attention.

While the novel and film were originally about male twin doctors, the TV series concentrates instead on female twin OBGYN specialists. This revamped take on the story definitely adds more intrigue and relevance given the complex medical issues that women face regarding their reproductive health. In particular, Doctors Elliot and Beverly Mantle have one main goal in mind that is revealed in the series logline:

The Mantle twins, identical from head to toe, are on a mission to change the way women give birth, starting in Manhattan.

The show will not only explore their medical ventures but also their complicated personal lives that are entangled with drugs and romances, similar to the original film. Overall, the series is set to deliver a dark, wicked, and thrilling story with its complicated dual protagonists. The official synopsis reads as follows:

A modern take on David Cronenberg’s 1988 thriller starring Jeremy Irons, Dead Ringers will feature Rachel Weisz playing the double-lead roles of Elliot and Beverly Mantle, twins who share everything: Drugs, lovers, and an unapologetic desire to do whatever it takes—including pushing the boundaries on medical ethics—in an effort to challenge antiquated practices and bring women’s health care to the forefront.

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Who Is in the Cast of Dead Ringers?

Rachel Weisz stars in the lead dual roles of Doctors Elliot and Beverly Mantle. Coincidentally, this isn't Weisz's first time playing twins as she previously portrayed twin characters in the film Constantine. The rest of the cast includes brand-new characters that aren't reiterations of previous characters from the original film. Some of the supporting characters will include newcomers Poppy Liu (Hacks) as Greta, Britne Oldford (The Umbrella Academy) as Genevieve, and Michael Chernus (Severance) as Tom. Recurring cast members also include Jennifer Ehle (She Said) as Rebecca, Emily Meade (The Deuce) as Susan, and Jeremy Shamos (Better Call Saul) as Joseph.

Who Is Making Dead Ringers?

Rachel Weisz wearing a dress in an office in Dead Ringers
Image via Prime Video

Alice Birch is the showrunner and executive producer after previously writing for hit series such as Normal People and Succession. Joining her as executive producers are Rachel Weisz, Stacy O’Neil (Sam & Kate), Sue Naegle (The Staircase), and Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene). Ali Krug (Pam & Tommy) is the executive producer representative for Annapurna Television. Erica Kay (Fosse/Verdon), Anne Carey (Mr. Holmes), Polly Stokes (The Double) also join the executive producer team along with Morgan Creek Entertainment representatives James G. Robinson (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), David Robinson (Man of the Year), and Barbara Wall (The Exorcist).

The series will be directed by Sean Durkin who has been confirmed as the director for the first two episodes along with co-directing the last episode. The remaining episodes will each be directed by Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body), Karena Evans (Snowfall), and Lauren Wolkstein (Queen Sugar). Jody Lee Lipes (The Good Nurse) serves as the cinematographer for the show.

Will There Be a Second Season of Dead Ringers?

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely there will be a second season due to the show being labeled as a limited series. Due to the nature of the series being a remade adaption of a film, it will most likely have a conclusive story that will fit within its six-episode season. There is no official announcement yet regarding a possible second season.