David Cronenberg is photographed at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on September 11, 2011. With a deadly virus upending modern civilization, it would seem like director David Cronenberg might be eagerly drafting a twisted cinematic vision inspired by society's collective anxiety. But like most of us, the Canadian filmmaker is stuck in the mundanity of daily existence. Instead of writing, Cronenberg says he's often distracted by emails and texts, spending time with family before venturing outside for groceries. In the midst of a pandemic, the cryptic gatekeeper of unforgettable body-horror classics such as "Dead Ringers" and the 1986 version of "The Fly," isn't bursting with new ideas during COVID. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young