Does The Shrouds have a post-credit scene? Details explored

The Shrouds is a horror drama film directed by David Cronenberg, released in the United States on April 25, 2025. The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on May 20.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers from the film. Reader's discretion is advised.

The plot of the movie follows Karsh, a businessman and entrepreneur behind GraveTech. Unable to move on from the death of his wife, Karsh invents a technology that enables one see the decomposing body of their loved ones. A metallic shroud covers the body and is fitted with cameras that live stream footage from the grave.

For viewers who are left wondering whether The Shrouds features a post-credit scene, the answer is no.

The ending of the movie is open and shows Karsh in a trance-like state. The technology he created to feel more connected with the dead ultimately leads him to lose touch with reality.

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The Shrouds does not have a post-credit scene

The Shrouds avoids adding a post-credit scene as the movie ends on a vague note left to the interpretation of its viewers. During a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2024, Cronenberg revealed that the final sequence of the movie was intended to blend into a confusing dream.

“The idea is simply this: if he’s going to have a new love affair and (going to be) making love to this woman he’s met -that erotic experience with this new woman is really a blended experience of his past and present. In a way, he’s making love to his wife at the same time,” he added.

Karsh cannot let go of his late wife as he continues to see her in the woman he is with. In the climax, Karsh wakes up from a dream, but finds himself in another one, demonstrating that he is unable to get over his obsession and grief.

Cronenberg dissolves the boundaries between reality and fantasy, leaving viewers unsure of what is real and what is an illusion. According to him, the film was never designed to deliver a narrative with closure. He believes that the film is a reflection of the cyclic nature of mourning and grief. In an interview with The Print on May 21, 2024, he reflected on the theme of the film.

“The film is funny as well as being sad. It’s a desire to play with the figurines in the sandbox, you know, and re-live things the way children do. If you’re grieving, it does not lessen the grief. But it means that you’re addressing it and acknowledging it and playing with it in a way,” he explained.

The film exploits this uncertainty to examine deeper psychological concerns—loss, identity, and the haunting tenacity of memory. The lack of closure mirrors the unfinished quality of mourning, supporting the film's contemplative mood and encouraging individual interpretation.

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Production, direction, and cast of The Shrouds

The Shrouds is directed by David Cronenberg, whose themes are based on his personal experience with loss and grief after the passing of his wife. Principal photography for the film began on May 8, 2023, in Toronto, Canada. Howard Shore is the musical composer of the movie.

The cast features an ensemble of actors including Vincent Cassel as Karsh, Diane Kruger as Becca / Terry / Hunny, and Guy Pearce as Maury. Sandrine Holt also stars in the film as Soo-Min Szabo, whereas Elizabeth Saunders plays Gray Foner. Jennifer Dale stars as Myrna Slotnik, Eric Weinthal as Dr. Hofstra, Steve Switzman as Dr. Jerry Eckler, and Jeff Yung plays Dr. Rory Zhao.

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The Shrouds hits theatres on April 25, 2025.