David Cronenberg Will Play a Crazed Scientist on Syfy's 'Rewind'

The "A History of Violence" auteur may be widely celebrated for his work behind the camera, but that hasn't stopped him from also popping up in front of it on occasion. According to TV Line, David Cronenberg has been tapped to guest star in the two-hour pilot for Syfy’s time-travel drama "Rewind," along with "Lost" actor Jeff Fahey.

Cronenberg, who'll be premiering hotly anticipated Don DeLillo adaptation "Cosmopolis" at Cannes this year, often ends up playing a medical professional of some sort when he acts -- he was neurologist Dr. Brezzel on two episodes of "Alias," vet Dr. Leichman on "Happy Town" and a government scientist in "Jason X." Keeping with that pattern, he'll play "a brilliant scientist and Nobel Prize winner who becomes unhinged after his wife’s death" and "comes up with a dangerous plot to change the course of history" in the "Rewind" first episode.

"Rewind" will follow a team of military operatives and scientists trying to use untested time travel technology to avoid a terrorist attack and change the past -- 

The thriller revolves around a team of military field operatives and civilian scientists who must use untested technology to travel back in time to alter past events in order to change the future and avoid a devastating terrorist attack. Shane McRae (of "Four Kings") and Keisha Castle-Hughes (of "Whale Rider") will star alongside Jennifer Ferrin, Robbie Jones and Keon Mohajeri.

Here's Cronenberg playing Dr. Phillip K. Decker in Clive Barker's 1990 "Nightbreed":