Synopsis

In the rural town of Wheelsy, South Carolina, Grant Grant is infected by a mysterious alien parasite that transforms him into a grotesque host. As the organism spreads through the community, people become zombified, mutated, or controlled by a collective hive mind. Grant's wife, Starla, and Police Chief Bill Pardy struggle to contain the invasion before the town is consumed.

Factoids & Trivia

• Slither was James Gunn's feature directorial debut. He wrote the screenplay in roughly two months and sold it shortly after sending it out.

• Gunn drew inspiration from 1980s horror and science fiction, particularly David Cronenberg's Shivers and The Brood, John Carpenter's The Thing, The Fly, Re-Animator, The Evil Dead, Tremors, and Junji Ito's manga Uzumaki.

• The film was shot in British Columbia, with locations in and around Vancouver, Langley, Surrey, Cloverdale, and Abbotsford. Unpredictable rain and sunshine complicated outdoor continuity, requiring rain removal during post-production.

• The production originally used the title Wiggle, but it was changed to Slither because the new title sounded more threatening.

• Michael Rooker dislocated his shoulder while filming the scene in which Grant attacks Starla and develops a floppy arm. He completed the shot before telling the crew.

• The film's creature work combines practical makeup and puppetry with digital visual effects, helping preserve the deliberately tactile, slimy look of its 1980s-inspired horror style.

• A telephone voice heard in the film belongs to Rob Zombie, who appears as Dr. Karl.

• Although Slither received favorable reviews, it failed to recover its production budget in theaters. It later developed a cult following, particularly after James Gunn became associated with larger mainstream productions.