You’ve probably seen the headlines. "The Twisted Twins are back." Or maybe you’ve scrolled past a thumbnail of two identical, raven-haired women looking like they just stepped out of a Gothic graphic novel.
Honestly, it’s easy to dismiss Jen and Sylvia Soska as a gimmick. Two sisters, both obsessed with gore, both dressing like they’re heading to a funeral in 1992. But if you think they’re just some "horror Barbie" act, you’re missing the actual story.
The Soska sisters didn't just stumble into the film industry. They kicked the door down because nobody would let them in.
Back in the day, they were just two aspiring actresses in Canada getting offered the same tired, stereotypical "twin" roles. You know the ones. The creepy girls in the hallway or the interchangeable victims. They hated it. They were martial arts trained, stunt-capable, and had brains full of Cronenberg-style body horror.
So, they did what any rational person would do. They went to film school.
Well, briefly.
The DIY Chaos of Jen and Sylvia Soska
Most people start with a student short. Jen and Sylvia Soska started with a movie called Dead Hooker in a Trunk.
The title alone tells you everything you need to know about their early energy. It was raw. It was messy. It was basically a middle finger to their film school, which had cut their budget for a final project. Instead of whining, they grabbed $2,500 and made a feature.
It’s actually kinda legendary in indie circles. They managed to get Carlos Gallardo—the star of Robert Rodriguez’s El Mariachi—to make a cameo. Rodriguez is basically their patron saint. They follow his "Rebel Without a Crew" philosophy like it’s scripture.
But Dead Hooker wasn't the movie that made them "The Soska Sisters" in the eyes of the world. That was American Mary.
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If you haven't seen American Mary, it’s... a lot. Katherine Isabelle plays a medical student who falls into the world of underground body modification. It’s slick, it’s depressing, and it’s deeply empathetic toward a subculture that most movies treat like a freak show.
The twins didn't just guess what that world looked like. They hired real flesh artists and consultants from the body-mod community. They wanted it to be authentic. That’s the thing about Jen and Sylvia—they actually care about the "outcasts" they’re filming. It’s not just about the blood.
Actually, wait. It is a lot about the blood.
When the Remake Business Gets Complicated
For a while, it looked like they were going to be the next big studio directors. They did some work for WWE Studios (See No Evil 2 and Vendetta). They even wrote for Marvel. They were the first women to write a Black Widow comic series.
Then came the Rabid remake in 2019.
This is where things got polarizing. Remaking a David Cronenberg classic is basically a suicide mission. Cronenberg is the god of body horror, and his fans are protective.
The Soskas’ version was modern, fashion-focused, and featured Laura Vandervoort. It also featured some of the most grotesque practical effects seen in years. But critics were split. Some loved the feminist update; others felt it didn't capture that "grimy" 70s feeling of the original.
And then there was the Twitter drama.
Right as the trailer for Rabid dropped, Twitter (now X) suspended the sisters’ account. Why? Because the stills they posted were "too violent."
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It was a nightmare for indie marketing. Imagine having your biggest platform cut off right when you’re trying to sell a movie. They fought back, got reinstated, and then got suspended again. It’s a perfect example of how tech platforms struggle with horror creators.
They’ve basically been in a constant war with censorship since they started.
What’s Actually Happening Now?
Fast forward to 2026.
The landscape for horror has changed. The "Twisted Twins" aren't just directors anymore; they’re a brand. They’ve been working on a project called On the Edge, which leans into kink culture and psychological trauma.
There’s also been a lot of talk about an American Mary TV series. Fans have been begging for this for a decade. The sisters have hinted they’re working with producers who "get it," but in Hollywood, things move at the speed of a dying snail.
What most people get wrong about them is the idea that they’re "shock for the sake of shock."
If you listen to them talk—and they talk fast, usually finishing each other’s sentences—it’s clear they’re horror nerds first. They see horror as a place for healing. They talk about how their mom let them watch Poltergeist at age nine and explained that the monsters were just "tireless efforts of artists."
That changed them. It made them see the craft in the carnage.
The Reality of Being a "Twisted Twin"
It’s not all red carpets and cool outfits.
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Jen and Sylvia Soska have been vocal about how hard it is to get funded as women in horror. Even after a hit like American Mary, they struggled. People would tell them they were "too niche."
Or worse, people would focus on their looks rather than their shot lists.
They’ve dealt with a staggering amount of misogyny. Sylvia once joked that when people don't like their movies, the "criticism" usually turns into personal insults about whether or not they’re attractive. It’s exhausting.
Yet, they’re still here.
They still do their annual Blood Donation PSA for "Women in Horror Month" every February. They still champion indie filmmakers. They’re basically the cool Goth aunts of the horror community at this point.
Why You Should Care
The Soskas represent a specific type of filmmaking that’s disappearing.
Everything now is so polished, so "elevated," so safe. The twins are messy. They like practical effects that look like wet meat. They like stories about people who don't fit in.
If you’re looking to get into their work, don't start with the remakes.
Start with American Mary. Look at how they use the color red. Notice the way they treat the character of Mary—not as a victim, but as someone who is reclaiming her power in a very, very dark way.
Actionable Takeaways for Horror Fans:
- Watch the Originals: If you're going to watch their Rabid remake, watch Cronenberg’s 1977 version first. It’s the only way to see the "dialogue" they’re having with the source material.
- Support Practical Effects: The Soskas work closely with Masters FX. In an era of crappy CGI blood, supporting filmmakers who use real silicone and corn syrup matters.
- Follow the PSA: Check out their "Massive Blood Drive" PSAs. It’s a great way to see a bunch of different horror directors' styles in short bursts while supporting a good cause.
- Look Beyond the Gimmick: Don't let the "identical twin" thing distract you. Focus on the framing. They have a very specific, almost operatic way of shooting violence that is uniquely theirs.
The Soska sisters might not be everyone’s cup of tea—or bucket of blood. But in a world of sterilized, corporate filmmaking, they’re exactly the kind of "twisted" we need.
To see the latest on their upcoming projects, keep an eye on the FrightFest lineup for 2026, as the twins frequently use the London-based festival to premiere their most experimental work. If you're an aspiring filmmaker, read Sylvia's accounts of the Dead Hooker in a Trunk production; it’s a masterclass in making a movie when you have zero money but a lot of spite. Finally, if you want to support their specific brand of feminism in film, look for the "Twisted Twin Productions" credit on indie shorts—they often mentor new voices in the genre.