After being well-received at film festivals, audiences across the globe will finally get to watch Demi Moore's grand return to the silver screen in a stylish body horror entitled The Substance. The consolidated Hollywood actress hasn't been in a talked-about film for a long time, and her grand resurgence is nothing but fitting in this project. Directed by Coralie Fargeat, The Substance has Moore playing a former TV star who loses her job after a network executive decides to replace her with a younger woman. Unsure how to carry on after losing the grip of her career, the main character learns that there is a substance that allows her to unlock a better version of herself. With a single injection, her DNA would be used to create an alternate body that has everything that she doesn't.
In an attempt to continue to be youthful and live vicariously through her alternate self, she decides to do the treatment and divide the time between herself and her other version named Sue (Margaret Qualley). Throughout the film, these two bodies will take turns, with one being active for a week before switching with the other. As one might assume, maintaining the balance will be a bit of a challenge when one of them tries to overpower the other.
With the film coming out soon, here is a handy guide to when it will be on streaming, theaters, and other information to get you prepared for this gory viewing.
Is 'The Substance' Streaming?
Not yet. The Substance will likely premiere on MUBI's streaming service since the production company acquired the rights to distribution of the film even before the project had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Given that the body horror title will come out in theaters first, more information about its streaming status will be divulged toward the end of its big screen run.
Is 'The Substance' in Theaters?
The Substance will arrive in theaters worldwide this Friday, September 20. Even before its release, the film had already garnered buzz for its response on the film festival circuit. Not only did it win Cannes for Best Screenplay, but it also recently received the Midnight Madness People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (a prize based on the most-voted film that premiered at a midnight screening). There has also been constant praise for Demi Moore's performance, with talks of a potential recognition during the forthcoming awards season for her challenging role as Elizabeth Sparkle. Although a horror movie is less likely to score nominations given the genre, things could shake up in the coming year given the film's positive reception.
Related
The Prosthetics in Demi Moore's Body Horror 'The Substance' Rival John Carpenter's 'The Thing'
Moore, Margaret Qualley & Coralie Fargeat discuss how this violent body horror combats the beauty standards of society with rage and prosthetics.
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Find Showtimes for 'The Substance'
Click the links below to check out the showtimes for The Substance:
Watch the Trailer for 'The Substance'
"Have you ever dreamed of a better version of yourself?" That's the question that sets the tone for The Substance's ultrasensorial trailer. The clip begins with Elisabeth Sparkle having a conversation with a sexist TV exec named Harvey (Dennis Quaid), who says that people always want something new, implying that audiences want someone younger to replace her in the spotlight. With her fame fading away, Elisabeth decided to apply a substance that allowed her to have a youthful and beautiful version of herself, named Sue. The rule is that they are one, meaning that the two bodies must swap every 7 days for the substance to work. Yet, as the trailer implies, there will be a misuse of the treatment, leading to dire consequences. In a quick sequence of shots, the clip shows both Elizabeth and Sue having a hard time living as one and pondering whether they would like to stop using the substance once and for all.
What Is 'The Substance' About?
Here's the cryptic official logline for The Substance:
"Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? You. Only better in every way. Seriously. You've got to try this new product: The Substance. IT CHANGED MY LIFE. It generates another you. A new, younger, more beautiful, more perfect, you. And there’s only one rule: You share time. One week for you. One week for the new you. Seven days each. A perfect balance. Easy. Right? If you respect the balance... what could possibly go wrong?"
Other Movies to Watch If You Liked 'The Substance'
After watching a project that deals with themes related to ageism, beauty standards, and fame through a twisted and unique perspective, you might be wondering if there are other films with a similar feel. Although the following recommendations aren't visceral body horror productions like The Substance, they do channel similar matters and have stylish visuals.
'The Neon Demon' (2016)
The Neon Demon
R
Horror
Psychological
- Release Date
- June 24, 2016
- Director
- Nicolas Winding Refn
- Cast
- Elle Fanning , Jena Malone , Karl Glusman , Christina Hendricks , Keanu Reeves
- Runtime
- 117 minutes
- Writers
- Mary Laws , Nicolas Winding Refn , Polly Stenham
One of the main points that The Substance addresses is sexism and unattainable beauty standards within the film and TV industries. Similarly, The Neon Demon inspects the pitfalls of the fashion world through the lens of a teenager named Jesse (played by Elle Fanning). She moves to Los Angeles in the hopes of igniting her modeling career, and with the encouragement of her agency, Jesse believes she will become a star. Yet, the more she begins to excel, the more other models begin to feel enraged at her beauty and youthfulness. In trying to adapt to the cutthroat fashion scene, the protagonist's personality undergoes a sinister shift. Jesse and Sue have a lot in common after they begin to attract the attention of higher-ups who convince them of their potential to stand out in highly competitive environments.
'Skincare' (2024)
Skincare
- Run Time
- 1 hr 37 min
- Director
- Austin Peters
- Release Date
- August 16, 2014
- Actors
- Elizabeth Banks, Nathan Fillion, Lewis Pullman, Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez
This recently released thriller also takes a closer look at the beauty scene in a nerve-wracking way. Hope Goldman (Elizabeth Banks) is a popular aesthetician, who begins to suspect that her cosmetics rival, Angel Vergara (Luis Gerardo Méndez), is trying to sabotage her new line. Excited about launching her new beauty products, the protagonist feels threatened by the possibility that someone is trying to take her down when fake emails are sent to her friends and clients on her behalf. Determined to get to the bottom of who is obsessed with destroying her career and reputation, Hope decides to investigate the situation alongside her friend Jordan (Lewis Pullman). Although this is tonally different from The Substance, it still shows the hardships of being an empowered figure when someone is trying to sabotage your success.
'Revenge' (2017)
This 2017 film isn't as similar to The Substance in terms of plot, but it is helmed by the same director. Coralie Farget previously showed audiences her knack for filmmaking through Revenge, her feature debut, which was well-received by critics. The film follows Jen (Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz), a young woman who goes on a getaway with her boyfriend (Kevin Janssens). As they arrive on what was supposed to be a romantic trip, Jen realizes that she has basically been invited to a hunting retreat with her partner's friends. In a shocking turn of events, the protagonist is left to die in the middle of the desert. Yet, instead of waiting for death to knock on her door, she has the courage to stand back on her two feet and hunt down the men who attacked her.
The Substance
710
R
Horror
Drama
A new sci-fi body-horror film by Coralie Fargeat centered on a special metamorphic treatment known as The Substance.
- IMDb ID
- tt17526714
- Release Date
- September 20, 2024
- TMDB User Rating
- 0 .0
- Director
- Coralie Fargeat
- Cast
- Demi Moore , Margaret Qualley , Dennis Quaid , Gore Abrams , Hugo Diego Garcia , Olivier Raynal , Tiffany Hofstetter , Tom Morton , Jiselle Burkhalter , Axel Baille , Oscar Lesage , Matthew Géczy , Philip Schurer
- Runtime
- 140 Minutes
- Main Genre
- Horror
- Writers
- Coralie Fargeat
- Studio(s)
- Working Title Films , A Good Story