Four months after it took home the award for Best Screenplay at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a 13-minute standing ovation, Coralie Fargeat's body horror satire The Substance lands in US theaters this weekend. Our 8/10 review of The Substance said it "indicts celebrity culture’s obsession with youth and beauty in a sick, twisted, and squirm-inducing parable."
If you're wondering how and where you can watch The Substance this weekend, take a look at the info below.
How to Watch The Substance – Showtimes and Streaming
The Substance is now available in theaters everywhere. To find when and where you can watch the movie near you, check the local showtime listings at the main theater sites below:
The Substance Streaming Release Date
The Substance will eventually be released on Mubi, rather than Netflix, Max, or Disney+. Mubi is subscription-based, but offers a seven-day free trial. (It goes up to 30 days for students.)
Mubi has yet to announce a streaming date for The Substance. Movies like The Substance have typically been available to stream between 21 and 77 days after their theatrical debuts. Given the box-office potential of The Substance, we're guessing it will potentially end up on Mubi in December.
What Is The Substance About?
The Substance is a satirical body horror-thriller from writer-director Coralie Fargeat. Here's the official synopsis from Mubi:
Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a former A-lister past her prime, [is] drawn to the opportunity presented by a mysterious new drug. All it takes is one injection and she is reborn – temporarily – as the gorgeous, twentysomething Sue (Margaret Qualley).
The only rule? Time needs to be split: exactly one week in one body, then one week in the other. No exceptions. Easy, right?
The Substance Cast
The Substance was written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. It stars the following actors:
- Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle
- Margaret Qualley as Sue
- Dennis Quaid as Harvey
The Substance Rating and Runtime
The Substance is Rated R for strong bloody violent content, gore, graphic nudity, and language. The film runs for a total of 2 hours and 20 minutes including credits. It does not have a post-credits scene.
Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.
