"Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?" So asks The Substance, Coralie Fargeat's sophomore feature and winner of the Best Screenplay award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. While it's still floating around theaters, the body horror romp is coming to a streaming service near you just in time for Halloween.
The Hollywood ageism satire stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid, and positive word of mouth has made the horror movie a surprise hit. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch The Substance at home and online, including when and where it starts streaming and the best deals to save some money.
What is The Substance about?
The Substance stars Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-lister who's fired from her fitness TV program for the unforgivable crime of aging. Battling with crippling Hollywood ageism, she's introduced to a new drug known as "the Substance." A single injection is all it takes for Elisabeth to be reborn as the beautiful and youthful Sue (Margaret Qualley), who then begins her own rise through Hollywood.
Of course, there's always a catch. The Substance forces you to split time between your two bodies; Elisabeth must spend exactly seven days as herself, then seven days as Sue. When she messes with the balance, things get...bloody.
Check out the official trailer:
Is The Substance worth watching?
The Substance has become the most successful box office release for arthouse distributor and streamer Mubi. The bold and bloody film has been creating a ton of buzz, with audiences giving it a 74 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics rating is even more impressive with a glowing 91 percent.
"Audaciously gross, wickedly clever, and possibly Demi Moore's finest hour, The Substance is a gasp-inducing feat from writer-director Coralie Fargeat," the critics consensus reads on Rotten Tomatoes.
While Mashable's own reviewer wasn't a big fan, writing that the "horror sci-fi plot of The Substance feels incomplete," most reviews are very positive. Culture writer Zach Schonfeld may have summed it up best, calling it a "B-movie with an A-list cast" — in a good way. Just be warned, many folks will be squirming in their seats over the amount of blood and gore. It is a body horror movie, after all.
How can I watch The Substance at home?
The Substance made its digital retail debut on Oct. 31, meaning it's available for purchase at video-on-demand retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV+ for $19.99. The film will likely also be available to rent at a later date.
Here are some quick links to purchase the film on digital:
Prime Video — $19.99
Apple TV+ — $19.99
Fandango at Home (Vudu) — $19.99
Is The Substance streaming anywhere?
In a rare turn of events, The Substance will also make its streaming debut on Oct. 31 for those who don't want to purchase the film. The only catch is that it won't be streaming on the usual services like Hulu or Max. Instead, you can watch The Substance on Mubi beginning on Halloween.
Mubi is built for cinephiles. Sure, it's yet another streaming service, but where it differs is quality. The Mubi library is brimming with the best of international cinema. The streamer showcases a vast array of films from America and abroad, mainstream and independent, classics, new releases, award-winners, and Mubi's own originals — like The Substance. Mubi subscriptions start at $14.99 per month, but we've rounded up a few ways to save some money on the streamer below.
Best overall: Get Mubi as a Prime Video add-on
A Mubi subscription on its own costs $14.99 per month, but Prime members can add it as a Prime Video channel instead and save some money. After a free seven-day trial, the Mubi add-on for Prime Video is just $10.99 per month. That means $4 kept in your pocket each month. Of course, this requires you to have a Prime Video account in order to add the channel. If you don't already have Prime Video, this isn't your best option.
If you remember to cancel after watching the movie, you could theoretically watch The Substance for free this way — just saying.
Best long-term deal: Save 33% on an annual subscription
If you're a movie lover and want to stick around to enjoy more than just The Substance, you can save 33% by paying for a year of Mubi upfront. An annual Mubi subscription costs $119.88 per year, which breaks down to just $9.99 per month instead of the usual $14.99 per month. You'll still get a seven-day free trial to kick off your subscription as well.
Best for students: Save $5/month on Mubi student subscription
Students really get the winning deal here. If you can prove your student status, you can sign up for Mubi for free for 30 days, then get a discounted subscription for just $9.99 per month. That's $5/month cheaper than a typical subscription. Plus, with 30 free days, you'll have plenty of time to watch The Substance and lots of other films before even paying a cent.
