Since premiering at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance” has sparked intense discussions and reactions. The film is far from subtle — it tackles themes like women in Hollywood, aging, and sexism in a brutally satirical way.

Demi Moore, who stars in the film, reflected on her experience shooting “The Substance” described the body horror film as an exploration of the “violence” people, especially women, inflict on themselves in pursuit of unrealistic beauty standards.

In addition to Moore, The Substance features Hugo Diego Garcia, Philip Schurer, Joseph Balderrama, Tom Morton, and Robin Greer. The film is set to hit theaters on September 20th.

Plot

Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) hosts a popular aerobics show. When her boss Harvey (Dennis Quaid) replaces her with a younger model, Elisabeth is devastated. After a life-changing accident, she learns about The Substance, a black-market drug that uses a cell-replicating agent to temporarily create a younger version of you. Desperate, she takes the plunge and consumes the drug.

One gruesome transformation later, a younger version of herself, dubbed Sue (Margaret Qualley), emerges—literally from her body. Sue quickly auditions for and wins the aerobics show gig, reclaiming the beauty and star power of Elisabeth’s youth. However, the drug comes with a catch: both Elisabeth and Sue must alternate living one week at a time, with the other hidden away, sustained by a feeding tube. Breaking this rule leads to dire consequences, as Sue soon discovers. A fierce battle between bodies ensues, filled with shocking body horror.

Which Streaming Platform will Release The Substance?

The Substance will be available to stream exclusively on Mubi, which holds the exclusive rights to the film. According to SportSkeeda, Mubi plans a theatrical release, especially in North America, the UK, Latin America, Ireland, Germany, India, and Turkey. No other platforms—such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Apple TV+, Hulu, or Paramount+—have acquired the rights to stream the movie.