The new horror film stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine.
Oscar-winning production company A24 is known for being a haven for surreal and fantastical stories, and they are continuing that trend with I Saw the TV Glow. Directed by We’re All Going to the World’s Fair filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun, this dramatic neon-laced horror film follows two best friends who have a life-long bond over an unusual television show. However, their lives take an unusual turn when that show gets canceled, and strange developments begin to occur.
I Saw the TV Glow made its grand debut at Sundance 2024 and quickly became the subject of wide critical acclaim. Collider’s own Ross Bonaime was one of those fortunate enough to see the film at the prestigious fest and had almost nothing but praise for Jane Schoenbrun’s sophomore feature film. You can read Ross’s full review for I Saw the TV Glow by clicking here. With all that positive buzz, many may want to know more about Jane Schoenbrun’s audacious horror flick. To find out more about A24’s latest, as well as its cast, trailer, release date, and more, here is everything we know so far about I Saw the TV Glow.
I Saw the TV Glow
Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.
- Release Date
- May 3, 2024
- Director
- Jane Schoenbrun
- Cast
- Amber Benson , Justice Smith , Brigette Lundy-Paine , Danielle Deadwyler
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Writers
- Jane Schoenbrun
When is ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Coming Out?
The horrors of an obscure television show will be bursting onto screens everywhere when I Saw the TV Glow on Friday, May 3rd, 2024.
Where Can You Watch ‘I Saw the TV Glow’?
Despite being a movie all about content on television, I Saw the TV Glow will somewhat ironically be released exclusively in theaters this May. A24 has consistently found plenty of success in theatrical releases, including 2024. Alex Garland‘s engaging and provocative thriller Civil War became a surprise sleeper hit this year, generating plenty of online discourse. I Saw the TV Glow is also far from the last film that A24 is releasing this year, as fans of the company can also expect to see the Julie Louis-Dreyfus-led existential drama Tuesday, Colman Domingo‘s uplifting prison film Sing Sing, and the third entry of the X trilogy, MaXXXine. I saw that the TV Glow will hopefully get some attention in the indie circuit, as it will be released on the same weekend as one of the most anticipated action films of the year, The Fall Guy.
As for a streaming release, I Saw the TV Glow will likely become available to stream on Max at a later date following A24’s streaming exclusivity deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Does ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Have a Trailer?
The first trailer for I Saw the TV Glow was released by A24 on February 28th, which is about a month after the film premiered at Sundance 2024. The trailer begins with the introduction of Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), who have been best friends since childhood. The two bonded over a show titled The Pink Opaque – an anthology monster of the week-type show in the same vein as something like Goosebumps. Owen thinks of The Pink Opaque as nothing more than an entertaining late-night show, but Maddy seems to be much more invested in the show’s narrative and characters. Maddy appears to firmly believe that this seemingly fictional show is actually quite real, and the more Owen hears this, the more he starts to believe this as well.
Who Stars in ‘I Saw the TV Glow’?
The cast of I Saw the TV Glow is led by Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves star Justice Smith and Bill & Ted Face the Music star Brigette Lundy-Paine as Owen and Maddy respectively. Smith has a long career of quality roles, including Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, The Voyeurs, and Sharper. As for Lundy-Paine, their career is nothing to slouch at either, with a resume including The Glass Castle, Downsizing, and Bombshell.
Also attached to the cast of I Saw the TV Glow are Ian Foreman (Let the Right One In), Helena Howard (The Wilds), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), and Conner O’Malley (Bodies Bodies Bodies). I Saw the TV Glow will also feature appearances by recognized music stars Lindsey Jordan and Fred Durst.
What is ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ About?
The official plot synopsis of I Saw the TV Glow reads as follows:
Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.
Who is Making ‘I Saw the TV Glow’?
I Saw the TV Glow is written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun. This marks Jane Schoenbrun’s second feature film after We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. The film is being executive produced by Kevin Kelly (A Real Pain) and Taylor Shung (Past Lives). The rest of I Saw the TV Glow‘s crew includes composer Alex G (Too Far), cinematographer Eric Yue (A Thousand and One), editor Sofi Marshall (Paint), production designer Brandon Tonner-Connolly (Reservation Dogs), and art director Naomi Munro (It Comes at Night).
Other Movies Like ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ You Can Watch Right Now
‘It Follows’ (2014)
David Robert Mitchell‘s horror masterpiece It Follows is a shining example of an entertaining creature feature with a deeper message. The film follows young Jay Height (Maika Monroe) after she has a seemingly ordinary sexual encounter with a boy she was dating named Hugh (Jake Weary). Jay is horrified to discover that the encounter transmitted a supernatural shapeshifting monster that stalks and eventually kills anyone it attaches itself to. Jay combats the creature with the help of her friends, but it seems that this terrifying story isn’t over yet, as a sequel titled They Follow is now in development. It Follows is available to stream on Netflix.
‘Mandy’ (2018)
A surreal action-horror fantasy hybrid, Mandy is commonly considered to be the film that reinvigorated Nicolas Cage‘s career. Red Miller (Nicolas Cage) and his wife Mandy Bloom (Andrea Riseborough) live a happy life in their peaceful spot in the woods, but that’s put into jeopardy when a sinister cult enters their humble hamlet. With his wife in danger, Red embarks on a bloody quest to get vengeance on these demonic forces. Mandy is available to stream on Hulu.
‘X’ (2022)
It’s likely that nobody was expecting Ti West‘s X to inspire one of the most exciting horror franchises of the modern industry, but that’s exactly what happened with the film that started it all. A cabin in the woods-style slasher with a twist, X follows a group of adult filmmakers on the outskirts of Texas. When the hosts of their cabin learn what their using it for, it inspires a horrifying tale that none of them expected. X is available to stream on Netflix.
This article was originally published on collider.com