The Substance Is a Huge Box Office Hit for Mubi

The transformation that Demi Moore goes through in The Substance is horrific, but the movie itself is leading to a much more positive transformation for its distributor. After wowing audiences at the Cannes Film Festival, the film has generated considerable buzz that has now made it a true success story for arthouse distributor Mubi.

Per Variety, The Substance has officially become the most successful box office release in Mubi’s history, topping $14.8 million globally to date. $13.6 million of that take comes from Mubi’s markets, making their acquisition of the title out of the Cannes Film Festival for reported low-double figures even more impressive. Given the fact that the movie is still generating buzz and continues to build momentum, The Substance is likely to make the company even more money.

The Substance Is Mubi’s First Wide Release in the U.S.

Also of significance is that The Substance is Mubi’s first wide release in the United States, signaling that they’re ready to join the ranks of A24 and Neon before them. The film has grossed $7.1 million domestically on a $17.5 budget, but the full story will be its worldwide footprint. The Substance is a very niche horror film with a satirical tone that also carries a particularly long runtime. This isn’t the typical horror release that moviegoers will immediately flock to see, but given the solid word of mouth and excellent reviews, there is room for the film to grow. The fact that most horror films drop 50 percent or more in their second weekends bodes well for The Substance, as it only declined just 39 percent in weekend two, making its box office future look very bright.

Directed and written by Coralie Fargeat, The Substance premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival and competed for the Palme d’Or in the main competition section. Fargeat ultimately won Best Screenplay, officially kicking off a wave of significant attention for her sophomore follow-up to Revenge. In the film, Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading actress and host of an aerobics TV show. As Elisabeth turns 50, she is fired from her job for being too old, which leads her to a black-market drug called “The Substance,” a serum that temporarily creates a younger version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley. There are rules for this youth swap and if they aren’t obeyed, it can lead to side effects that are truly horrifying. In addition to Moore and Qualley, the film also stars Dennis Quaid and Huego Diego Garcia.

Reviews for the film have been considerably strong, registering a 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Moore has been called out by many critics for giving the performance of her career, with some suggesting that she has a shot at an Academy Award nomination, while Fargeat’s screenplay is also viewed as a contender for a potential Oscar nomination. Ultimately, it depends on the typically genre-averse Academy being brave enough to acknowledge a body-horror satire, but given the buzz it has generated, The Substance might just have a shot.