"The Substance" Triumphs Globally: Demi Moore’s Body Swap Horror Hits $75M Box Office

Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, a body swap horror film starring Demi Moore, has become a global box office success, grossing $70M-$75M. The Cannes Film Festival winner, which earned a 13-minute standing ovation and a Best Screenplay award, features Moore as Elizabeth, a fading aerobics TV star who participates in a body swap experiment, emerging as the younger Sue, played by Margaret Qualley. The film’s dark consequences and Moore’s transformative performance have sparked awards buzz.

Shot in France and produced by Working Title for under $18M, The Substance marked MUBI's first major wide theatrical release. It opened in the U.S. on Sept. 20 with $3.2M, later outperforming Halle Berry’s Never Let Go with domestic earnings of $16.2M compared to Berry’s $10.3M. Globally, the film has surpassed other genre hits, such as Midsommar and Asteroid City, while achieving notable success in Mexico, Latin America, and the UK.

Marketing for the film relied on avant-garde visuals, with director Fargeat avoiding traditional star-driven campaigns. Instead, Demi Moore utilized her 15M social media followers to promote the film, driving significant online engagement. The Substance also broke streaming records for MUBI after its Oct. 31 debut.

Critically and commercially, The Substance has positioned itself as a standout in the post-COVID specialty cinema landscape, demonstrating the global appeal of innovative genre filmmaking.