The Substance’s Oscar success is already changing Hollywood’s approach to horror movies, according to a screenwriter in the genre. Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, who first gained recognition in 2017 for her debut featureRevenge, her new body horror film follows a fading celebrity who takes a black market drug to create a younger and more beautiful version of herself, although there are some unexpected side effects. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley leadThe Substancecastalongside Dennis Quaid.
Shortly afterThe Substancereceived five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, screenwriterC. Robert Cargilltook to Bluesky to explain howit’s “a game changer” for horror movies. Cargill says that every studio that makes horror movies is going to be looking for the nextSubstance, meaning a “meaningful but unflinching horror film” and “things are gonna get real interesting” as a result. Check out his full post below:
C. Robert Cargill is known for his collaborations with director Scott Derrickson, co-writing his horror filmsSinisterandThe Black Phone.
What The Substance’s Oscars Success Means For Horror Movies
It Could Be A “Game Changer,” As Cargill Says
As Cargill mentions,the Academy Awards have a long history of not recognizing genre movies. In fact,The Substanceis only the seventhhorror movie ever nominated for Best Picture, followingThe Exorcistin 1973,Jawsin 1975,The Silence of the Lambsin 1991,The Sixth Sensein 1999,Black Swanin 2010, andGet Outin 2017. In addition to Best Picture,The Substancereceived Oscar nominations for Best Actress (Demi Moore), Best Director (Coralie Fargeat), Best Original Screenplay (Fargeat), and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
The Substance Review: Superb Body Horror Epic Is A Fearless Takedown Of Absurd Beauty Standards
While dissecting the world’s ridiculous beauty ideals, Coralie Fargeat directs her sensational feat with pungent audacity and fearless humor.
However, it’s much more common for theOscars to nominate horror moviesin technical categories. In 2025, this includesNosferatufor Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, andAlien: Romulusfor Best Visual Effects. WithThe Substancebreaking through into Best Picture for only the seventh time ever,this could not only be a game-changer in terms of the Academy Awards, but also in how studios approach what types of horror movies get made.
Our Take On The Substance’s Oscars Success
Studios Should Be More Willing To Take Risks
As Cargill says,The Substance’s Oscar nominations could be a game-changer for horror.The movie was originally set to be distributed by Universal, but the studio stepped away because they were reportedly “worried about the prospect of releasing the film.” It was then acquired by Mubi and went on to gross over $76 million at the box office, their highest-grossing film ever. This critical and commercial success could very well change how studios approach the genre, as they might be more willing to take risks on making the next “meaningful but unflinching horror film” likeThe Substance.
The Substance
Cast
Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity, turns to a mysterious drug that promises to restore her youth by creating a younger, more beautiful version of herself. But splitting time between her original and new body leads to horrifying consequences as her alternate self, Sue, begins to unravel her life in a disturbing body-horror descent.
