Demi Moore’s Feminist Body Horror Comeback Gets an Official Teaser

After premiering at Cannes and garnering an 11-minute standing ovation, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley’s The Substance has released an official teaser.

Moore was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood through the ’80s and ’90s, ending the 20th century as the highest-paid actress in the industry. By the early 2000s, following a number of box office misses, Moore’s career slowed down and she took a step back from acting for personal reasons. Recently, Moore has also opened up about the lack of roles for women her age. The industry has a history of ageism, with age 40 often being considered the cutoff for women to nab major roles.

All of which is why Moore had a bit of a personal connection to the story in The Substance, the new film from French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat (Revenge) which sees women pressured to utilize the titular product to become the younger versions of themselves society idealizes. “Through the process of the film, I think I came out with greater acceptance of myself,” Moore said of her experience. In addition to the standing ovation, her performance is already generating Oscars buzz as rave reviews pour in from Cannes attendees. Meanwhile, viewers are thrilled by the bloody new teaser.

What to expect from Demi Moore’s The Substance

After enjoying its world premiere at Cannes on May 19, The Substance will arrive in U.S. theaters on September 20, 2024. Meanwhile, MUBI has released the film’s official teaser.

In line with its first look clip, The Substance teaser is cryptic and chilling. The narrator questions, “Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?” It’s clear that Moore’s character is considering the advertisement for this miracle product that can change how she looks. Viewers see glimpses of the young woman she becomes, but there are hints of disastrous consequences. Shots of disturbing imagery play rapidly, including shots of Moore writhing on the ground, bloodied women, car crashes, and a woman being thrown through the air. It gives viewers a small tease of the body horror and gore hiding in the movie.

The teaser also gives a bit more context to The Substance‘s first official clip.

The 44-second clip sees Moore’s character, Elisabeth Sparkle, plugging in a flash drive with the words “The Substance” on it. She sits in intense silence as the unsettling ad for The Substance plays out, asking viewers if they’ve ever dreamt of being “a better version” of themselves, a version that is “younger” and “more beautiful.” If so, a single injection of the product—which works by increasing cellular division—can help them achieve that dream, unlocking a new version of themselves. The teaser ends with the words THE SUBSTANCE over a black screen.

In line with the teaser, the synopsis is also unusual for a movie. It reads:

Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself?

You. Only better in every way.

You’ve got to try this new product.

It changed my life.

THE SUBSTANCE.

Moore plays the lead character, Elisabeth, an older woman interested in utilizing The Substance. Drive-Away Dolls star Margaret Qualley plays Sue, the younger woman Elisabeth transforms into. Dennis Quaid co-stars as Harvey, a TV network boss. The role was initially supposed to be played by Ray Liotta, who joined the cast in 2022. Sadly, Liotta passed away before production began. As a result, Quaid has dedicated his role to the late actor.

Also appearing in The Substance are Hugo Diego Garcia, Joseph Balderrama, Oscar Lesage, Gore Abrams, Phillip Schurer, and Matthew Géczy.

According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s review of The Substance, the movie focuses on Elisabeth, the host of a daily exercise program. Despite her stacked resume, Elisabeth gets fired from her job because of her age, with network boss Harvey seeking to replace her with a younger woman. As a result, she decides to try The Substance, leading to a grotesque satire filled with body horror.

Critics are praising the feminist arc of the movie, which explores how women, who are far more likely to experience ageism than men, are often pushed out of work and deemed irrelevant as they age, placing many of us under crushing pressure to maintain our youthful appearance. Ultimately, The Substance has effectively established itself as one of our most anticipated films of the year with its intriguing premise and grotesque body horror.