The harsh glare of studio lights illuminates Elisabeth, a fading star desperately clinging to relevance. Her once-celebrated show “Pump It Up” teeters on cancellation, a grim reminder of her waning appeal. Cut to a sterile, clandestine clinic where Dr. Harvey, a purveyor of dangerous desires, whispers promises of rejuvenation through a revolutionary substance. The lure is irresistible: split yourself, create a younger, perfect version. Elisabeth hesitates, but the fear of obsolescence, the relentless ticking clock of Hollywood, propels her forward. We see Sue, Elisabeth’s vibrant, younger counterpart, stepping into the spotlight, inheriting everything – the fame, the show, the life. But as Sue thrives, a chilling question arises: what happens to the original? The substance’s dark side simmers beneath the surface, threatening to consume both Elisabeth and Sue in a horrifying dance of identity and control, forever blurring the lines of who they are, and what they are willing to become.
The Substance Movie Overview
Title | The Substance |
---|---|
Release Status | Released |
Release Date | 2024-09-07 |
Runtime | 2 hours and 21 minutes |
Genre | Horror, Science Fiction |
Original Language | En |
Spoken Language | English |
Country | France, United Kingdom, United States of America |
Production Co. | Working Title Films, Blacksmith, Working Title Films |
The Substance Movie Cast
Name | Character |
---|---|
Demi Moore | Elisabeth |
Margaret Qualley | Sue |
Dennis Quaid | Harvey |
Edward Hamilton-Clark | Fred |
Gore Abrams | Oliver |
Oscar Lesage | Troy |
Christian Erickson | Man at Diner |
Robin Greer | Male Nurse |
Tom Morton | Doctor |
Hugo Diego Garcia | Diego – Boyfriend |
Daniel Knight | Casting Director |
Jonathon Carley | Assistant Casting Director |
Jiselle Henderkott | Girl Auditioning / New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Akil Wingate | TV Host |
Vincent Colombe | Man in Suit #1 – Harvey’s Office |
Billy Bentley | Man in Suit #2 |
Lennard Ridsdale | Man in Suit #3 |
Jordan Ford Silver | Assistant Director – Pump It Up Show |
Oscar Salem | 2nd Assistant Director – Pump It Up Show |
Viviane Bossina | Sue’s Assistant |
Matthew Luret | Floor Runner |
Jana Bittnerová | Maria |
Olivier Raynal | Alan – 2nd Agent |
Tiffany Hofstetter | Stylist |
Nicolas Royer | Guy in the Elevator |
Nathan Rippy | Assistant Director – New Year’s Eve Show |
Manon Arizmendi | Little Girl – New Year’s Eve Show |
Virginie Kotlinski | Mother – New Year’s Eve Show |
Brett Gillen | Director of Photography – New Year’s Eve Show |
Charlotte Marquardt | Screaming Woman |
Léa Hengl | Screaming Woman |
Gaëlle Raymond | Screaming Woman |
Claire Lemaire | Screaming Woman |
Lila Boughoufala | Screaming Woman |
Aurélien Lorgnier | Screaming Man |
Ivan Sellier | Screaming Man |
Philip Schurer | Screaming Man |
Christian Bourmier | Shareholder |
Martin Graham | Shareholder |
Christian Bordeleau | Shareholder |
Patrick Hamel | Shareholder |
Didier Dhondt | Shareholder |
Jacques-Yves Dorges | Shareholder |
Jean-Claude Matthey | Shareholder |
Olivier Jarcin | Shareholder |
Jean-Luc Magneron | Shareholder |
Charlotte Murray | Allison – Diner Waitress |
Aaron Kahn | Greeting Person |
Gabriela Arnon | Greeting Person |
Nancy Josephson Lahoussine | Greeting Person |
Andrew Eldridge | Greeting Person |
Denise Powers | Greeting Person |
Bryan Jones | Greeting Person |
Adam Carage | Happy Birthday Person |
Maria McClurg | Happy Birthday Person |
Andrew Desmond | Happy Birthday Person |
Rebecca Lafont | Happy Birthday Person |
Laura Puech | Isabella |
Ryan Chidester | Stagehand |
Céline Vogt | Elisabeth (Young) – Walk of Fame |
Yannick Guérin | Clumsy Burger Guy – Walk of Fame |
Jean Miel | Worker Walk of Fame |
Paul Descoings | Worker Walk of Fame |
Benoit Lévêque | Worker Walk of Fame |
Arthur Molinet | Cocktail Bartender |
Manon Sachot | Cocktail Lounge Couple |
Bastien Jorelle | Cocktail Lounge Couple |
Kelly Hoarau | Female Assistant – Towel |
Michel Juskiewicz | George – Harvey’s Friend |
Louise Greggory | Restaurant Waitress |
Christophe Sartirano | Guy Looking at Sue |
Florent Torres | Guy Looking at Sue |
Romain Caldeira | Billboard Technician |
Barthelemy Thomas | Billboard Technician |
Axel Baille | Photographer |
Ashley Lambert | Additional Voices (voice) |
Ranjani Brow | Additional Voices (voice) |
Chase Fein | Additional Voices (voice) |
Shane Sweet | Additional Voices (voice) |
William Calvert | Additional Voices (voice) |
Michael Corbett | Additional Voices (voice) |
Stephen Apostolina | Additional Voices (voice) |
Yann Bean | The Substance (voice) |
Audjyan Alcide | Pump It Up Show Dancer |
Jonathan Jenvrin | Pump It Up Show Dancer |
Mimi Maury | Pump It Up Show Dancer |
Amelye Solange | Pump It Up Show Dancer |
Kévin Table | Pump It Up Show Dancer |
Laura Boera | Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer |
Cissy Duc | Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer |
Sophie Mercier | Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer |
Marie Valton | Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer |
Katrina Budzynski | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Alicia Maury | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Megane Adamik | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Annalisa Pagnotta | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Maelle Dantigny | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Aleksandra Fontaine Kedzierska | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Pauline Sagetat | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Agustina Fitzsimons | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Elena Shcheglova | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Eve Marchant | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Lola Donati | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Kate Matthews | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Ophélie Jonard | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Pauline Richard | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Laureen Cappelliez | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Daria Panchenko | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Delphine Beaulieu | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Victoria Brun | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Cara Chapman | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Katharine Matthews | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Alexandra Faget | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Clémence Juville | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Margot L’Entete | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Hillary Sukhonos | New Year’s Eve Show Dancer |
Matthew Géczy | Bob Haswell (uncredited) |
Namory Bakayoko | Silhouette (uncredited) |
Gregory Defleur | Happy Birthday Person (uncredited) |
Coralie Fargeat | (uncredited) |
The Substance Movie Storyline
In a world obsessed with eternal youth, Elisabeth, a celebrated actress whose star is fading, makes a desperate decision to reclaim her former glory by using “The Substance,” a revolutionary but highly illicit cell-replicating drug. This substance promises to create a younger, more perfect version of herself, named Sue, with whom she must share her life – one week for Elisabeth, one week for Sue. Initially, the arrangement works, Elisabeth relishing the return of her youthful appearance and vibrant career, while Sue enjoys the freedom and vitality of youth. However, the fragile balance shatters when Elisabeth, driven by insecurity and a thirst for constant control, breaks the agreement’s cardinal rule by trying to remain her young self for longer than agreed. This act destabilizes the connection between Elisabeth and Sue, leading to a horrifying and grotesque physical merging of their bodies, forcing them to confront the monstrous consequences of their vanity. Meanwhile, Harvey, Elisabeth’s ruthless agent, attempts to manipulate the situation to maintain his own power, seeing the potential in both versions of his client. As the two versions of Elisabeth spiral into a terrifying battle for dominance, morphing into ever more grotesque forms, they must confront not only each other but also the deep-seated insecurities and societal pressures that drove them to “The Substance” in the first place, ultimately questioning the true meaning of beauty and identity, with the chilling prospect that Fred, the mysterious supplier of The Substance may have known of this all along.
The Substance Movie Details
In the chilling sci-fi horror film “The Substance,” set against a backdrop of celebrity obsession and the relentless pursuit of youth, Elisabeth, portrayed by Demi Moore, finds her career fading and desperation mounting. She turns to a shadowy black market drug known only as “The Substance,” promising a revolutionary path to rejuvenation. This substance allows her to create Sue, a younger, “better” version of herself, embodied by Margaret Qualley. The agreement is simple: Elisabeth and Sue must alternate weeks in the same body, sharing their existence. However, the allure of youth and vitality proves too strong, and Sue begins to crave more time, leading to a devastating breach of contract. As Elisabeth fights to reclaim her life, the consequences of tampering with nature spiral out of control, resulting in grotesque and terrifying transformations. Meanwhile, Harvey, played by Dennis Quaid, watches the unfolding drama with a mixture of horror and morbid fascination, representing the exploitative forces within the entertainment industry that fuel Elisabeth’s desperate choices. The film explores themes of aging, identity, and the dark side of ambition, questioning the lengths one will go to in the name of beauty and success. With the character of Fred caught in the crossfire, the narrative becomes a macabre dance of survival and self-destruction, forcing viewers to confront the monstrous potential hidden within the desire for perfection.
The Substance Movie Poster Images




The Substance Movie Trailers
'The Substance' Best Makeup and Hairstyling Press Room Speech | 97th Oscars (2025)
Director Coralie Fargeat Dives Deep with Sean Evans on David Lynch & More
The Substance Movie FAQs
What is the movie “The Substance” about?
The movie revolves around a fading celebrity who resorts to using a black market drug that replicates cells, creating a younger version of herself.
What genres does “The Substance” fall into?
The movie is categorized as Horror and Science Fiction.
Who are the main actors in “The Substance”?
The main actors are Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid.
When was “The Substance” released?
The release date was September 7, 2024.
What is the runtime of “The Substance”?
The runtime is 141 minutes.
What is the tagline for “The Substance”?
The tagline is “Become a better you.”
What countries were involved in the production of “The Substance”?
The production countries are France, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
What are some of the production companies behind “The Substance”?
Working Title Films and Blacksmith are among the production companies.
What is the vote average for “The Substance” on the provided platform?
The vote average is 7.133.
Who directed “The Substance”?
Coralie Fargeat directed the movie.