Revenge director Coralie Fargeat’s new body horror satire, The Substance, arrives in theaters this weekend, and a new TV spot has been released which highlights cinemagoers' reactions to witnessing the movie's most twisted, gruesome, and batsh*t insane moments.
The story focuses on an acclaimed actress turned celebrity host of a daytime exercise program (Demi Moore) who gets replaced by a younger star, sparking a confrontation between the two women that ultimately turns violent.
That's the basic outline. If you want some of the gory (literally) details and don't mind some mild spoilers, read on.
Moore's character, Elizabeth Sparkle, makes use of a secret cloning procedure and the titular substance to produce a younger, more perfect version of herself, Sue, played by Margaret Qualley. How is this accomplished? Well, Miss Sparkle "births" Sue through her back in an extremely bloody sequence.
This is far from the most messed-up thing that happens in the movie, so be sure to drop back on Friday for a full spoiler breakdown. In the meantime, have a look at the new teaser below along with a previously-released full trailer.
The Substance reportedly features some pretty extreme gore, but the scene that's sparked the most discussion is a brutal fight between Moore and Qualley's characters - complete with graphic, full-frontal nudity.
“I had someone who was a great partner,” said Moore of her co-star. “We were obviously quite close at some moments… and naked. But there was also a levity [in shooting those scenes].”
Moore also noted that the film “pushed me out of the comfort zone,” but she felt that the nudity “was necessary to tell this story” and that Fargeat approached the scenes “with a lot of sensitivity, establishing a common ground of mutual trust.”
"Have you ever dreamed of a better version of yourself? You should try this new product: The Substance. It changed my life. With The Substance, you can generate another version of yourself: younger, more beautiful, more perfect… Just share the time. One week for one, one week for the other. A perfect balance of seven days. Easy, isn’t it? If you follow the instructions, what could go wrong?"
The Substance is set for release on September 20. Do you plan on checking it out on the big screen? Let us know in the comments section down below.