Mubi horror The Substance leads the new releases at this weekend’s UK and Ireland box office, opening in 521 locations.
It is Mubi’s widest-ever release, beating out Priscilla which opened in 295 cinemas in January and the 150 locations How To Have Sex debuted in last year.
The Substance stars Demi Moore as a fading star who takes a mysterious drug that enables her to live as a younger version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley. Coralie Fargeat wrote and directed the feature which also stars Dennis Quaid.
The film had its world premiere at Cannes in competition, where it won best screenplay and went on to pick up the people’s choice award at Toronto in the Midnight Madness strand
It will have fellow horror Speak No Evil as its main competition, that film having opened last weekend with £1.2m.
Superheros and documentaries
Next in line is Signature Entertainment’s animation 200% Wolf which opens in 530 venues. The sequel to 100% Wolf, the Australian feature follows a boy whose wish to become a werewolf is fulfilled.
Sony opens its final Spider-Man re-release with No Way Home landing in 499 cinemas. The 2021 iteration opened with £19.5m and is one of the highest-grossing titles in the UK and Ireland with a total run of £97.1m.
Other re-releases this weekend include four Batman films from Park Circus - Christopher Nolan’s 2005-2012 trilogy and 2022’s The Batman starring Robert Pattinson.
In event cinema, Miss Saigon: 25th Anniversary is screening in 325 locations on Sunday (September 22) for CinemaLive. The 2016 film of the 1991 production features appearances by the original cast including Jonathan Pryce and Lea Salonga.
Fellow event title Jung Kook: I Am Still is out in 214 venues for Trafalgar Releasing, having opened on Thursday (September 19). The K-pop star is a former member of the hit Korean boyband BTS and takes centre stage in this mix of documentary and concert footage.
MetFilm Distribution is opening French biopic The Goldman Case in 40 locations. The film, surrounding the trial of a famous left-wing revolutionary who was mysteriously murdered, first premiered in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2023. Its lead actor Arieh Worthalter won a Cesar for best actor earlier this year.
Festival favourite Girls Will Be Girls is out in 37 venues for Modern Film. The Indian coming-of-age drama won the audience award at Sundance in world cinema and screened at SXSW, Göteborg, Karlovy Vary and Busan.
Winner of best documentary at Dublin 2023, Notes From Sheepland opens in 18 locations for new distributor Skye Films.
Dogwoof is opening documentary Sugarcane in 15 cinemas. The film investigates the abuse and disappearance of children at an Indian residential school. It won a directing award at Sundance in US documentary.
Also in 15 cinemas is Bollywood romantic comedy Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam which opens via Bakrania Media.
Erotic thriller Strange Darling is out in cinemas through Icon Film Distribution. The US horror stars Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner whose one-night stand takes a murderous turn.
Other releases this weekend include Indian thriller Yuhra for AA Films UK; Cyborg: A Documentary for Tull Stories; UK drama Goodwin Island via One Day Films; and Soviet documentary Astrakan 79 via ICA Films.
Warner Bros hit Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be the key holdover title to watch out for.
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