Demi Moore's 'The Substance' Becomes a Hulu Hit Again as 'Obsession' Star Inde Navarrette Draws Oscar Buzz

At a time when horror movies have found a new lease of life with theatergoers, a surprise 2026 hit took that success to a whole new level. Made for less than $1 million, the timely Obsession smashed all expectations with a theatrical run most other films could only dream of. Not only did the film become the highest-grossing non-animated original film of the past decade, the highest-grossing original horror movie of this century, and the fifth highest-grossing horror film of all time, but it did so whilst burying the latest movie from the Star Wars franchise in the process.

But crucial to Obsession's success isn't just its viral appeal and commercial triumph; the film was also an undeniable critical smash, earning widespread praise and unanimous gushing reviews. Much of that praise went the way of breakout Inde Navarrette, whose star-making performance was called "one of the year's best" in Collider's review by Hannah Hunt. There is genuine belief by many that Obsession could be the latest in a recent run of horror movies to win Academy Awards, with some touting Navarrette for a Best Actress prize.

Earlier this year, Amy Madigan's standout performance as Aunt Gladys in Zach Cregger's Weapons won her an unlikely Best Supporting Actress Oscar. The year prior, many had picked Landman star Demi Moore as their favorite to take home the Best Actress trophy for her stellar lead turn in Coralie Fargeat's The Substance. On the night, it was Mikey Madison who won for Anora, but this result has since been seen as a snub by many. Can Navarrette get over the line? All is to be revealed, but her chance at a nomination seems certain.

'The Substance' Is a Streaming Hit Again

+3

Before we learn of Navarrette's fate, as spooky season begins, Moore's already iconic performance in The Substance is a hit again. At the time of writing, Fargeat's bold body horror is the second most-watched movie on Hulu in the U.S. The film doesn't just feature one fine performance, with Margaret Qualley dazzling as Sue and Dennis Quaid excellent as the slimy Harvey. The film made $77 million against a reported budget of $17.5 million and is regarded as one of the finest horror films of this century.