[SYNOPSIS] The director of The Substance gave a firm and clear answer to the question of whether she would continue exploring body horror in any form, and we are proud of her for it!

This year, two horror films delivered sharp critiques of the media industry, though Smile 2 focused specifically on the world of pop music. Of the two, The Substance was the more hard-hitting work. In it, writer-director Coralie Fargeat used stomach-churning body horror to portray the destructive effects of the false beauty standards perpetuated by television (and film). A bizarre satire, the movie won the Best Screenplay award at Cannes, received critical acclaim, and grossed $78M against its $17.5M budget. Given its success, Variety asked Fargeat if she would consider continuing the story in any way. The director firmly answered no—a commendable stance, considering the film’s themes of exploitation. Creating The Substance 2 or a prequel simply for profit would indeed feel exploitative and contradictory to the film’s message.

“No, the essence of this film is to offer something entirely new to the world. No sequel, no prequel... And I’m excited to soon bring another fresh idea to life,” Fargeat stated.