A24 Sleeper Horror Hit With 84% RT Score Gets Streaming Release Date (2024)

I Saw the TV Glow has received a streaming release date on Max. Written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun, the A24 horror film follows two troubled suburban teenagers whose connection to a peculiar late-night TV show prompts them to reevaluate their sense of reality and self, until it is eventually canceled. I Saw the TV Glow's cast includes Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Helena Howard, Lindsey Jordan, Conner O'Malley, Emma Portner, Ian Foreman, Fred Durst, and Danielle Deadwyler.

Now, three months after its theatrical release, the A24 horror film is finally coming to streaming. I Saw the TV Glow will be available to stream on September 20 on Max, and will make its linear debut the next day, September 21, at 11:30 p.m. ET on HBO. The movie has been available to rent or purchase on digital platforms since June 14, and is also currently available to buy on Blu-ray.

I Saw The TV Glow Is One Of The Best Sleeper Horror Hits Of 2024

It's Critical & Audience Reception Explained

In January, I Saw the TV Glow premiered in the Midnight section at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received widespread acclaim from critics. I Saw the TV Glow reviews praise the film for its unique visual style that deepens its emotionally impactful story and solidifies its writer-director, Schoenbrun, as an emerging talent after We're All Going to the World's Fair in 2021. In fact, the films mark the first two entries in what Schoenbrun calls their Screen Trilogy, which will be followed by a forthcoming trilogy of novels titled Public Access Afterworld.

After receiving widespread acclaim from critics at Sundance, I Saw the TV Glow was picked up by A24 for a limited theatrical release in the United States on May 3, and was expanded nationwide on May 17. The movie only made $5.1 million at the box office, though it was released digitally the following month and continued garnering a larger audience and more acclaim along the way. For instance, the film has appeared on some lists of the best movies of 2024 so far in both the horror and drama categories, highlighting its cross-genre appeal.

I Saw the TV Glow has become one of the best sleeper horror hits of 2024 and with it streaming September 20 on Max, it should only continue to garner a larger audience. Audiences are a little more divided on the film compared to critics, indicated by its 84% and 72% scores on Rotten Tomatoes, possibly due to the movie's surrealist style reminiscent of David Lynch and its LGBTQ+ themes. More importantly, I Saw the TV Glow is an intimate and anthemic coming-of-age story and a generational horror film.

Other A24 Horror Movies Coming In 2024

The Front Room & Heretic

A production house and distributor, A24 has gained prominence by associating itself with acclaimed horror films, establishing a distinct identity through innovative, challenging, and experimental scares, which has helped build a remarkable level of brand recognition and loyalty. The term "elevated horror" has frequently been used to describe their films, which blend shock and fear with a focus on atmospheric dread, rather than relying on jump scares, raising the bar for what audiences expect from the genre. This subtle, yet impactful style permeates many of A24's horror movies, and appeals strongly to open-minded audiences and critics alike.

One example of A24's approach to horror is the slasher MaXXXine, which was released in July 2024 as the third and final film in Ti West's X trilogy. Just like the first two films, MaXXXine saw a certain amount of critical and commercial success and, in turn, closed out the series in a successful fashion and cemented it as a modern classic horror trilogy. MaXXXine is currently available to rent or purchase on digital platforms though, like I Saw the TV Glow, will eventually be available on Max given A24's deal with the streaming service.

Other A24 horror movies coming in 2024 include The Front Room, releasing in theaters on September 6. The film is written and directed by Max and Sam Eggers in their feature film debut, the brothers of Robert Eggers, who had much success writing and directing the historical horror films for A24, The Witch and The Lighthouse. The Front Room follows a newly pregnant couple who are forced to take in an ailing, estranged stepmother, and stars Brandy, Kathryn Hunter, and Andrew Burnap.

Another one coming in 2024 is Heretic, from A Quiet Place co-writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, features Hugh Grant playing against type as a strange man who traps two Mormon missionaries (played by Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher) inside his home and forces them to play a twisted game of cat and mouse. Heretic will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, followed by a theatrical release in the United States on November 15. With two more on the way, I Saw the TV Glow certainly won't be the only A24 horror movie making waves in 2024.

Source: Max

I Saw the TV Glow

3.0

PG-13

Drama

Horror

I Saw the TV Glow is a horror film by writer-director Jane Schoenbrun, released in 2024. A young man named Owen is introduced to a late-night TV show that reflects their reality. As the two begin to bond over the series, it suddenly is canceled, causing Owen's view of reality to shatter.

Director

Jane Schoenbrun

Release Date

January 18, 2024

Studio(s)

Smudge Films , Fruit Tree

Distributor(s)

A24

Writers

Jane Schoenbrun

Cast

Justice Smith , Brigette Lundy-Paine , Danielle Deadwyler , Fred Durst , Helena Howard , Ian Foreman

Runtime

100 Minutes