Why Late Night With The Devil Just Broke A Huge Shudder Record

Written, directed, and edited by Colin and Cameron Cairnes, Late Night with the Devil is not only one of 2024’s best horror movies, but it’s breaking streaming records on Shudder. The supernatural horror flick takes an inventive approach to its subject, borrowing from documentary and found footage filmmaking. In doing so, it chronicles the taping of a fictional late-night talk show, Night Owls with Jack Delroy. Hosted by Delroy (David Dastmalchian), the episode in question is meant to boost the talk show’s ratings and, as such, airs on Halloween night.

The film’s prologue frames Late Night with the Devil as an investigation into the bizarre incidents that occurred on the night of Halloween back in 1977. Delroy’s occult-themed episode features a whole host of Late Night with the Devil characters, from self-proclaimed medium Christou to a magician-turned-skeptic named Carmichael Haig. As the film unravels, a seemingly possessed young woman takes center stage. Although Late Night with the Devil treads familiar ground, it does so with a fresh perspective, making it one of the year’s must-watch horror films.

Late Night With The Devil Now Has Shudder’s Biggest Opening Weekend

Late Night With The Devil Has Outdone V/H/S

Despite its recent theatrical release, found-footage film Late Night with the Devil has already made the leap to Shudder, AMC Networks’ horror-forward streaming platform. The film about the over-eager talk-show host has managed to shock viewers, garnering praise from critics and audiences alike. When it dropped on Shudder on April 19, Late Night with the Devil went on to break the platform’s streaming records. In fact, just a few days after its release, it became Shudder and AMC+’s most-watched movie. Previously, the record was held by horror flicks When Evil Lurks and V/H/S/99.

Shudder isn’t the only place that the low-budget film, which follows in the footsteps of horror classics like Carrie, has succeeded. Over the course of a few weeks, Late Night with the Devil garnered an impressive box-office draw (in comparison to its budget), making upwards of $11 million. This came on the heels of the news that Late Night with the Devil had grossed precisely $666,666 on its third day in theaters. Needless to say, the small-budget horror movie is making massive waves, and will likely continue its record-setting performance on Shudder.

Late Night With The Devil’s Reviews & Hype Helped It Break Shudder Records

Even Stephen King Has Praised Late Night With The Devil

Despite Late Night with the Devil‘s AI controversy, the movie has managed to hold tight to an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score. Currently, the horror film is certified fresh with a score of 97%. Aside from word-of-mouth hype and a barrage of positive critical acclaim, horror giants have also praised the movie for its inventive approach and terrifying thrills. Even the master of horror Stephen King claimed he “couldn’t take his eyes off” of the low-budget Aussie horror flick. With so much hype built into its release, it’s no wonder Late Night with the Devil‘s streaming debut was met with record-setting views.

Late Night With The Devil’s Turnaround From Theaters To Shudder Also Helps

The Horror Movie Used Its Theatrical Momentum To Soar On Streaming

Roughly a month after its theatrical release in the United States, Late Night with the Devil dropped on Shudder. Unlike other films, which boast streaming releases months and months after their theatrical debuts, the horror movie was able to ride its wave of current success and word-of-mouth chatter. Needless to say, its release on Shudder was an event. Viewers who either couldn’t make it to the theater or couldn’t find a showing of the buzzy flick were able to tune in from home. Plus, Late Night with the Devil‘s ambiguous ending calls for plenty of re-watching, making it perfect for at-home viewers who watched it in theaters.

Late Night With The Devil Was Already A Hit Before Shudder

The Small-Budget Horror Film Has Made $11.3 Million

With a very modest budget, Late Night with the Devil managed to turn what it did have into horror movie gold. On its opening weekend, the IFC Films project garnered $2.8 million, which is an impressive achievement for a film of its size. Clearly, Late Night with the Devil, which blurs scripted and documentary filmmaking techniques, has banked on a marketing strategy that worked well for The Blair Witch Project: word of mouth. For other found-footage horror films, this has been a clear way to break box office records and make sizable returns. As of a month after its theatrical release, Late Night with the Devil has earned $11.3 million.

If anything, Late Night with the Devil proves that there’s still a lot to mine from the horror genre. Although possession narratives and found-footage films seem like they could be “overdone,” Late Night with the Devil is far from derivative. A genuinely fresh flick, it also isn’t connected to any larger cinematic universe or franchise. With Omen prequels and Exorcist sequels abound, that’s also a rare thing. As Late Night with the Devil proves, horror films are able to genuinely chill and thrill viewers, and make massive waves — even on small budgets.