When Will Horror Movie ‘Pearl’ Be Available to Stream? Will It Be on SHOWTIME, HBO Max, Apple TV+?
The new movie “Pearl,” which arrives in theaters on Friday, Sept. 16, has had a somewhat unique path to the big screen. The horror film prequel to “X,” but that movie only arrived in theaters back in March. Both films are written and directed by Ti West, and were filmed practically back-to-back. Both movies are being distributed by A24, with “Pearl” serving as an origin story for the evil character, who audiences were introduced to as the villain in “X.” Actress Mia Goth plays Pearl in both movies, while also playing a different character named Maxine in “X.”
“Pearl,” which was announced around the time of the release of “X,” played at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, prior to its arrival in theaters. A dark, somewhat comedic, horror film, “Pearl” is a great movie to watch as fall creeps in and attention is turned to Halloween.
But, if you don’t want to head out to the theaters to see “Pearl,” you might be wondering when and where it will become available to stream. Unfortunately, those are not easy questions to answer.
First off, “Pearl” is not streaming now, as it is debuting exclusively on the big screen. Also, there has been no announcement yet about when it might arrive on a streaming service. “X,” six months after its release, is not yet available to stream, although it has been available on VOD since about a month after it was initially released.
The film comes from A24, which has something of a complex streaming strategy. Three years ago, the indie studio reached an “exclusive output deal” to bring newer A24 movies to SHOWTIME, so that’s the likely landing spot for “Pearl,” whenever it comes to streaming. A24 also has a deal with HBO Max to bring some older titles to that service, although that doesn’t apply to new movies.
Pearl
Trapped on her family’s isolated farm, Pearl must tend to her ailing father under the bitter and overbearing watch of her devout mother. Lusting for a glamorous life like she’s seen in the movies, Pearl’s ambitions, temptations, and repressions collide.
A24 also has an arrangement with Apple to co-produce some movies that land on Apple TV+, but “Pearl” is not part of that deal. So SHOWTIME is likely where “Pearl” will eventually stream, but it could take a while. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “X” were both A24 theatrical releases this spring, and neither has yet landed on SHOWTIME or any other streaming service after six months. Another A24 film, “Red Rocket,” was released last December and landed on SHOWTIME on Sept. 3, about nine months later.
Assuming “Pearl” has a similar box office run as “X,” you should expect the wait to be nearly as long, so we are estimating that it will land on SHOWTIME in April or May of 2023.
Also, a third film in the trilogy, “MaXXXine,” has been announced, although the timing as to when that might arrive is unclear.
SHOWTIME
SHOWTIME offers a subscription video streaming service that gives access to content on Showtime without the need of a cable subscription. With your subscription, you’ll get access to all of their current originals like Yellowjackets, Billions, and American Gigolo. If you choose to bundle Showtime with Paramount+, you can get both services for $11.99/month.