Late Night with the Devil — David Dastmalchian’s horror movie about a late-night talk show host and a Halloween 1977 broadcast gone horribly awry — is a major hit on Shudder.
According to MovieWeb, Late Night with the Devil became the most streamed film in Shudder’s history in its opening weekend after premiering on the platform on April 19. Although no viewership numbers were released, MovieWeb reported that the film beat out Shudder’s previous record-holding movies When Evil Lurks and V/H/S/99.
Shudder is a horror-themed streaming service owned by AMC Networks. Late Night with the Devil is a co-production of indie distributor IFC Films and Shudder, and marks the first feature film release from Dastmalchian’s production company Good Fiend Films.
According to box officer tracker The Numbers, Late Night with the Devil— which was first released in theaters on March 22 — earned $2.8 million in ticket sales its opening weekend. The critically acclaimed low-budget indie sensation went on to make $9.8 million domestically and nearly $1.4 internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $11.2 million.
What Is ‘Late Night With The Devil’ About?
Billed as a found-footage thriller, Late Night with the Devil is a “rebroadcast” of the master tape from the final broadcast of the 1970s talk show Night Owls with Jack Delroy.
Once a major competitor with late-night talk show legend Johnny Carson, the popularity of Delroy’s (David Dastmalchian) talk show began to slide downward following the tragic loss of his wife (Georgina Haig). As Night Owls starts to resemble a sensationalistic circus act akin to the antics of TV talkers Jerry Springer and Morton Downey, Delroy desperately tries to get viewers back by staging a Halloween-themed broadcast in 1977.
Delroy’s guests include a psychic (Fayssal Bazzi), a paranormal skeptic (Ian Bliss), a parapsychologist (Laura Gordon) and her 13-year-old psychiatric patient (Ingrid Torelli) — who appears to be possessed by the devil. As the night rolls along, shocking events unfold in front of the audience.
While Late Night with the Devil is naturally a fantastical horror thriller, Dastmalchian told me in an interview before the film’s theatrical release that it is still a relatable movie to its viewing audience.
“I think it’s something that all of us can relate to on a day-to-day basis, especially when we’re battling the demons within us,” Dastmalchian told me. “What are the voices in our heads that are making us question ourselves, fear things, riddle ourselves with insecurity? What’s real and what’s not? What’s the big monster in the darkness and what’s actually just clothes hanging on a hanger in the closet? What is real and what is not?’
Late Night With the Devil earned a 97% “fresh” rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics upon its theatrical release on March 22.
In addition to its streaming video on demand availability on Shudder, Late Night with the Devil can also be rented or purchased on online platforms that offer premium video on demand.
