Anne Hathaway has delivered some of the most memorable performances of the past two decades, from Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises to Dr. Amelia Brand in Interstellar and, of course, Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada. This year alone, she reprised her role as Andy in The Devil Wears Prada 2, starred alongside Matt Damon in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, and faced off against dinosaurs in The End of Oak Street with Ewan McGregor.
Yet one of her most daring projects slipped under the radar in theaters. Mother Mary, directed by David Lowery, is a psychological horror that pairs Hathaway with Michaela Coel. The film follows a troubled pop icon who flees her life after a very public breakdown, seeking refuge at the remote estate of her former lover and costume designer, Sam Anselm (Coel). What begins as a tense reunion quickly spirals into a gothic, supernatural nightmare as the two women confront their shared history and artistic obsessions.
Lowery's script explores the dark side of fame and the blurred line between creator and muse. With its music-video-inspired visuals, high-fashion costumes, and strong performances, Mother Mary earned a respectable 69% on Rotten Tomatoes. But commercially, it stumbled, pulling in just $3 million worldwide against a $20 million budget.
Now, the film is finding its audience on streaming. According to FlixPatrol, Mother Mary has climbed to the No. 1 spot on HBO Max's global top 10, beating out titles like Gremlins, Contagion, and The Northman. It's a familiar story this year—movies that underperform in theaters often explode once they hit streaming, as seen with Zach Cregger's Weapons on Netflix.
The success of Mother Mary on HBO Max is a testament to the power of streaming to give overlooked films a second chance. It also highlights the growing trend of audiences discovering bold, unconventional horror at home. For fans of Hathaway's range or Lowery's unique vision, this is a must-watch.
If you're in the mood for more underrated horror gems, check out our list of delightfully campy horror movies or dive into the alt-rock soundtrack of Scream. And for more on Hathaway's upcoming projects, including Verity, stay tuned.
