The Others, the modern ghost story masterpiece starringNicole Kidman, will finally start streaming on Shudder next January, after being unable to stream on any subscription service. In fact, it was only earlier in 2024 that the film became widely available to rent or buy online. The first month of the year is famously known for not having the best offers in horror, but a revisit to one ofthe best horror films in recent decadesmay prove otherwise.The Othersarrives on the horror-based streaming service on June 27, 2025. As you wake up from partying the night before on New Year’s Eve, the film is sure to help wake you up (and sober you up, as well).
Directed by the Chilean-Spanish filmmaker Alejandro Amenábar (hot office his filmOpen Your Eyes, remade intoVanilla Skywith Tom Cruise),The OthersfollowsKidman’s Grace Stewart, the mother of two siblings, Anne and Nicholas, as they live in complete isolation in their European manor in the mid-1940s. Grace is awaiting her husband’s return from the war, and she takes care of her photosensitive children by herself, claiming that “sunlight may kill them.” Therefore, Grace always makes sure to close the curtains before the children can enter the room. Talk about a creepy setting.
One day, three strangers knock on the door seeking employment. Grace hires them, but soon after they arrive, eerie happenings begin plaguing the mansion. Grace and her children start hearing voices in the darkness, and things move by themselves in the house. Eventually, Grace finds out they’re likely not the only ones in the huge mansion, but the truth behind the “haunting” is as inconceivable as it is shocking.
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The Otherswas critically acclaimed upon release (it still has an 84% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes) and it put its director in the Hollywood spotlight (he made the internationally acclaimed filmThe Sea Insidestarring Javier Bardem afterward). The co-production between Spain, France, and the United States was made for a budget of $17 million and became a big hit for StudioCanal and Dimension Films, making well over $210 million worldwide.
The Otherswas also a big winner at different awards' ceremonies — with Kidman getting Best Actress nominations at the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes, the Satellite Awards, the London Film Critics' Circle, and the Saturn Awards. The film also swept the Goya Awards, aka the Spanish Academy Awards. Curiously, Nicole Kidman didn’t win that award for Best Actress, despiteThe Othersbeing undoubtedlyone of her finest performances.
‘The Others’ Is a Seminal Work of Gothic Horror
Few modern films have been able to capture Gothic horror tropes as well as Amenábar’sThe Others. There’s an elegance to how the director executes the premise without indulging in the excesses that were often present in horror in the 2000s, what with the advancements in special effects and other technical resources.The Othersis a modern feature that pays tribute to the classics by really emulating them. It’s no coincidence that the film uses the visual language of similar classics such asThe Haunting,The Uninvited,Carnival of Souls,and especiallyThe Innocents. If you like British Gothic horror, this one is for you.
The performances are great. The atmosphere is relentless. The scares are mature but effective. It’s one of those unsettling experiences that doesn’t indulge in cheap thrills (in the beginning of the 2000s, jump scares in horror movies were huge). Instead, it has a subtle tone that remains untouched until the ending and its surprisingly emotional shock. If you thought this was an average ghost film, then you’re in for a treat. And if you don’t have Shudder or want to use a free trial, The Others is good enough to purchase —The Criterion Collection has a phenomenal 4K UHD release with a treasure trove of special features. But you canstream it on Shudder herestarting Jul 30, 2025.
The Others
Grace (Nicole Kidman), the devoutly religious mother of Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley), moves her family to the English coast during World War II. She awaits word on her missing husband while protecting her children from a rare photosensitivity disease that causes the sun to harm them. Anne claims she sees ghosts, Grace initially thinks the new servants are playing tricks but chilling events and visions make her believe something supernatural has occurred.
