Ready to queue up another A24 film for streaming? Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, has an official streaming date — and it's right around the corner.
Written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, Dream Scenario first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September 2023 to mostly positive reception. Regardless of the reviews, the comedy-horror flick is bizarre enough to be intriguing. If you missed its theatrical run, here's everything you need to know to stream Dream Scenario at home.
What is Dream Scenario about?
In Dream Scenario, Nicolas Cage plays Paul Matthews, a nondescript college professor who suddenly starts appearing in millions of strangers' dreams. At first, Paul is delighted by his random stardom, but before long, it takes a nightmarish turn. As the dreams start becoming more sinister, Paul's life heads down a similar downward spiral. He loses any grip on his own narrative and identity to the outrage-ready, entertainment-obsessed world.
As someone who has largely been meme-ified in popular culture, Cage found the role of Paul easy to relate to. "I couldn't get it if I had not gone through that experience," Cage continued. "I would not have been able to play this character authentically," he said in an interview with Mashable.
Here's the official trailer for the wild ride that is Dream Scenario:
Is Dream Scenario worth watching?
Dream Scenario might not have been a box office mega hit, but it did earn a 92% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That makes it one of the best Rotten Tomatoes scores of Nicolas Cage's career. However, audiences are on the fence — the audience score currently sits at 68% — with many criticizing the ending.
Mashable's own film critic Kristy Puchko noted that "Nicolas Cage is at the top of his game, again." And yet, "his director can't create a film worthy of him."
"While the first hour offers an intriguing premise, Borgli burns off possibilities and interest with his ghoulish plot developments that make for increasingly wonky metaphors. By the third act, he's flinging in lazy criticisms of everything from influencers to wellness culture and tech bros," she writes in her review.
Ultimately, if you're a Nic Cage fan, it's a must-see performance showcasing him at the top of his acting game. But don't be surprised if the latter half of the film disappoints you.
When is Dream Scenario coming to streaming?
Dream Scenario hit theaters back in November and is set for its streaming debut on March 15 on Max. While A24 films were previously streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime, a new multi-year output deal between A24 and Warner Bros. Discovery brings A24 films exclusively to Max for streaming following their theatrical debuts.
Best Max subscription deals
If you want to stream Dream Scenario at home, you're going to need a Max subscription — HBO's premium streaming service. Max offers three tiers of subscriptions, starting at $9.99 per month, as well as annual subscription options. Which plan is best for your streaming needs? We've broken down the best Max streaming deals below.
Best Max streaming deal for most people: Save 17% on Max With Ads yearly subscription
You can easily just sign up for a month of Max to watch Dream Scenario for $9.99 and then cancel before you're charged for a second month. However, if you're in it for the long run, you can save 17% by opting for the yearly subscription instead. An annual plan will run you $99.99 per year, which breaks down to only $8.33 per month — that's $1.66 per month in savings.
Plus, with an annual plan, you'll be able to watch other A24 films as they jump from the theaters to Max. Note that you will have to endure some ads throughout your streaming sessions, but just think of them as built-in bathroom and snack breaks.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 22% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription
For those who can't deal with ads interrupting their viewing experience, there's also the Max Ad-Free or Max Ultimate tiers to choose from. The Ad-Free option costs $15.99 per month or $149.99 per year, which saves you 22%. If you're looking to splurge, the Max Ultimate subscription, on the other hand, offers the best viewing experience possible. Not only does it offer an ad-free viewing experience, but also 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, the ability to stream on two more devices at once, and 70 more downloads. Of course, you'll also have to pay a heftier fee of $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (save 17%).
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max With Ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan
If you're a Cricket customer on the $60 per month unlimited plan and you haven't already claimed your free Max with ads subscription, head on over to the Max app or navigate to Max on a browser to get started. Just choose Cricket as your provider and use your Cricket credentials to login. Then you'll be able to watch Dream Scenario and plenty other A24 films for no extra cost. If you're a Cricket customer, but you're not on the $60 per month plan, you can change or upgrade now and secure the deal. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more.
Best Max free trial: Get 3 months of Max with DirecTV Stream Entertainment package
There used to be multiple ways to score a free trial of Max, but sadly, most of them have disappeared. Currently, the only way to get a free trial of Max is to sign up for a DirecTV Stream package (starting at $79.99 per month). This cable replacement package gives you three free months of Max and other premium channels, so you can test the waters before committing to a subscription. If you're in the market for a cable replacement service, this could be the selling point for DirecTV Stream. However, if you're just looking to watch Dream Scenario and other films on Max, it's not the most affordable option by any means.
Other ways to watch Dream Scenario
Thanks to video-on-demand services like Prime Video and Apple TV, you can also rent or purchase the digital version of Dream Scenario and watch the Nic Cage horror comedy at home. In other words, if you don't feel like signing up for another streaming service, you don't have to. Renting is the cheapest way to watch the film, but be aware that you'll only get 30 days to start watching and just 48 hours to finish once you begin.
You can rent or purchase Dream Scenario on demand at the following digital retailers:
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Prime Video — $5.99 to rent, $12.99 to purchase for Prime members
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Apple TV — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
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Vudu — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
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Google Play — $4.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
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YouTube — $4.99 - $7.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
