Alejandro Amenábar’s 2001 masterpiece The Others is one of those rare ghost stories that actually gets better as you age. It’s not just about jump scares. It’s about grief, religious isolation, and Nicole Kidman delivering a performance so tight-strung you feel like she might snap in every frame. But here is the thing: trying to figure out where can I stream The Others has historically been a total nightmare.
Streaming rights for mid-budget classics from the early 2000s are often a mess of expired contracts and studio mergers. For a long time, this movie was essentially "lost" to the major subscription platforms in the United States. You’d check Netflix—nothing. You’d check Max—nothing. It felt like the movie itself was a ghost.
Honestly, the situation has improved lately, but it still requires a little bit of navigating depending on whether you want to pay a flat subscription fee or just shell out a few bucks for a one-time rental.
The Current Streaming Landscape for The Others
Right now, if you are looking for where can I stream The Others in the U.S., your best bet for a "free" stream (included with a subscription) is usually Tubi or Freevee. These platforms rotate their catalogs constantly. One month it’s there; the next, it’s gone. It’s annoying. I know.
If you have a library card, you absolutely need to check Kanopy. It is legitimately the best-kept secret in streaming. They often carry Criterion-level films and older Miramax/Dimension titles like The Others.
If you aren't seeing it on a subscription service, the most reliable way to watch it is through Video on Demand (VOD). We’re talking about the heavy hitters:
- Amazon Prime Video
- Apple TV (iTunes)
- Vudu (Fandango at Home)
- Google Play Movies
Typically, a rental will set you back about $3.99, while buying a digital copy hovers around $14.99. Given how often this movie disappears from streaming services, buying it digitally isn't the worst idea if you’re a fan of atmospheric horror.
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Why Is This Movie So Hard to Find?
You might wonder why a movie that earned over $200 million and garnered Goya Awards is so elusive. It’s basically a legal tug-of-war. The film was originally distributed by Dimension Films, which was a late-90s/early-2000s powerhouse under the Miramax umbrella. When the Weinstein company collapsed and assets were sold off, many of these titles ended up in a sort of distribution limbo.
Rights are often split between domestic and international markets. That’s why your friend in the UK might see it on their Netflix queue while you’re staring at a "This content is not available in your region" screen.
The 4K Restoration Factor
There is some good news, though. A few years ago, a massive 4K restoration was completed. Criterion actually released a physical 4K UHD and Blu-ray version in late 2023. Usually, when a boutique label like Criterion gets involved, it stabilizes the digital rights. This is why you’ve likely seen it pop up more frequently on digital storefronts recently compared to five years ago.
The restoration is stunning. If you’ve only ever seen the grainy DVD version from 2002, you haven't really seen the movie. The way Amenábar uses shadows is intentional. In the 4K version, the "fog" looks like a living character rather than a digital smudge.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Twist
Let’s talk about the movie itself for a second. Without spoiling it for the three people who haven't seen it, The Others is often compared to The Sixth Sense. People think it’s just about the "reveal."
That’s a mistake.
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The movie is actually a deep dive into post-WWII trauma and the suffocating nature of extreme religious devotion. Grace Stewart (Kidman) isn't just a protective mother; she's a woman trapped in a house that functions as a mausoleum. Her children have a "light sensitivity" that requires every door to be locked before another is opened. This isn't just a plot device to keep the house dark; it’s a metaphor for her inability to face the reality of her husband’s death in the war.
It’s a tragedy disguised as a thriller.
Technical Mastery: Sound and Silence
If you manage to find where can I stream The Others, please, for the love of cinema, wear headphones or turn on your soundbar. The sound design is incredible.
The movie relies on "creaks."
The sound of a heavy curtain closing.
The distant sound of a piano playing in an empty room.
Amenábar also composed the score. It’s minimalist. He understands that in a house full of fog and secrets, the absence of sound is scarier than a loud orchestral sting. Most modern horror movies fail because they are too loud. The Others succeeds because it is deathly quiet.
International Streaming Options
If you are outside the U.S., the answer to where can I stream The Others changes drastically.
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- United Kingdom: It often pops up on NOW TV or Sky Go.
- Canada: Check Crave. They tend to hold onto the older Miramax library longer than most.
- Australia: Stan or Binge are your most likely candidates.
If you find yourself in a region where it’s totally unavailable, some people use a VPN to hop over to a U.S. server and rent it via YouTube or Amazon. It’s a bit of a hassle, but for a movie this good, it’s worth the five minutes of setup.
Is It Worth Buying Physically?
Yes. I’m serious.
We live in an era where digital movies can literally vanish from your library if a license agreement fails. Since The Others has such a spotty history with streaming availability, having that Criterion disc on your shelf is the only way to ensure you can watch it every October. Plus, the physical release includes a bunch of extras, like a look at the "light sensitivity" (Xeroderma Pigmentosum) that the kids actually have in the film. It's a real, albeit rare, genetic disorder.
Actionable Steps for Your Rewatch
If you’re sitting down to watch it tonight, here is how to get the most out of it:
- Kill the lights. This isn't a "background" movie. You need to see the subtle movements in the background of the frame.
- Check the resolution. If you’re streaming and it looks like 720p, find another source. The cinematography by Javier Aguirresarobe is too good to watch in low definition.
- Watch the doors. The rule of the house is that no door can be opened unless the previous one is closed. Pay attention to when that rule is broken. It’s the first sign that things are falling apart.
- Listen for the "Victorian" details. The movie is set in 1945 on the Channel Islands. The historical accuracy of the mourning rituals and the way the servants speak adds a layer of dread that a generic "haunted house" movie lacks.
Searching for where can I stream The Others shouldn't be your biggest hurdle. Just go straight to the VOD stores like Apple or Amazon if you want the path of least resistance. It's four dollars well spent. You'll spend more on a bad cup of coffee, and this movie will stay in your head for weeks.
The real magic of the film isn't the ending. It's the feeling of being trapped in that house with Grace, waiting for a husband who isn't coming home, and realizing that the things you’re afraid of might already be inside the room with you.
Once you finish it, go back and watch the first ten minutes again. You’ll see a completely different movie. The clues are everywhere, hidden in plain sight, right there in the fog.
Next Steps for the Ultimate Viewing Experience:
- Check JustWatch or Reelgood for real-time daily updates on which subscription services currently host the film in your specific zip code.
- Compare the Apple TV and Amazon rental prices; occasionally, one will have it on "sale" for $1.99.
- If you’re a film nerd, look for the Criterion Collection version specifically for the director's commentary, which explains how they achieved the "fog" effects without modern CGI.