The filmmaker behind Doctor Sleep is eager for audiences to check out a new time-travel film that’s launching soon on a streaming platform.
Mike Flanagan, known for his expertise in crafting horror via acclaimed Stephen King adaptations like last year’s The Life of Chuck and spine-chilling Netflix series such as The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, also has a knack for comedy. He recently praised a side-splitting, low-budget Canadian movie with a notably cumbersome name, set to debut on streaming very soon.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, though it received positive reviews, saw limited success at the box office after its release in February 2026. It is poised for a resurgence as it prepares to stream on Hulu starting July 24.
Flanagan, one of the film’s most vocal supporters, recently expressed his admiration on Letterboxd. “I absolutely adored this,” he commented on Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. “It’s ambitious, consistently funny, and a complete joy. I was ready to watch it again right after the first viewing.”
He further elaborated in his review, “This ingeniously complex and endlessly surprising time-travel mockumentary adventure drama, which is a nod to Back to the Future II, directed by Matt Johnson and starring Johnson alongside Jay McCarrol, instantly became one of my favorite comedies and one of the best films of 2025. It comes highly recommended – make sure to watch it in a group; you’ll miss half the jokes otherwise due to all the laughter.”
Flanagan is not the only one who holds Johnson and McCarrol’s comedic film in high regard, an adaptation of their Canadian TV series that originally began as a web series. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie has garnered nearly universal praise from critics, many of whom agree with Flanagan on the communal viewing experience.
Initially acclaimed at its premiere during the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award: Midnight Madness, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie continued to sweep awards at the Canadian Screen Awards in May 2026. It won Best Motion Picture and claimed trophies for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Song (“The Alphabet Song”).
The stars of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, McCarrol and Johnson, were both recognized for their performances at the awards, with McCarrol winning Best Performance in a Leading Role, Comedy, and Johnson taking Best Performance in a Supporting Role, Comedy. Meanwhile, the film’s biggest fan among horror directors is juggling numerous projects, including TV adaptations of King’s The Dark Tower and Carrie, a new Exorcist film, and a reimagining of King’s The Mist.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
