The Oscar-Nominated Movie 'Nightmare Alley' Was Actually Based Off a Book

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."

Guillermo del Toro has done it again.

At the 94th Academy Awards, the Mexican director's Nightmare Alley is nominated for Best Picture. This will mark the second time in his career that he receives the major nod. (In 2018, his The Shape of Water was nominated and won.) Nightmare Alley has also been nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design at the 2022 Oscars.

Inspired after the crime thriller 1946 novel of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham, Guillermo's film adaption stars actor Bradley Cooper as protagonist Stan Carlisle who tries his luck at fame and wealth but it doesn't turn out the way he imagines. While working at a carnival, the drifter befriends clairvoyant Madame Zeena (Toni Collette) and her husband, Pete (David Strathairn).

After learning the art of cold writing and psychoanalysis from Pete, Stan leaves and reinvents himself as a psychic for the wealthy. But in his chase for the ultimate monetary reward, he loses everything dear to him including his girlfriend, Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara). The loss hurts more when he's tricked by the person he confided in, Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett). But that's not where Stan's story ends.

Where to watch and stream Nightmare Alley:

Nightmare Alley is now available to stream on Hulu and HBO Max.

If you have a Hulu subscription, you can start watching Nightmare Alley on the Hulu website or via the Hulu app on your preferred mobile device. Don't have a Hulu login? No problem. The streaming service offers a 30-day free trial to test out the platform before committing to a subscription, which begin at $6.99 per month. But if you happen to already have a bundle with Disney+ and ESPN+, this could mean you have access to Hulu through that offer. You'll just want to double check first before filling out any information online.

In case you would rather watch Nightmare Alley on HBO Max, you can see it on the HBO Max site or through the HBO Max app. The streamer has subscriptions as low as $9.99 per each month. Though there's a disclaimer that there are "limited ads," they are usually shown at the start of the movie, like in the theaters and don't pop up throughout the flick, so no need to worry about them. If you already have a login through your cable provider, you'll just want to make sure to have those details nearby to easily input.

Nightmare Alley is also available to rent and watch on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Prime Video and Vudu.

You Might Also Like

• A Cleaning Expert Explains the Best Way to Clean Cloth Face Masks After You Wear Them — Good Housekeeping

• 35 Delicious Pantry Recipes That Use What's Already in Your Cabinets and Freezer — Good Housekeeping

• The Amish keep to themselves. And they’re hiding a horrifying secret. — Cosmopolitan