FILM · 2001 · USA
Donnie Darko
- Directed by
- Richard Kelly
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Studio
- Flower Films, Pandora Cinema, Newmarket Films
77 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
Summary: TMDB
All facts (77)
- #001
At the film's wrap party, Seth Rogen and Jake Gyllenhaal admitted they had no idea what the film was about.
- #002
At the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, California, where the film's theater scenes were shot, there is a tradition of screening Donnie Darko every year at Easter.
- #003
Jake Gyllenhaal used a strategy of rarely blinking to heighten his psychotic creepiness (since he is being guided by Frank).
- #004
The film was shot over a period of 28 days, which matches the time span shown in the film.
- #005
For the cinema scene, Richard Kelly initially wanted Donnie and Gretchen to watch C. H. U. D. (1984). However, there were problems determining who held the rights to the film. In the end, Sam Raimi came to the rescue, allowing Kelly to use and distort The Evil Dead (1981) for free. This scene was shot at the Aero Theatre at 1328 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California. The Aero closed in 2003 but reopened in early 2005.
- #006
The Director's Cut significantly changes the film's pacing by adding deleted scenes and new visual effects and by altering the film's music. Richard Kelly does not consider this version a Director's Cut (that title was the distributor's idea), because he thinks the theatrical version is perfectly fine on its own. Instead, he considers the new version a kind of Special Edition.
- #007
Writer and director Richard Kelly came up with the idea of the future blobs while watching football. John Madden was using a "telestrator" to draw a diagram on a paused video to show where the players were about to go before letting the tape roll. Kelly watched this while drunk and began to think about what would hypothetically happen if "someone upstairs" did this to people. Fittingly, Donnie first notices the future blobs while watching football.
- #008
On the set of Charlie's Angels (2000), Drew Barrymore and Richard Kelly agreed that her production company Flower Films would make this film for $4.5 million (and that Barrymore would play Ms. Pomeroy). Kelly says that if Barrymore had not gotten involved, the film would have gone straight to video or to cable television through Starz.
- #009
Patrick Swayze wore his own clothes from the 1980s in the film.
- #010
The original promotional material featured a falling plane. Because the release date was close to September 11, 2001, all of this was naturally pulled, and the film saw a drop in box office revenue due to the lack of advertising. It found its audience when it first screened on DVD, becoming a big hit and attracting a cult following.
- #011
At the beginning of the film, as Donnie rides his bike back into town, Frank drives past in his red Trans Am right after Donnie passes the two women "powerwalking."
- #012
While shooting the scene in which Kitty Farmer explains how she instructed Donnie to put his Lifeline exercise card in an upsetting place, writer and director Richard Kelly laughed so much that he had to leave the set.
- #013
In the "Cunning Visions" promotional infomercial, Jim Cunningham strokes a child's thigh. The young boy at the school assembly who wants to learn how to fight is the same child as the one in Jim Cunningham's promotional film.
- #014
At one point the film looked set to go directly to the domestic market. Christopher Nolan was one of the influential factors in getting the film a theatrical release.
- #015
In this film, Seth Rogen's first feature, his first line is "I like your boobs."
- #016
In the theatrical version, the song playing as Donnie rides his bike home is "The Killing Moon" by Echo & The Bunnymen. As Gretchen waits for the school bus, a Volkswagen Rabbit speeds past in front of her. While Elizabeth sleeps on the couch, there is a plush rabbit beside her. When Donnie reaches for the car keys, there is a Polaroid photo on the table of him and his sister in Halloween costumes. Donnie is dressed as a rabbit. Near the end, after his mother leaves, a "jack-o'-lantern" rabbit appears on the table while Donnie talks with his sister. Frank the rabbit usually appears near a water source (sprinklers, the water main, a tap).
- #017
In the script, during Donnie's conversations with his therapist about sex, he had fantasies about Alyssa Milano. For legal reasons, this had to be changed to Christina Applegate.
- #018
Initially, Richard Kelly asked Peyo's estate for permission to show a Smurf doll for Donnie and his friends to shoot at. In the same conference call, Kelly was told that Donnie would also be allowed to talk about Smurf sex, since what was written in the script was considered an accurate description.
- #019
Some of the songs in the film replaced tracks the producers wanted but were denied the rights to. The dance performance was set to "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys, and Duran Duran's "Notorious" was re-recorded during post-production. U2's "MLK" was used in the final scene, and Gary Jules's cover of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World" was used instead.
- #020
Contains a major spoiler — show
Near the end of the film, as Frank speeds down the road, Donnie is being held by Seth Devlin with a knife to his throat, and Seth asks him whether he called the police. Donnie answers, "Deus Ex Machina," which means "God out of the machine" and usually refers to a plot event in a story that resolves an apparently unsolvable problem or situation. In this scene Donnie is saying that he cannot change what has happened in the current timeline that led to Gretchen's death, but that he now understands how to travel through time and how to change the outcome by sacrificing himself. Time travel is the Deus Ex Machina that resolves the apparently unsolvable situation.
- #021
Jim Cunningham's Cunning Visions infomercials were filmed at Patrick Swayze's ranch in Lake View Terrace, California.
- #022
Contains a major spoiler — show
Early in the film, as Donnie rides his bike home, he passes Frank's car going the opposite direction. That car later kills Gretchen and causes Donnie to shoot Frank in his right eye (which Donnie had also stabbed through the water reflection). Shortly afterward, when time "resets" and everyone wakes up to "Mad World," Frank wipes away a tear flowing from his right eye.
- #023
While casting the role of Donnie's sister, writer and director Richard Kelly (who had very few films at the time) noticed that Maggie Gyllenhaal would be available for the shoot. The manager who suggested the cast reminded Kelly of the scene in Cecil B. Demented (2000) in which she drinks urine. Although Kelly was somewhat hesitant about the idea, he liked the way she drank the urine and knew he would not have to work hard to create a sibling rivalry between her and her brother Jake.
- #024
Contains a major spoiler — show
Judging by what is seen and heard in the theatrical scenes of The Evil Dead (1981), Donnie's trip from the cinema to Jim Cunningham's house, starting the fire and returning to the cinema takes up a large part of an hour, just in time to catch the end of the film (listen for Ash's scream).
- #025
The giant rabbit Frank was inspired by the animated film Watership Down (1978), clips of which are shown in the Donnie Darko Director's Cut.
- #026
Richard Kelly said it was very difficult to find a US distributor for the film. Because the film incorporates so many genres and styles, distributors were confused about the film's message and how to market it. Kelly also claims that the film came very close to being shown on the Starz network until Newmarket Films picked it up for theatrical distribution.
- #027
Vince Vaughn reportedly turned down the role of Donnie because of his age, having been too old since his teenage years. Mark Wahlberg was interested in the role, but apparently was only willing to play it with a lisp. Jason Schwartzman was also strongly considered for Donnie, but dropped out of school due to scheduling conflicts. Tim Robbins was the first choice for the role of Eddie Darko. Mara Wilson was considered for the role of Samantha Darko but turned it down.
- #028
This was Seth Rogen's first feature film.
- #029
According to Richard Kelly's commentary, the Man in the Red Running Suit is an agent from the FAA who was so confused by the jet engine incident that they sent agents to watch the family members. The Mysterious Woman seen during Sparkle Motion's talent show performance was a talent scout from Star Search (1983).
- #030
Mary McDonnell was so excited about her part that she got her first speeding ticket on the way to the set.
- #031
The black-and-white poster in Donnie's room showing an eye reflecting a skull is a copy of an engraving (Eye, 1946) by the artist M. C. Escher.
- #032
The film's original poster used an Arabic-style font, but after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States it was replaced with the Trajan font, which is more common for video releases. The font, however, keeps its original style in the film.
- #033
At the house party, someone wearing a Ronald Reagan mask is jumping on a trampoline. This is taken from a photograph of Hunter S. Thompson doing the same thing. Patrick Swayze had also worn a similar mask in Point Break.
- #034
The film's US distributor, Newmarket Films, approached Richard Kelly about making a Director's Cut. He accepted the offer and, together with editor Sam Bauer, completed the re-edit within nine days.
- #035
The words "Cellar Door" are written on the blackboard in Karen Pomeroy's class. When Donnie asks what they mean, she replies: "This famous linguist once said that of all the phrases in the English language, of all the endless combinations of words in history, that Cellar Door is the most beautiful." In the director's commentary, Richard Kelly mistakenly attributes this phrase to Edgar Allan Poe, but it was actually J. R. R. Tolkien who said in his 1955 essay "English and Welsh": "Most English-speaking people will admit that cellar door is 'beautiful', especially if dissociated from its sense (and from its spelling). More beautiful than, say, sky, and far more beautiful than beautiful." Interestingly, Lord of the Rings includes a country called "Eriador", and an Elf nobleman named "Celeborn", both of which resemble Cellar Door.
- #036
Writer and director Richard Kelly was impressed by young Jake Gyllenhaal's commitment to his craft. For the scene in which Donnie is hypnotized by his therapist and instead begins to experience a sexual fantasy involving Christina Applegate, Kelly considered shooting a take in which he would instruct Katharine Ross not to snap her fingers and break the trance. Concluding that the future star would most likely stay in the scene and continue masturbating, Kelly thought better of the idea.
- #037
It ranked ninth on Film4's "50 Films To See Before You Die" list.
- #038
Contains a major spoiler — show
Frank says the world will end at "twenty-eight days, six hours, forty-two minutes, twelve seconds." This figure is obtained by adding or subtracting one from each part of the number; twenty-seven days, seven hours, forty-three minutes, eleven seconds, which is exactly the length of a lunar month (according to one of the less commonly used definitions, sidereal rather than the usual synodic).
- #039
Contains a major spoiler — show
The short story "The Destructors" (discussed in Karen Pomeroy's class, paralleling events in the seemingly "real" world, and debated as inappropriate at the P. T. A. meeting, ultimately leading to Pomeroy's dismissal) was written by Graham Greene, born October 2, 1904. October 2, 1988 is the day the rabbit Frank tells Donnie the world will end six days later. The time is forty-two minutes and twelve seconds.
- #040
Patrick Swayze plays a charismatic educator who supports a questionable self-help course. Swayze was a former Scientologist, and Scientology has an education program called "Applied Scholastics."
- #041
There are many comic book references throughout the film. Gretchen says Donnie's name sounds like a superhero's, and he replies, "What makes you think I'm not?" Many characters have alliterative names (Donnie Darko, Cherita Chen, Frankie Feedler, Daye Dennis, Joanie James, Sean Smith, Donnie Dickson), like many comic book heroes (Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Susan Storm, etc.). It is also believed that Donnie is a superhero because he has powers and uses them to save others.
- #042
EASTER EGG: The DVD contains several hidden references or hidden items. Two of them can be found in the Special Features section of the "Philosophy of Time Travel" book. On each of the additional pages, press the up arrow on your remote and press enter. Appendix A presents the viewer with a deleted scene about the school's flooding, and Appendix B presents the viewer with a different trailer for the film. Another can be found after selecting the "Cunning Visions" menu screen. Highlight the Special Features menu entry at the bottom of the screen, press the right arrow on your remote to highlight the icon, and press enter. This will take you to a gallery of websites.
- #043
Contains a major spoiler — show
When the whole school is flooded, you can see a message under the mascot statue. It says: "They made me do it." Later, in the Halloween party scene, just before it ends, you can see a message on the refrigerator that says: "Frank was here, went to get beer." Both texts are written in the same handwriting, a hint at the fact that the Frank who went to get beer is the same Frank as Donnie's imaginary rabbit.
- #044
Patience Cleveland's (Roberta Sparrow/Grandma Death) last theatrical film.
- #045
Jake Gyllenhaal was actually 19 while playing a 16-year-old high school student. Maggie Gyllenhaal was 23 and playing his older sister. Although her age is not stated in the film, the shooting script specifies that Elizabeth Darko is supposed to be 19.
- #046
Despite playing his teacher, Drew Barrymore is only five years older than Jake Gyllenhaal.
- #047
Throughout the film, Donnie succumbs to the three temptations Jim Cunningham mentions: alcohol, drugs and premarital sex. The other film showing at the theater where Donnie and Gretchen watch The Evil Dead (1981) was The Last Temptation of Christ (1988).
- #048
Before Mara Wilson retired from acting, she received the film's script to read for the role of Samantha Darko but refused to attend the audition because she was frightened by the script. At the time she was already physically ill in a hotel room in England.
- #049
Gary Jules's song "Mad World," featured at the end of the film, was the number one song at Christmas time in 2003.
- #050
Karen Pomeroy is named after Wardell Pomeroy, a sex researcher from the Kinsey Institute.
- #051
Contains a major spoiler — show
Jim Cunningham ends "Cunning Visions" with his lifespan given as 1944 - 1988. Roberta Sparrow's "The Philosophy of Time Travel" was published in 1944.
- #052
It ranked fifth on Australia's list of ten most loved films.
- #053
Donnie passes Frank in his car at the same moment as the "killing time" lyric in Echo and the Bunnymen's song The Killing Moon.
- #054
At the beginning of the film, when Donnie returns home, Rose is reading Stephen King's It, which prominently features a clown. At the end of the film, the passenger in Frank's car is wearing a clown costume. Richard Kelly wanted Rose to read another King novel, The Tommyknockers, but the production changed it because they could not find the right cover.
- #055
Katharine Ross and Mary McDonnell were paid a specific fee for the film.
- #056
It was adapted into a live stage production by director Marcus Stern in October and November 2007, staged by the Zero Arrow Theatre of the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- #057
When Donnie's mother Rose asks Kitty whether she has heard of Graham Greene, Kitty says she has since she saw Bonanza (1959), but Kitty is confusing him with Lorne Greene, who appeared in the series. Sam Raimi, who allowed a clip from his film The Evil Dead (1981) to be used and distorted in Donnie Darko free of charge, is married to Lorne's daughter Gillian Greene. There is also the Canadian Native actor Graham Greene, who appeared alongside Mary McDonnell in several films portraying Native Americans, including Dances with Wolves (1990). The writer Graham Greene had many of his books adapted into films, including The Quiet American (1958) (twice), Brighton Rock (1948) (twice) and Our Man in Havana (1959).
- #058
The Life Line Exercise Card Donnie is given to mark tells the story of a girl who finds a lost wallet. Donnie later finds Jim Cunningham's wallet on the sidewalk outside his mansion.
- #059
It was the first film of Fran Kranz, who plays the passenger in the clown costume.
- #060
Contains a major spoiler — show
As Donnie leaves the golf course, the man Jim Cunningham is playing golf with whispers to him, "I hate kids," which Jim dodges and answers with "Let's golf." Donnie would later expose Jim as a pedophile when he burns down his house.
- #061
It was Ashley French's first film.
- #062
During Jim Cunningham's seminar, every character before Donnie went on to a major role in a 2000s children's television series. Ashley French, Jerry Trainor and Jack Salvatore Jr. would appear in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005), iCarly (2007) and Zoey 101 (2005), respectively.
- #063
Jake Gyllenhaal and Maggie Gyllenhaal are real-life siblings.
- #064
Near the end of the film, as Donnie and the other three ride their bikes toward Grandma Death's house, only Donnie's bike light goes out (stops working).
- #065
As in the play and film Harvey (1950), the protagonist befriends a giant, sentient rabbit that no one else can see.
- #066
Mary McDonnell and Noah Wyle played mother and son in ER (1994).
- #067
Jena Malone was 15 years old during production.
- #068
It was Jolene Purdy's first film.
- #069
James Duval (Frank) and Mary McDonnell (Rose Darko) also appeared in Independence Day (1996).
- #070
Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Gretchen (Jena Malone) go to see Sam Raimi's film The Evil Dead (1981), and Gretchen falls asleep. Malone worked with Raimi on For Love of the Game (1999). In addition, Gyllenhaal was reportedly considered as a possible replacement for Tobey Maguire, who nearly dropped out of Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004) because of a stubborn back injury.
- #071
Drew Barrymore and Mary McDonnell both appeared in the Scream film series: Barrymore in Scream (1996) and McDonnell in Scream 4 (2011).
- #072
Donnie Darko features future iCarly (2007) cast members Jerry Trainor and David St. James. Trainor played Spencer Shay on Miranda Cosgrove's Carly, while St. James played his teacher, Mr. Howard.
- #073
Contains a major spoiler — show
In the theater scene, Donnie sees Frank and asks why he wears the mask. Frank shows his face, which has a wound over his right eye. In the final scenes, Donnie shoots Frank in the right eye.
- #074
Drew Barrymore and Maggie Gyllenhaal appeared together in the 2001 film Riding in Cars with Boys (2001).
- #075
The answering machine seen at the party is the same one featured in the film Shoes (1992), which also starred Mary McDonnell.
- #076
Jerry Trainor and Maggie Gyllenhaal were both born in 1977, ten months apart. Trainor was born on January 21 and Gyllenhaal on November 16.
- #077
Both Jena Malone and Scotty Leavenworth appeared in different films with Julia Roberts. Malone was in Stepmom and Leavenworth was in Erin Brockovich.
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