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After 25 Years, Sci-fi Cult Classic Donnie Darko is Officially Getting a Proper Sequel
Director Richard Kelly is finally delivering a sequel to his 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko, in the form of an approximately 800-page novel titled The Philosophy of Time Travel. First reported by Variety, the book is being published by Range Literary Publishing and is expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year, timed to coincide with the film's 25th anniversary. It matters to fans because it marks Kelly's first officially sanctioned continuation of the story, after years of failed attempts to develop a follow-up film that grew too unwieldy for the screen.
The novel picks up 14 months after Donnie's death and is told through found documents, including entries from the perspectives of his parents, Rose and Eddie, as they try to make sense of the tangent universe and the strange events surrounding his death. Kelly has reportedly spent a decade writing it, with an ambition stretching back more than 20 years, and sees it as the first step in a larger planned series: he hopes to adapt the book into an animated or motion-capture film, followed by a live-action instalment set 28 years after the original, ideally reuniting cast members such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore and Maggie Gyllenhaal. This would supersede the poorly received 2009 spin-off S. Darko, which was made without Kelly's involvement and holds just a 13% Rotten Tomatoes score, compared with the original's 88%.
In short
- Richard Kelly is publishing a Donnie Darko sequel novel this year
- "The Philosophy of Time Travel" arrives for the film's 25th anniversary
- Kelly hopes it leads to future animated and live-action sequel films
Explained simply
Donnie Darko is a 2001 science-fiction film about a troubled teenager who experiences strange events involving time, fate and a figure in a rabbit suit. Its story includes a “tangent universe”, an alternate reality linked to the events around Donnie’s death. The film became a cult classic, attracting fans who have continued to debate what happens and what it means.
Richard Kelly wrote and directed the original film. Its cast included Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie, with Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore and Maggie Gyllenhaal in supporting roles. A 2009 spin-off, S. Darko, continued the story without Kelly’s involvement.
The reported novel uses documents and family members’ accounts to explore the aftermath of Donnie’s death. It matters to fans because it offers a continuation written by the original film-maker, after earlier plans for a follow-up film proved difficult to develop.