An insider report reveals the original cut of Obsession was vastly different from the final film. A recent newsletter by entertainment journalist and Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider claims the blockbuster psychological horror flick initially took a different approach to the terror unfolding on the screen. He further noted that the original approach was similar to the many A24 films that director Curry Barker grew up watching.
Starring Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston in key roles, the synopsis of Obsession reads, “After breaking the mysterious One Wish Willow to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.”
How was the original version of Obsession different from the final version?
Per Sneider’s newsletter, The InSneider, the original version of Obsession kept viewers guessing whether everything was real. An excerpt from the report reads, “As for the past, there was once an earlier version of Obsession where, like many A24 movies that Barker grew up watching, the writer-director kept us guessing whether everything was in Bear’s head or not — that’s what the director sets up with the pills early on. Ultimately, he was convinced to lean into the horrifying reality of the situation, and that decision appears to have paid off at the box office, where the film’s worldwide gross is at $230 million and headed toward $300 million. Incredible.”
This is not the only version of Obsession that was altered for a different approach, though. Another report by Entertainment Weekly revealed Curry Barker wanted the film to have an ending like the tragedy Romeo and Juliet. In fact, he claimed he was obsessed with giving the film such an ending and went ahead and shot it.
Barker felt the Romeo and Juliet ending worked, as it represented Nikki’s first act of free agency in a long time. However, his father and others around him argued that a far scarier outcome would be Nikki having to live with the consequences of her actions. That said, Barker also addressed the possibility of a director’s cut of Obsession, adding that it would be longer in duration.
Obsession is being screened at a theater near you.
Originally reported by Arvind Rao on ComingSoon.net.
