In the world of cinema, the classic late-film twist is like a magician’s final act—unexpected and often jaw-dropping. But what if we could flip that on its head and deliver that “wow” moment much earlier? That’s exactly what J.T. Mollner—the writer-director behind Strange Darling—advocates for. In a recent podcast episode, Mollner passionately shares his belief that there’s no need to wait until the credits roll to reveal shocking truths. Instead, he invites the audience to experience a jaw-dropping twist around the midpoint, making the remaining storyline both a maze of intrigue and thought-provoking character development. As we delve into the insights of Strange Darling, we’re reminded of how audiences today are not just passive viewers; they actively anticipate the unexpected. So, how do we keep them guessing? Let’s explore Mollner’s fresh perspective on timing and twists in storytelling. LEARN MORE
Strange Darling writer-director J.T. Mollner loves an early twist. Why wait till the end of the movie to pull the rug out from underneath your audience, the writer-director reasons, when you could stun them before or around the midpoint when viewers least expect it?
It’s no spoiler to say that Strange Darling—his astonishing new thriller—spends a chunk of its runtime signposting one type of story before zagging into shocking new territory. But as important as the twist is, it is more important when it occurs in the film, the filmmaker told me on my podcast Script Apart recently—a lesson that emerging screenwriters might want to take note of.
How Strange Darling Times Its Twist Perfectly
“There’s a version of [Strange Darling] where it could have been the ending of the movie when you find out who’s who,” Mollner explained. “But I never wanted it to be. I love [Twilight Zone creator] Rod Serling and I love M. Night Shyamalan movies. There are so many great Alfred Hitchcock movies where they end and you can’t believe what you just watched,” he says, discussing classic movies that reveal their twist in the film’s dying moments.
“But I wasn’t setting out to compete with any of those filmmakers or any of those movies because that’s been done. It’s so hard to do, especially nowadays, with spoilers and how intelligent audiences are.”
His point is a great one.
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In 2024, viewers raised on the internet in a post-The Sixth Sense, post-Lost world have come to expect narrative curveballs and are adept now at sniffing them out in a way they weren’t generations ago.
Showing your hand early in your script gives audiences less time to figure out the surprise you have in store for them. It also makes it more satisfying. Even if viewers guess what the twist is, if that shock comes around the midpoint, then the twist is not the destination of your movie—it’s a journey point. The rest of the film can be about what the twist means for the characters instead of solely what it means for us in the audience.
Listen to the full interview above and give Mollner’s advice a try in your own work today.
Read More: Ups and Downs: Five Ways To Approach the Midpoint Culmination
Al Horner is a London-based journalist, screenwriter, and presenter. His work has appeared in The Guardian, Empire Magazine, GQ, BBC, Little White Lies, TIME Magazine, and more.
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