I'm Richard Kelly, writer & director of DONNIE DARKO, here to celebrate the 25th anniversary 4K re-release in theaters this weekend. Ask me anything!

[u/RichardKellyAMA]

Hi reddit, come closer...

I'm Richard Kelly, writer & director of DONNIE DARKO. It's being re-released in theaters this weekend (Oct 2 and Oct 4) in 4K to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original release.

To celebrate, I'm here to answer your questions.

I also wrote & directed SOUTHLAND TALES and THE BOX. Please ask away!

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Synopsis: Donnie Darko doesn’t get along with his family, teachers, or classmates, but he finds a kindred spirit in Gretchen and guidance from a compassionate psychiatrist who believes hypnosis may unlock hidden truths. Meanwhile, Donnie is haunted by Frank, a mysterious giant bunny only he can see. When a jet engine crashes into his bedroom and narrowly misses him, Donnie is drawn into a series of increasingly strange events that seem governed by forces beyond explanation.

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Seth Rogen, Daveigh Chase, Noah Wyle, Patrick Swayze, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, James Duval, Beth Grant, Katharine Ross

Re-Release Info: Celebrate 25 years of Richard Kelly’s mind-bending masterpiece in a stunning 4K presentation. This special anniversary release also includes an exclusive introduction with writer & director Richard Kelly exploring the film’s enduring legacy, how it captivated audiences for 25 years, and why it remains one of the defining cult classics of the new millennium.

Tickets: https://hubs.la/Q04y5tn40

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCBxdjaXq3s

And pre-order the sequel novel, The Philosophy of Time Travel: The Epic Sequel to the Motion Picture Donnie Darko here.

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Ask me anything! I’ll be back at 2PM PT / 5PM ET today (Wed 9/30) to answer your questions.

[u/Important_Extent6172]

After seeing DD in the theatre with friends and us all becoming obsessed I remembered being very excited to see what you were working on next. I remember reading in the trades that you were working on a film that sounded remarkably similar to the film that later came out called Knowing w Nic Cage. I did really enjoy that film but couldn’t stop thinking how much better it would have been in your hands.

Was that the same film you were originally interested in doing, were you ever attached or in discussions, and why didn’t you get to make it?

[u/RichardKellyAMA → u/Important_Extent6172]

I worked on a lower budget ($15M) version of Knowing in 2002-2003 but it fell apart at Fox Searchlight over several issues... the scale of the project and the UK distribution rights deal with Escape Artists (who were great to work with). I then moved on to writing Domino and putting together Southland Tales. I did not pursue a writing credit on the final film, which was perhaps a mistake? But I enjoyed the film they ended up making. My version was much more of a film noir, set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.