20 Worst Endings In Recent Horror Movies

A24's Opus revolves around journalist Ariel (Ayo Edebiri), who is invited to the remote compound of reclusive pop star Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich) for a listening party of his much anticipated new album.

It won't surprise many to learn that Moretti is actually running a cult, and at the end of the film he and his followers appear to commit ritualistic suicide by drinking poisoned champagne.

A captured Ariel is able to escape before being force-fed the laced fizz, and we then cut to an epilogue set two years later, where she's written a book about the incident.

More to the point, she visits Moretti in prison, who survived the "suicide" and reveals that the entire thing was actually staged. 

None of his followers died but each has instead disappeared and inserted themselves into society at various levels to help surreptitiously spread the teachings of his cult.

Moretti also reveals that he always planned for Ariel to escape, knowing full well that she'd write a book about it and inadvertently bring Moretti to the attention of millions more people.

While the commentary on the media's complicity in propping up monsters had potential, this all feels way too smugly contrived to actually make much sense. 

The hyper-convoluted master plan shtick is way too played out in 2025, as this misfire of an ending categorically proved.