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10 Facts About Donnie Darko You Probably Don't Know

Donnie Darko is a modern-day cult classic film that resonates with young and old. It's a sci-fi movie about time travel and parallel universes.

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko, the film explores life, death, time and dimensions. And a man in a Bunny suit that appears to him.

For everyone that has seen the film though (possible spoilers ahead), here are 10 Facts About Donnie Darko You Probably Don't Know.

 

1. Seth Rogen's First Film

Before he was a household name, Seth Rogen had his first film appearance in Donnie Darko. He was the bully at school that sexually harassed Gretchen on her way home from school.

 

2. Drew Barrymore Saved The Film's Production

Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko's writer and director) needed funding to get his film off the ground. Thanks to Drew Barrymore, her production company Flower Films seeded the $4.5 million needed to create the film.

 

3. The Film Was Shot in 28 Days

28 Days to shoot a film is a very small window of time. Coincidently, it's also the length of a lunar cycle and the countdown on Donnie's arm until the world ends.

 

4. Box Office Disaster

With a production budget of USD $4.5 million, the film only made back $500,000 during its initial theatrical release. DVD's saved the day with over $10 million in sales.

 

5. The Evil Dead footage was FREE

Drew Barrymore came to the rescue once again after obtaining the rights to C.H.U.D. for the theatre scene proved time-consuming. She put in a quick call to Sam Raimi who allowed the use of The Evil Dead footage for free.

 

6. Permission from The Smurfs Creator to talk about Smurf Sex

Here's a weird one. Kelly called the show's creator to explicitly ask permission to talk about Smurf Sex, which the creator agreed to due to it being accurate.

 

7. Mad World was Number 1 in the UK

Gary Jules recorded the cover of Mad World (by Tears for Fears) for the film and then went on to release it as a single in December of 2003. This was perfect timing in the UK where it hit Number 1 for Christmas.

 

8. Patrick Swayze brought his own wardrobe

Donnie Darko is set in the 80's so the actors needing to dress like the era. Patrick Swayze bought his own clothes that were perfect for the job!

 

9. Donnie and Friends Riding Bikes was a tribute to E.T.

Being one of Kelly's favourite films and having the child star actress playing a role, he paid tribute to this classic the best way he could.

 

10. The Solar Plexus Energy Beams (Blobs) Were Inspired by Football

Do you remember the lines that football commentators would draw on the playing field to show where the players and ball would travel?

 

BONUS: Donnie Darko Explained

Now, here's a little bonus for those that are confused about how the film ended. An explainer video that