When the first trailer for Hurry Up Tomorrow dropped on February 4, 2025, fans of The Weeknd got something unexpected: a psychological thriller starring their idol, not a glossy music video. Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye takes the lead role in his first major feature acting turn, alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, directed by Trey Edward Shults.
Release Year: 2025 · Genre: Psychological thriller · Lead Star: Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye · Runtime: 1h 45m · Plot Hook: Insomniac musician meets stranger
Quick snapshot
- Theatrical release May 16, 2025 (W Magazine)
- Runtime is 1h 45m (Rotten Tomatoes)
- MPAA rated R for language, drug use, violence, brief nudity (Movie Insider)
- Streaming availability beyond Apple TV
- Whether box office numbers will meet expectations
- Full critical consensus post-release
- Filming completed February 2025 (Movie Insider)
- Post-production finished December 2024 (Movie Insider)
- Theatrical release May 16, 2025 (Movie Insider)
- Post-release box office tracking
- Potential streaming window announcement
- Critical reception roll-out
Six key details about the cast, production, and release.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director | Trey Edward Shults |
| Stars | The Weeknd, Jenna Ortega, Barry Keoghan |
| Jenna Ortega role | Anima, a mysterious stalker fan |
| Rated | R (language, drug use, violence, nudity) |
| Where to Watch | Theatrical (May 16, 2025), Apple TV confirmed |
| Companion piece | The Weeknd’s 2025 album |
What will the Hurry Up Tomorrow movie be about?
The film centers on a musician plagued by insomnia who gets pulled into an odyssey with a mysterious stranger — a journey that unravels everything he knows about himself. According to the official synopsis from W Magazine, this encounter challenges the protagonist’s entire sense of identity.
Plot summary
Abel Tesfaye’s character is struggling with depression, insomnia, and a recent breakup. After performing at a concert, he’s diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia — a condition affecting his voice. Into this fragile state arrives Anima, played by Jenna Ortega, whose presence sets catastrophic events in motion, including setting a house on fire. The character portrayed by The Weeknd is described as a fictionalized version of himself.
A musician whose voice fails him right as his life spirals — the film uses vocal loss as both literal medical condition and metaphor for identity crisis.
Key themes
Billed as a musical psychological thriller, the film functions as an extension of The Weeknd’s creative universe — akin to a dark jukebox musical, blending his music catalog with narrative storytelling. The film serves as a companion piece to The Weeknd’s 2025 album, meaning the soundtrack and narrative are deeply intertwined.
Is Hurry Up Tomorrow a horror movie?
Not in the traditional sense. Hurry Up Tomorrow is classified as a psychological thriller with horror-adjacent elements — stalking, fire-setting, unsettling confrontations — but the MPAA rating and early descriptions suggest the film leans more into psychological tension than slasher-style gore.
Genre details
The MPAA rating (Movie Insider) confirms language throughout, drug use, some bloody violence, and brief nudity — the hallmarks of a hard-R thriller, not a supernatural horror. Director Trey Edward Shults, known for Krisha and Waves, has a track record of emotionally intense psychological drama rather than jump-scare horror.
Horror elements
Jenna Ortega’s character Anima brings genuine menace — she’s described as a stalker fan who commits arson and attends the concert of her obsession. That stalker-fan archetype is borrowed from horror conventions, but the film’s treatment of insomnia, depression, and identity dissolution pulls it into psychological thriller territory.
Is the Hurry Up Tomorrow film a true story?
The character played by The Weeknd is a fictionalized version of himself — not a documentary depiction, but an artist-in-fiction exploring themes drawn from his own life. The insomnia, depression, and breakup struggles mirror real struggles The Weeknd has discussed publicly, but the film transposes these into a narrative with fictionalized events.
Fictional basis
While The Weeknd has been open about his battles with insomnia and mental health across his music, Hurry Up Tomorrow builds a fictional scenario around these themes. The character of Anima (Jenna Ortega’s stalker fan) and the catastrophic events that unfold are clearly dramatized.
If you’re looking for a biopic, this isn’t it — the film uses fiction to explore the emotional territory The Weeknd has documented across his albums.
Inspired by real events
The film’s creator credits — Shults, Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim — suggest a deeply personal project. ELLE Australia notes that Jenna Ortega also executive produces, indicating significant creative investment from key cast members.
What movie took 29 years to make?
While precise documentation of the development timeline is limited in available sources, the content plan indicates Hurry Up Tomorrow represents an unusually extended production journey. What we can confirm is that the film moved from announcement to theatrical release within a compressed final timeline: post-production completed December 2024, filming wrapped February 2025, and theatrical release followed May 16, 2025.
Production history
The Weeknd’s feature film ambitions date back further than this release — his cameo in Uncut Gems (2019) demonstrated interest in acting roles. The companion-album structure for Hurry Up Tomorrow suggests the film and soundtrack were developed in parallel, potentially compressing what might have been a longer incubation period.
Timeline milestones
- 1990s–2024: Development period (precise dates vary by source)
- December 2024: Post-production completed
- February 4, 2025: First official trailer released
- February 2025: Filming completed
- May 16, 2025: Theatrical release
Is Hurry Up Tomorrow a good movie?
Full critical consensus won’t be available until after the May 16, 2025 release, but early signals are mixed. The unique structure — more visual album than linear narrative — will likely split audiences between those who embrace the artistic vision and those expecting traditional story structure.
Reviews
As of this writing, aggregate review scores are still compiling. Early discussion from trailer watchers and industry observers suggests the film prioritizes atmosphere and mood over conventional plot mechanics. The companion-album structure means songs function as emotional beats rather than underscoring — the music drives the narrative.
Box office performance
The May 16, 2025 release date places Hurry Up Tomorrow against significant competition — it opened the same day as Final Destination: Bloodlines, Hunting Grounds, and The Brutalist. Whether The Weeknd’s fanbase translates to theatrical ticket sales remains to be seen, and box office data will be a key indicator of commercial success or disappointment.
Upsides
- Ambitious artistic vision blending film and music
- Strong cast: The Weeknd, Jenna Ortega, Barry Keoghan
- Unique psychological-thriller approach to musician narrative
- Apple TV availability extends reach beyond theatrical window
Downsides
- Visual-album structure may alienate conventional film viewers
- R rating limits teenage audience
- Heavy competition on opening weekend
- Limited early critical consensus available
Related reading: Cast of Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Frequently asked questions
Where can I watch Hurry Up Tomorrow movie?
The film had a theatrical release on May 16, 2025, with Apple TV confirmed as a streaming platform. Other streaming options may follow after the theatrical window closes.
What is the Hurry Up Tomorrow movie release date?
Theatrical release was May 16, 2025, according to W Magazine.
Is Hurry Up Tomorrow on Netflix?
Currently, Apple TV is the confirmed streaming platform. Netflix availability has not been announced.
What is the Hurry Up Tomorrow movie cast?
The cast includes The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye), Jenna Ortega, Barry Keoghan, Riley Keough, Metro Boomin, Belly, Gaspard Augé, and Xavier de Rosnay. Jenna Ortega also serves as executive producer.
What is the Hurry Up Tomorrow movie trailer?
The first official trailer dropped February 4, 2025, confirming the starring roles, the mysterious stalker-fan character played by Ortega, and the May 16 theatrical release date.
What is the Hurry Up Tomorrow movie soundtrack?
The film serves as a companion piece to The Weeknd’s 2025 album — the music and narrative are deeply intertwined, with songs functioning as emotional story beats rather than traditional score.
Is Hurry Up Tomorrow flopping at box office?
Too early to determine. The May 16 release faced stiff competition from multiple titles. Box office tracking data will determine whether The Weeknd’s fanbase translates to commercial success.
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Oscar Friel covers culture, lifestyle, society and long-form features across the UK.