Marty Supreme’s Director Reveals The Movie’s Original (Vampire) Ending That Made A24 Say ‘This Is A Mistake, Right?’

by

Spoilers for Marty Supreme are ahead! Read with caution, and go watch the movie in theaters now.

I’ve always remembered a surprising line about vampires in Marty Supreme. It felt unexpected, but still worked within the film’s context. Interestingly, director Josh Safdie originally planned a full-on vampire ending for his Timothée Chalamet movie, but A24 thought it was a step too far.

Okay, so before I tell you about one of the alternate endings Josh Safdie considered, let me explain how Marty Supreme actually wraps up. The movie ends with Marty playing a match with Endo in Japan, then flying back home to meet his new baby. The very last shot is a close-up of Marty tearing up as he looks at his son. But that wasn’t always the plan! Director Josh Safdie recently told Variety about his original idea for how the film would end, and it’s pretty interesting…

He transformed the shoe store into the most thriving business on Orchard Street, rebranding it as Marty Mauser’s Shoes. He expanded through franchising, eventually leaving New York State and becoming very wealthy. By all accounts, he achieved success – a growing family, a beautiful home, and ultimately, enjoying a Tears for Fears concert with his granddaughter from front-row seats. While watching the show and listening to the song ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World,’ he reflected on youth and the meaning of success, realizing that despite everything he’d achieved, he wasn’t pursuing his true passion.

That’s an unexpected turn of events, but I understand the idea. Things take a strange turn with the introduction of vampires. Safdie explained that, in his vision for how Marty Supreme would end, Kevin O’Leary’s character, Milton Rockwell, would reappear and reveal himself to be a vampire by…

The final shot showed Timmy, who we’d fitted with prosthetics, with Mr. Wonderful attacking him from behind. That’s all there was, and surprisingly, the character hasn’t aged a day since.

It really struck me how Milton mentioned being ‘born in 1601’ and having ‘been around forever’ – it made me wonder about a cool connection to the end of the movie. It would have been amazing if Mr. Wonderful had actually bitten Timothée Chalamet’s character, turning him into a vampire and making Milton’s speech literally true! It would have tied everything together so perfectly.

But A24 apparently rejected that idea immediately, according to Safdie, who shared the studio’s response when he proposed it:

[A24 said] ‘This is a mistake, right?’

I get what the studio meant – the ending is really out there, even for a film as unpredictable and chaotic as Marty Supreme. But I also understand why the director went for it. It connects to earlier themes, like the vampire monologue and the idea of leaving a mark, in a really interesting way. And honestly, given how many surprises Marty Supreme already throws at you, this feels like one final, unexpected twist that fits the movie’s style.

I was really pleased with how the story ended. It was incredibly impactful, and that’s just one of the things that makes Marty Supreme’s reviews so good.

You can now see Marty Supreme in theaters, featuring Timothée Chalamet in the performance that earned him a 2026 Golden Globe – and rest assured, there are no vampires!

Read More

2026-01-15 20:16