Damian Mc Carthy’s 2024 movie Oddity has been a spectacular treat for horror movie fans this year. Its bone-chilling plot with a twist at the end made the Irish thriller an incredible inclusion in the beloved genre. However, some viewers have expressed confusion over the ending and want it explained. They are seeking clarity over what actually happened to the lead characters in the end.
In a recent interview, director Damian Mc Carthy explained the movie’s ending and broke down the final twist.
What happened to Dani and Ted at the end of Oddity?
The twist at the end of the movie revealed that it was actually Ted, played by Gwilym Lee, who chalked out the plan for his wife Dani’s murder. The film follows Darcy, Dani’s twin sister and a clairvoyant who is determined to find out who murdered her sister. She goes as far as to kill the original suspect, Olin, whom she later realized was truly innocent. Using her psychometric powers and a wooden mannequin, Darcy came to know of Ted’s crime and confronted him.
Ted had recruited Ivan, an orderly from the psychiatric hospital where Ted works, to kill Dani. He again sent Ivan to kill Darcy as well but he is instead terrorized by the wooden mannequin that Darcy had animated using her powers. Ted also lets out a cannibal to kill Ivan to make sure that the truth dies with him. As the viewers begin to believe that Ted will get away with his crimes, another satisfying twist shatters that notion.
One day, as Ted returns home from work, he finds a package delivered from Darcy’s oddities shop. The box revealed a concierge bell, which Darcy had once explained to him was haunted by the malevolent spirit of a bellhop. Ignoring the warning, Ted rings the bell, not knowing that the spirit is indeed coming for him. The final scene cuts away, hinting at Ted’s demise.
Commenting on the twist, Damian Mc Carthy stated, “It’s just his own arrogance [that] led to his demise…He’s gotten away with everything; he just can’t help himself. So, I like to think he’s definitely dead. If the film were another 40 seconds long, maybe we’d see the bellboy tear him apart.” (Source: The Direct)
Is Oddity based on a true story or book?
No, Oddity is not based on any book or a real story. Some reports suggest that the director took inspiration from horror tropes that he admires. The Jewish folklore of the golem inspires the wooden mannequin that plays a pivotal role in the movie. A golem is an inanimate being made mostly from clay or mud that can be brought to life.
As for choosing Ted as the unexpected villain, Mc Carthy stated, “It felt like that classic mystery of, it’s the husband; the husband is always the killer and doing these things. So it just felt like the right choice.”
