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Hurry Up Tomorrow, the 2025 psychological thriller directed by Trey Edward Shults based on the eponymous album by The Weeknd, has sparked widespread discussion since its release, especially on Reddit. The film follows Dante, a pop star played by The Weeknd, who navigates fame, identity, and memory loss after a traumatic event.
A Reddit post on r/TheWeeknd has gone viral for using Jungian psychology to explain Dante's descent into his subconscious, claiming the protagonist confronts his shadow self in an internal battle that plays out on screen.
The viral comment, written by a user claiming to be a psychologist, offers an in-depth breakdown of Carl Jung’s model of the psyche, which includes archetypes such as the ego, persona, anima, shadow, and the self. The user argues that each of these archetypes is personified in the film. One of the central takeaways is the quote:
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"the only person he could not convince that his hedonistic lifestyle was a positive was himself, and he finally reaches a breaking point."
This suggests that the character’s inner conflict stems from unresolved elements of his own identity.
Hurry Up Tomorrow explores Jungian archetypes and subconscious memory
According to the viral Reddit post, Hurry Up Tomorrow directly references Carl Jung’s The Red Book, establishing its psychological framework. The character Anima is interpreted as the anima archetype, representing the emotional and spiritual feminine side of the male psyche.
She moves between the roles of lover and mother figure, reflecting internal conflict. Lee is associated with the persona archetype, symbolizing how Dante wants to be seen by the world. This constructed identity clashes with Anima, indicating a disconnection between his public image and internal truth.
The shadow archetype is represented through scenes of emotional collapse and symbolic flashbacks, like Dante’s childhood and the burning house, which are seen as expressions of repressed parts of his psyche. These moments occur when Dante’s persona breaks down, bringing hidden elements to the surface. Abrupt scene transitions and recurring motifs, such as mirrors and fire, are also interpreted as visual representations of the subconscious and fragmented memory.
The Reddit post explains that the Hurry Up Tomorrow’s internal focus is emphasized by the absence of external conflict. All action and change occur within Dante, or Abel, as he is named in the post. The film does not show many interactions with others, reinforcing that its subject is introspection.
According to IMDb, the film is structured as a non-linear psychological journey. Billboard confirms Lionsgate acquired its global distribution rights based on high engagement.
Everything we know about Hurry Up Tomorrow
Since its premiere, Hurry Up Tomorrow has generated attention for its narrative structure, psychological themes, and musical integration. The film is a 2025 American musical psychological thriller directed and edited by Trey Edward Shults. It was co-written by Shults, Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim, and serves as a companion piece to Tesfaye’s sixth studio album of the same name.
Starring The Weeknd in his first feature film role, the story follows Abel, a musician suffering from a breakdown who embarks on a surreal, internal journey after losing his voice mid-performance. Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan also appear in the cast as Anima and Lee, pivotal figures representing different aspects of Abel’s psyche.
Hurry Up Tomorrow was produced by Tesfaye, Fahim, Kevin Turen, and Harrison Kreiss under Manic Phase and Live Nation Productions, and it features original music by Tesfaye and Daniel Lopatin. Shot on 35mm, 16mm, and Super 8 film, the cinematography was led by Chayse Irvin. The film’s development was inspired by a real-life incident during The Weeknd’s 2022 tour when he lost his voice on stage.
Lionsgate acquired the global distribution rights, and Hurry Up Tomorrow is scheduled to release theatrically in the U.S. on May 16, 2025.
