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The Weeknd recently opened up about the inspiration behind his upcoming film, Hurry Up Tomorrow. Set to release in the theatres on May 16, 2025, the film draws inspiration from the pop stars' real-life struggles and experiences. The film premise will see The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, play a fictionalized pop star version of himself. It follows his journey when he loses his voice on stage during a show and explores how this was a mental issue rather than a physical one.
The psychological thriller also stars Barry Keoghan and Jenny Ortega and is directed by Trey Edward Shults. It takes inspiration from multiple events and scenarios from The Weeknd's real life.
Also Read: Drake calls The Weeknd’s album a 'dud' in allegedly leaked DMs
The Weeknd opens up about his sleep paralysis ahead of the Hurry Up Tomorrow release
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In an interview with Fader, published on May 6, Abel Tesfaye sat with Trey Edward Shults as they talked about Hurry Up Tomorrow. They spoke about their preparation for the film, the inspiration, and other things.
Tesfaye opened up about his sleep paralysis, saying:
"One of the main concepts of this film is sleep paralysis. That is something that I was really dealing with, still am to this day, not as much as before, but they’re very vivid nightmares where you're in bed and you're half asleep, half awake. You're aware of your surroundings, but you can't move. You're paralyzed for almost a minute. Sometimes you see a shadowy figure in the corner and you hear voices, sweet nothings. It's saying nothing, but they're voices.
Tesfaye also mentioned that he has done his research on his sleep paralysis and found the cause as well. He explained:
"I did my research on it and it's just a lack of sleep. Your brain is still awake when you're asleep. So my biggest medicine for it is just turn your phone off, turn the TV off, turn all the lights off. And yeah, you won't get it. The irony is it's got to all be dark and scary for you to sleep through the night."
The film's main story follows Abel Tesfaye's character after he loses his voice on stage. This is also taken from real life when he lost his voice on stage in 2022 while performing at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The Weeknd's Call My Name inspired The Batman II, says Matt Reeves
In an interview with Indie Wire, published on April 18, 2025, The Batman director, Matt Reeves, had said that The Weeknd's Call My Name has inspired the sequel. He said:
“The Weeknd’s ‘Call Out My Name’ was a big inspiration for what Bruce is dealing with when we see him again.”
Released in 2018, Call My Name was part of the singer's Dear Melancholy EP. The song's video features him moving through empty streets with bats flying around at times. Reeves had also previously mentioned that The Batman II will see a heartbroken Bruce Wayne. Hence, the emotional song is perhaps a perfect match in terms of lyrics as well. Abel Tesfaye also shared a snapshot of Matt Reeves' interview on his Instagram story.
