Strange Darling

Strange Darling is a 2023 American psychological crime thriller film written and directed by JT Mollner. The film stars Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Madisen Beaty, Steven Michael Quezada, Ed Begley Jr., and Barbara Hershey. Set in rural Oregon, it follows a man (Gallner) and woman (Fitzgerald) who have a one-night stand that devolves into a cat-and-mouse game of murder. It is divided into six chapters in nonlinear order. Principal photography began in Portland, Oregon on August 22, 2022, and concluded on October 1. The film marked the cinematographic debut of Giovanni Ribisi, who also served as one of the producers, and was shot on 35 mm film. Strange Darling premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 22, 2023, and was theatrically released in the United States on August 23, 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the cinematography and the performances of the cast. Despite this, it was a box office failure, grossing $4.8 million against its $4–10 million production budget.