The planned conclusion for Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet, originally included the character Marty Mauser transforming into a vampire, a concept that was ultimately removed by the film’s distributor A24. Writer-director Josh Safdie revealed during a podcast interview that an early version of the story took a fantastical turn, with a pivotal scene set during a Tears for Fears concert in the 1980s where Kevin O’Leary’s character turns an older Marty into a vampire. This surprising twist was scrapped due to concerns from A24 and others involved in the film.
How the Vampire Twist Emerged During Development
Josh Safdie, who also co-wrote the film with Ronald Bronstein, discussed the origin of this unusual ending while talking with Sean Baker on the A24 podcast. Safdie explained that initial conversations with Kevin O’Leary, who plays Milton Rockwell, inspired the idea of turning Marty into a vampire as a symbolic and supernatural conclusion. O’Leary’s character was envisioned as ageless, and the image of him biting Marty’s neck was intended to close the film.
You’re on his eyes — we built the prosthetics for Timmy and everything — and Mr. Wonderful shows up behind him and takes a bite out of his neck,
Safdie said.
That was the last image of the movie.
The film’s creators toyed with the idea for some time, but the vampire ending eventually proved too unconventional for the final cut. As Safdie noted,
“I remember A24 and everyone was like, ‘This is a mistake, right?’ You might think it is.”
A Detailed Vision for the Story’s Final Moments
Safdie elaborated on the original ending’s setting and narrative shift. The story was to leap forward to the 1980s, showing Marty as a wealthy man who had transformed the shoe store he worked at into a thriving franchise, though he never achieved his dream of becoming a ping pong legend. At a Tears for Fears concert in 1987, Marty would take his granddaughter to see the band perform, providing a moment of reflection on his life and ambitions.
During the concert, Marty would encounter Milton Rockwell once again, a meeting charged with symbolic meaning and culminating in the vampire transformation. The use of the song
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
served as a thematic link between Marty’s experiences and the larger cultural backdrop of the decades.
The 80s were a very interesting time, the beginning of postmodernism. They were revisiting the opulence and prosperity of the 50s. The culture was — ‘Back to the Future’ was literally the 80s going back to the 50s,
Safdie reflected.
I’m like, ‘Oh, this could all tie it all together.’
I can’t believe I’m saying this,
Safdie added with a laugh, describing the sheer improbability of the vampire concept within the story.
How the Final Film Keeps Hints of the Supernatural
Though the outright vampire ending was abandoned, elements of this idea still remain in the released version of Marty Supreme. The film closes with the Tears for Fears track
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
, but set inside a 1950s hospital instead of a concert hall. Additionally, Kevin O’Leary’s character delivers a line in the third act saying,
I was born in 1601. I’m a vampire,
which in the absence of the supernatural finale comes off as dramatic boasting rather than a literal statement.
Interestingly, Safdie revealed that the vampire comment originated with O’Leary himself during early discussions. The actor, known for his business acumen, proposed the line as a way to characterize Milton Rockwell’s mindset.
We were meeting with him and we were trying to figure out, ‘How would Kevin O’Leary react to this kid saying to him that money doesn’t matter to him, there are other things that are more important, this is fate in front of him?’
Safdie recalled.
(O’Leary) goes, ‘I would never do anything that could ever implicate me in any other way, so I would use the dark arts.’
The Importance of This Cut for the Film’s Tone
The removal of the vampire ending illustrates a key tension between the film’s high-energy, surreal elements and the emotional resolution the filmmakers aimed for. While the supernatural idea offered a striking “zag” that would have dramatically altered the story’s conclusion, its exclusion allowed Marty Supreme to end on a more grounded, cathartic note.
By keeping subtle supernatural hints without fully embracing the concept, the film balances the eccentric personality of Marty Mauser with the real-world struggles and reflections that define his journey. This decision ultimately shapes the audience’s experience, grounding the story while still nodding to its more bizarre origins.
