“Dreams gone wild”:Fans react as The Weeknd says sleep paralysis inspired his new film Hurry Up Tomorrow

The Weeknd has recently revealed the inspiration behind his upcoming movie, Hurry Up Tomorrow. The Weeknd has long established himself as one of the greatest singers of our generation, and the upcoming movie will showcase his transition from music to the big screen. The Grammy-winning star plays a character who is loosely based on himself in the movie, and in an interview with The Fader, he recently opened up on the role Sleep Paralysis plays in the movie:

"There are no antagonists in this film. I think that sleep paralysis is the enemy. 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"

He then went on to add:

"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 Weeknd's statement brought to light the struggles he has faced throughout his life, and Hurry Up Tomorrow's plot also reflects those. While the news brought out the vulnerable side in some, others took to expressing their delight at the impending release of the film.

One fan quipped:

"Dreams gone wild!"

Another wrote:

"Sleep paralysis + abel’s twisted brain + jenna ortega in the mix?? yeah I won’t be sleeping either"

Yet another fan expressed his excitement for the movie by saying:

"Sleep paralysis and a film? This is going to be crazy fr!!"

Another fan found a silver lining within the movie's plot:

"Sleep paralysis but make it a feature film, spicy concept might steal that idea for my thesis"

The statements also made their way over to social media and prompted some fans to share struggles of their own:

One fan commented:

"Like a night demon sitting on your chest that only you can see, hear and feel. my entire teens was filled with night terrors and paralysis - looking forward to this film"

Another fan shared:

"Sleep paralysis isn’t just a glitch; it’s a gateway. The moment between worlds when your body is frozen but your consciousness slips into the in-between. The fact that The Weeknd is tapping into that says a lot about what’s coming through the veil..."

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While The Weeknd's comments stirred debates throughout social media, they also did a really good job of building anticipation for the movie. Although The Weeknd is no stranger to starring in movies, his role, being rooted in his real-life struggles with Sleep Paralysis, adds a personal touch to the movie and is one of his most anticipated projects yet.

Hurry Up Tomorrow also stars Jenna Ortega in a prominent role and is set to release in theatres on May 16, 2025.

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