Longlegs Ending Explained: Maika Monroe & Oz Perkins Interview (SPOILERS)

[Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for Longlegs.]

If you were in the market for a nightmarish film that would burrow its way into your brain and leave an evil smoke-filled orb there, you got just that via Longlegs. Yes, Oz Perkins’ latest is a mighty satisfying sinister mystery, but it’s also one that leaves you with questions that are tough to shake. Questions like, what exactly happens to someone when their doll and orb are shattered? What does the future hold for Maika Monroe’s Lee Harker after what she’s been through? Did she vanquish the evil by stopping the pattern, or will it continue to follow her forever?

In the film, Lee manages to connect the dots. Longlegs (Nicolas Cage) kills by creating dolls with a highly unusual brain, an orb that packs the power to influence those near it. But how does he get the doll into his victims’ homes? That’s where Lee’s own mother (Alicia Witt) comes in. She’s Longlegs’ accomplice. Ruth agreed to help Longlegs in exchange for Lee’s life. Posing as a nun, she delivers these deadly dolls as gifts from the church, and the next recipient on her list is Ruby, the daughter of Lee’s superior at the FBI, Agent Carter (Blair Underwood). Lee manages to save Ruby, but must kill both Agent Carter and her mother in the process. Before leaving the house, Lee attempts to shoot Ruby’s doll, but her gun doesn’t fire.

What does it mean? An eight-minute interview was nowhere near enough time to parse through it all, but Perkins and Monroe did offer up some very curious insight that’s bound to make your head spin in the best possible way. Hear it straight from them in the video above, or you can read the spoiler-filled interview in the transcript below.

#longlegs #spoiler #interview #neon #movie

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[Polymorphia]

Excellent interview(!) and I am so, so glad to see Perkins getting the kind of attention and appreciation that he's always deserved. I'm hoping the success of this film will give studios the confidence to invest in and support his future projects and give him the freedom to simply do his own thing. His name deserves a place with other strong voices in the genre such as Aster, Eggers and Flanagan.

[thomastorres]

I took the name Longlegs to mean it's what a serpent would call itself in human form because serpent = no legs. If serpent gots legs serpent say I got longlegs. He says at the beginning "Today I wore my long legs"

[nugget_rave]

I was so disturbed after watching that movie, but I also kept thinking about how brilliantly the movie was made to create that feeling of unease. This was kind of healing to watch immediately after viewing because HOLY MOLY!…

[Neverender]

I like his description of "going through the door" of Silence of the Lambs but then opening up to a different landscape. About a quarter way through this movie I was getting concerned that it was seeming pretty derivative of Silence of the Lambs, but that concern faded as the movie went on. It also bears a lot of resemblance to the film Cure, but in the end I think it settles in a good place where it is certainly a lot "like" those two movies but still new and interesting enough to be well worth a watch.

[lakenflanagan]

Wonderful interview Perri, as always! This gave more depth to an already amazing film

[seancorrigan]

Great interview. Truly unnerving film. Nicolas Cage was a trip!

[chriswakefieldmusic]

I wish for a sequel called “Longlive Longlegs” and to see her story continue

[venom]

Remembering the writer/director from the character he played in Legally Blonde, I can definitely see him making Longlegs.

[RachelCameron]

I liked the movie, however ✨spoiler alert✨




I think that it was a little short sighted to not give more background to Longlegs and how he came to be. I wanna know what happened to him to propel him towards Satanism, the black-magic balls, and the doll making. Told my husband on the way home from the movie that I really hope they make a prequel and give it more substance that way. They left it wide open for that to happen, so I hope it does. 🤞🏻

[maddyG]

I kind of wish I hadn’t heard so much about it, how scary it was, and how good it was before I went in. The expectations made it fall a little flat for me, despite loving the style and atmosphere.

[amnightmares]

I have been a big fan of his father for some time now. I feel bad that he had such a hard life. Poor Berry too. I wish Oz nothing but success. His brother Elvis too. Such a tragic history. I saw longlegs, was very good!

[versioncity]

Maikas legs in this good lord. Longlegs indeed.

[masteronionnorth]

Longlegs was pretty damn unsettling and creepy. I love Osgood's style and how he crafts horror films.

I didn't see that twist coming at all.

It kinda of blew my mind.

I wonder if Osgood will work with Maika again on anorher project. Speaking of Maika, an It Follows sequel is coming.

[pb.j.]

Perri‘s idea about Ruby is on point. I have read a version of the script in which the ending is Ruby being an adult and continuing the work dressed up as nun, bringing dolls to families.

[visualprcision]

I hope we get a sequel!!!! Psycho got a few, give Longlegs some....LONGLEGS!

[sherlock.]

I just saw it, and I wish I could’ve changed ONE thing about it. (*Spoiler alert*)







I think Lee’s mother should’ve been the one taken into custody and kills herself in front of Lee, THEN Longlegs is still the main threat through to the end. She could’ve found him in the downstairs of her mom’s house, or at Agent Carter’s house during the birthday party. Imagine Longlegs sitting on that couch with them.

Basically, we didn’t get enough of Longlegs. We didn’t see him do anything. I think killing him off in the climax was wasted potential, and it should’ve been a switcheroo with the mom which would’ve been more traumatizing for Lee. And more traumatizing for us to see her still trying to catch Longlegs and dealing with him up close! They needed more interaction to fulfill the connection between them. It fell flat when he was removed. The mom was a giveaway to me too. She looked, acted and sounded like she was part of it. A lot of ppl had issues with the ending, but that would’ve been my solution.

They also caught Longlegs way too easily, and without explanation. Where was he going? Why was he waiting for a ride when he had a car? How did the cops find him on that random ass road? It was a big plot hole. Movie could’ve at least been longer to compensate that.

But still, such a well-crafted thriller with a unique story and realistic, unsettling atmosphere. I enjoyed it.

[HunterAMTV]

absolutely loved this movie. going to see it again this week.

[RAZR_Channel]

The 2nd Shot from Lee's Mom is Perfect...

[justingreen]

Ok so hear me thing could be a franchise.

The guys giving her the psychic test are actually a organization studying the supernatural and they recruit Harper to help in all the supernatural cases.

Mr. Downstairs is always the lead antagonist but each movie has a different "monster of the week" villain.

And we just get six or seven movies of Maika being socially awkward while solving case after case. Take my damn money.

[maegn]

"Old father long-legs, can't say his prayers, take him by the left leg, and throw him down the stairs."
You trying to tell me that Osgood Perkins never read Goosey Goose Gander? :D