The Ending of ‘Nightmare Alley,’ Explained

HBO Max subscribers were gifted with a bunch of new films that were added to the platform today, and one of those is Nightmare Alley. Not only that, but the movie premiered simultaneously on Hulu! Directed by legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, the remake of the 1947 original stars a long list of big name actors in a thrilling neo-noir movie that’ll make you steer clear of carnivals for the rest of your life. After you’ve breezed through the film, though, you’ll definitely have some questions about the ending. Don’t geek out: we’ve got answers.

In the film, Bradley Cooper stars as Stan, a down-on-his-luck guy who catches a break when he crosses paths with a carnival. He gets work with Zeena (Toni Collette), a psychic performer who teaches him the ropes of tricking audiences — but soon, his head gets a little too big, and he takes his sweetheart Molly (Rooney Mara) and runs to New York to create his own show.

What happens in the end of Nightmare Alley, and will there be a sequel? Let’s take a look.

What happens at the end of Nightmare Alley?

The conman is conned — more than once! After killing Grindle (Richard Jenkins) and being abandoned by his Molly, Stan heads to Lilith’s (Cate Blanchett) office to collect his money. At least he’s got a wad of cash coming his way, right? Wrong. Lilith scams him, running off with all the money they had previously agreed to split.

So, basically: Stan’s back to square one, by the end of Nightmare Alley. He’s jobless, homeless, and, thanks to Lilith, an alcoholic. He stumbles into the carnival, begging the boss (Tim Blake Nelson) for a job as a mentalist, his specialty. He gets an offer, but it’s only temporary: “until we can find a real geek,” the boss explains.

When the boss asks if Stan’s up for it, he realizes what’s about to happen. “Mister, I was born for it,” he replies.

What does the ending of Nightmare Alley mean?

Is the job as the geek really temporary? Nope. In the beginning of the movie, Clem (Willem Dafoe) explains to Stan that they lure geeks in by telling them it’s just a temporary job. Then, they get them addicted to opium, and only offer up that opium by forcing the geeks to break chickens’ necks for a live audience.

Even though we don’t see it, that’s what’s in the cards for B. Coop. He’s about to become a full-blown geek.

Will there be a sequel to Nightmare Alley?

Probably not, no. The original 1947 film didn’t have a sequel, and both are based on one book. It’s pretty safe to say that ending is our final answer on Nightmare Alley.

Where is Nightmare Alley streaming? How to watch Nightmare Alley:

As of today, Nightmare Alley is streaming on HBO Max AND Hulu. Basically, if you’ve got a streaming service that starts with an “H” you are good to go.

Where to watch Nightmare Alley