Opus ending explained: What happened to Ariel?

Opus is a 2025 American thriller film marking the directorial debut of Mark Anthony Green, who has also penned the screenplay. Starring Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich, the A24 film explores the themes of toxic fandom, delving into the dark side of celebrity culture.

Disclaimer: The following article contains the author’s opinion and spoilers from Opus. Reader’s discretion is advised.

The story of Opus revolves around a young journalist Ariel who gets invited to the coming out of retirement party of 90’s pop star Alfred Moretti, who is about to launch his first album in 30 years. Ariel and her boss Stan are among the six people who get invited to the private event. The others are talk show host Clara, influencer Emily, paparazzi Bianca, and radio shock jock Bill.

While Ariel arrives hoping to get a big story to propel her career, she is the first to notice the troubling signs with Moretti and his cult of Levelists. The situation of the guests rapidly deteriorates, as they are killed off one by one, leaving Ariel as the sole survivor.

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Explaining the ending of Opus

As Ariel (Ayo Edebiri) becomes aware of the imminent danger to herself and the guests at the hands of Moretti’s cult, she wants to leave the star’s compound. However, she is forced to stay back for a puppet performance titled ‘The Tragedy of Billie,’ where rotting stuffed rats interrogate a puppet of Billie Holiday. In the course of the show, the other guests are attacked and some of them are killed, and Ariel tries to make her escape.

Soon apprehended, Ariel wakes up tied to a chair with Clara, and they watch Moretti and the Levelists attempt mass suicide by drinking cyanide laced champagne. Clara is forced to partake in the ritual, but a sympathetic cult member frees Ariel before she can be forced to drink. She manages to escape the compound and returns the following morning with police.

They discover Moretti playing the piano with the lifess bodies of the other guests arranged on the ground. He is imprisoned as a result, but the members of his cult remain undiscovered. Ariel goes on to write a book detailing the night’s event which goes on to become popular, earning her the fame she sought.

However, the twist in the tale comes two years later, when Moretti wishes to see Ariel from prison. When she arrives, he tells her that she survived that night by design, as Moretti wanted to take revenge specifically on those who had previously wronged him. His plan was to facilitate her escape, hoping she would write about her experience so that the Levelists could gain more visibility.

Moretti’s war has been against those who criticize artists and stifle creativity. With Ariel’s book, his message has reached a wider audience, and he thanks her for it. He also informs her that the Levelists survive, spreading his teachings and gathering more followers while hiding in plain sight.

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What was the objective of the Levelists in film Opus?

The Levelists cult led by Moretti plays a central role in Opus, yet their ultimate agenda is never clearly spelled out in the course of the film. Nevertheless, Moretti’s adoration for unadulterated artistic vision suggest that the cult is focused on aesthetics and perfection.

At his listening party, Moretti tells Ariel and Stan how everyone can slowly work towards perfection. He further claims that when achieved, artistic perfection can fleetingly transform people into Gods, as he experienced himself through some of his songs. The conversation highlights the value Moretti, and by extension the Levelists, attach to art and its expressions.

In the epilogue of Opus, Moretti reveals to Ariel that the Levelists continue to thrive in secret, and that her book has helped them to spread their word to the world. It signifies their desire of global acceptance and their ambition of restructuring the present hegemony.

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Opus is currently running in theaters since March 14, 2025.