James Sweeney has responded to Twinless’ gay sex scene leaking on social media.
On 5 September, US moviegoers were finally treated to the highly anticipated dark comedy-drama.
Written and directed by Sweeney, Twinless follows two young men, Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (Sweeney), who meet at a support group for people who have lost their twin. As they bond over their shared circumstance, the pair form an unlikely – and intense – friendship.
The synopsis adds: “Roman and Dennis both search for solace and an identity without their other halves and soon become inseparable outside the group. But when Roman meets Dennis’ ebullient co-worker Marcie, all is revealed to be not what it seems, as each man harbours secrets that could unravel everything.”
Since its release, Twinless has received a certified 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has also earned rave reviews for its clever comedic moments, shocking plot twists and exploration of grief and friendship.
However, before hitting cinemas and receiving critical acclaim, the film went viral in February, following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. At the time, a graphic sex scene between O’Brien and Sweeney’s characters circulated on X/Twitter.
The unexpected leak resulted in Twinless being removed from the Sundance website.
While the film organisation slammed the individuals responsible, Sweeney refrained from making a statement on the copyright infringement… until now.
In a recent interview with Deadline, the director opened up about his reaction to the piracy situation, revealing that it wasn’t the way he had wanted to break into the festival scene.
“You want the film to have traction and to register in the zeitgeist. Obviously, that’s not the way I want to be introduced as somebody who is not going to be familiar to most people,” he explained.
“Over the festival circuit, I would run into some people who’d be like, ‘Oh my God, Twinless, I saw your trailer.’ I’m like, ‘The trailer is not done. I know what you saw, that wasn’t the trailer.’
While Sweeney hasn’t let the leak get him down, he did share a cheeky message to the individuals responsible for sharing the clip.
“So, you know, I’m trying to keep a good sense of humour about it. All I can say is those pervs better show up and pay money to see it in theaters,” he told the news outlet.
Twinless is now playing in US theatres. As of this writing, an international release date for the film has not been announced.
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