Obsession has become, in many ways, one of the biggest movies of the year, and one that came out of left field for so many—including star Inde Naverette, whose life has changed so dramatically that she's become a founding member of the X-Men in the MCU. The key premise of Obsession follows the idea of a wish gone wrong, a very relatable idea, and one that Fantastic Fest's Pathetic Fallacy also explores in its own, surreal way.
Pathetic Fallacy, which just premiered at Fantastic Fest 2026 (and doesn't yet have a wide release date), tells the deep love story of Asher (Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi) and Iris (Jessica Rothe, who also starred in Fantastic Fest's Beware Boiúna). Unfortunately for them, however, their romance is cut short when Iris passes away from cancer.
Consumed by the grief and rage of losing the love of his life, Asher finds himself in a mountain town called Samdi, which promises to have the cosmic answers to bring her back to him. All he has to do is make a wish to a talking brain spider—what could possibly go wrong?
In a series of interviews, The Direct spoke with Pathetic Fallacy stars Jessica Rothe and Natasha Lyonne, alongside director Adam Morimer and writers Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, to discuss why the wish-gone-wrong narrative trope is so beloved in horror, and why this movie needed to be so insanely surreal.
Why 'Obsession' and 'Pathetic Fallacy' Use the Wish-Gone-Wrong Trope
"Everyone Has Made Those Wishes In Their Mind."
- The Direct: "Given Obsession's popularity, you know, stories of wishes gone wrong, why do you think that concept is so popular and makes for like the perfect narrative for what you're trying to do?
Jessica Rothe: I think the really cool thing about a wish gone wrong is that everyone has made those wishes in their mind. We've all sat and daydreamed about the most beautiful, wonderful ways that our lives could have unfolded, and we know that when we've experienced great loss or when we're disappointed, how devastating that feels.
The actor noted that the idea of being able to change things to get that desired outcome, especially one that can correct something tragic, is an incredibly relatable desire for audiences.
Rothe: And so, to give audiences a glimmer, just that hope of capturing that thing that you really want-it's so seductive, and everyone, I think, can relate to that. And that's why movies like 'Obsession' hit so hard, because everyone's made that wish, and then to watch it just spiral out of control is incredibly intoxicating and gratifying, but also horrifying.
Adam Egypt Mortimer: Humans have so much imagination that we're constantly—We probably spend more time living in like what would have happened, what could have happened, what I wish would happen, what I hope. Oh no, did that happen? Like, think about every time you're in the shower, you're in like a multiverse of alternate realities, right?
The director went on to explain how, especially in the face of something traumatic like the death of a loved one, everyone tends to end up in the same spot: wondering what possible magic change in the universe will make everything better.
Mortimer: So I think, especially when something really horrible happens, like the death of a loved one, or the impending death of a loved one, all you can think about is, what can I do? How can I change something? Is there some magic that could come true?
"The ability to imagine what if all of the laws of the universe changed just for [you]" is a "really powerful, unique thing for our species," Mortimer acknowledged.
Mortimer: I think that's like a really powerful, unique thing for our species in this world, is the ability to imagine what if all of the laws of the universe changed just for me, so I could get what I want. And of course, if the laws of the universe change, then all kinds of shit's going to get messed up, which is why I think we keep winding back up with be careful about
Natasha Lyonne: Well, I guess we all have a fantasy that if we just had that one thing we think was supposed to go right, it would all make sense. Turns out, maybe it wasn't for us after all. You know, wish fulfillment.
Andrew Barrer: People can accept it as a way into fantasy. It's just a buy-in, really. You know, once you make that wish, people are going to go wherever you take them.
Gabriel Ferrari: Our generation and the generation below us are getting used to the idea of everything being within easy reach. You can have everything you want, and I think that we're starting to sort of question whether or not that makes us happy. So maybe that's part of it. I don't know. It's a, it's definitely zeitgeisty.
All of our red carpet interviews at Fantastic Fest 2026 with the cast and filmmakers behind Pathetic Fallacy can be enjoyed here:
Why 'Pathetic Fallacy' Is So Intensely Surreal
Adam Egypt Mortimer Wanted to Provide a "Crazy Immersive Way" to Experience This Story.
- The Direct: "Can you guys both talk about just how surreal it is, but also why that is so important to the experience?"
Adam Egypt Mortimer: When you face the reality of somebody close to you dying, it puts you into a headspace that's totally insane, and so I wanted to create this tone that was about the emotional truth of going through that, but visualize it and experience it in this like crazy immersive way, where it feels like your whole world is melting down, and the walls are melting, and animals are talking, and voices are telling you to kill. And I think like what I'm always interested in is the emotional truth is real, and that is represented through something completely insane.
Natasha Lyonne: It's true that I think we all do a lot of work in this world to make it seem like there's something big to win and achieving normal, as if you can get there, or as if anybody is there at all ever... I always believe that we'd be wise as a society to kind of embrace the fact that things are a little bit existential and surreal for all of us.
Lyonne went on to elaborate on her fondness for narrative media, addressing the existential situation that is life itself.
Lyonne: It's sort of baked into the DNA of existence itself. Given that we all die at the end of each of our own movies, and yet the stakes feel so absurdly high at all times. Like, oh no, did I get a text message back? It's like we're gonna die. Yeah. So it's a funny thing that we try to make it seem like, well, what's the big deal? Do you want a Starbucks? I was like, the big deal is I don't know what the meaning of life is. I think that is actually how most people feel. So, I'm sort of a fan of anything that addresses that, especially when it's done well.
Our full interview with Pathetic Fallacy director Adam Egypt Mortimer and star Natasha Lyonne can be watched below.
