Why Dylan O’Brien Is Trending Right Now: New Project Tease, Viral Fan Reactions & What’s Next

Dylan O’Brien is back in the spotlight thanks to “Twinless,” the darkly funny Sundance winner that officially hit U.S. theaters on 5 September 2025 via Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. Early box-office estimates put the indie drama on course for the strongest limited-release opening of O’Brien’s career, buoyed by rabid fan interest on social media and glowing festival word of mouth. Playing both Roman and Rocky, estranged identical twins whose bond is tested by grief and guilt, O’Brien delivers what critics are calling the “finest outing” of his career. The actor’s show-stopping one-take hotel-room monologue—captured in a single three-minute shot—has gone viral on X and TikTok, driving fresh audiences to arthouse screens nationwide. Twinless’ path to release was anything but smooth. Writer-director James Sweeney and producer David Permut shopped the script for years before securing financing, with most studios balking at the film’s morally messy characters. O’Brien, already attached as star and executive producer, refused to dilute the story’s edgier beats—an artistic gamble now paying dividends. At Sundance the picture clinched both the Dramatic Audience Award and a special jury prize for O’Brien’s dual performance, instantly making it one of 2025’s must-see indies. Not all the buzz has been positive. Last week an unauthorized clip of an intimate scene between O’Brien and co-star Aisling Franciosi leaked online, prompting the 33-year-old to vent his frustration during a New York Q&A: “Stop doing that—it affects us, it affects the movie.” The controversy only amplified chatter around “Twinless,” pushing the hashtag #DylanOBrienTwinless past 120 million views on TikTok within 24 hours. What’s next for the former “Maze Runner” lead? O’Brien reunites with Zoey Deutch in Jan Komasa’s high-stakes thriller “Anniversary,” slated for a late-October rollout, before heading to uncharted territory opposite Rachel McAdams in Sam Raimi’s desert-island comedy “Send Help” (January 2026). Between those projects and a rumored streaming miniseries adaptation of the comic “Descender,” the New Jersey native has engineered one of Hollywood’s most eclectic post-YA careers. For now, though, “Twinless” remains the headline. With near-universal critical praise, a Cannes-caliber acting turn and a built-in fandom eager for adult material, Dylan O’Brien has catapulted from teen-franchise heart-throb to bona fide awards contender—proving that audiences will still show up for original storytelling when a trusted star leads the way.