This summer’s surprise box office breakout, “Obsession,” left plenty of viewers stunned — and many are still wondering what becomes of Nikki (Inde Navarrette), the film’s apparent lone survivor who seems destined for prison by the final scene. If you’ve been looking for clarity, our video breaks down her ending and fills in the missing pieces. Click above to see exactly what happens to Nikki.
In “Obsession,” Baron “Bear” Bailey (Michael Johnston) sets the nightmare in motion when he uses a novelty item known as a One Wish Willow to make Nikki — the girl he likes, who sees him only as a friend — love him more than anyone else. The wish works too well. Nikki’s affection spirals into dangerous fixation, prompting a panicked Bear to buy another One Wish Willow in hopes of reversing the damage. But there’s a catch: the curse can only be undone by someone else’s wish or by Bear’s death. After Nikki kills their two closest friends in a violent outburst, Bear attempts to stop the madness by overdosing on pills. He quickly regrets the decision, but it’s too late. As he dies, Nikki uses the One Wish Willow herself, wishing for Bear to love her with the same absolute devotion.
Once Bear dies, Nikki’s spell is finally broken. Her true self comes rushing back, leaving her horrified by the carnage around her. Surrounded by three dead bodies, she can do little more than scream. Director Curry Barker told Cinemablend that Nikki’s future is grim: “She probably goes to jail. She’s probably going to prison for a very long time.”
Fans searching for more stories in the world of “Obsession” may want to temper expectations for a direct sequel centered on Nikki. Barker has said he isn’t interested in making a straightforward follow-up. Instead, he’s more intrigued by the idea of expanding “Obsession” into an anthology TV series. Speaking to GamesRadar, he said, “What really is exciting to me [would be doing] an anthology, like a one-hour episode. Each episode is a different wish that goes completely off the rails.” Barker added that while he’d love to helm the pilot, he’d also welcome other filmmakers into the universe.
Barker also acknowledged, with a laugh, that the very existence of the One Wish Willow creates a massive plot hole. As he told GamesRadar, if the object truly works in this world and people are making wishes constantly, reality would likely be far stranger — “dragons would exist,” for example. Even so, that loose thread could become an opportunity if future creators take on the concept. For a closer look at Nikki’s fate and what it all means, check out the video above.
An Obsession sequel might happen, but it probably won’t follow Nikki
Focus Features
There are certainly other movies to watch if you like “Obsession,” but if you’re hoping to learn what happens to Nikki via an “Obsession” follow-up, don’t hold your breath: Curry Barker has no interest in a direct spin-off. Instead, he’d like to possibly turn the “Obsession” brand into an anthology TV series. “What really is exciting to me [would be doing] an anthology, like a one-hour episode,” he told GamesRadar. “Each episode is a different wish that goes completely off the rails.” While Barker said that he’d love to direct the pilot, he’d be very open to allowing other directors to play in his universe.
Barker did laughingly admit that the existence of One Wish Willow is a huge plot hole in and of itself. “If the One Wish Willow actually works, which it does in this lore, and people are just making wishes left and right, there would be some crazy … like, dragons would exist, right?” he added to GamesRadar. While Barker acknowledges the gaffe, perhaps the next director — or directors — will figure out a way to make it work. Want to learn more about Nikki’s fate? Click our video above.
