Marty Supreme Nearly Ended With a Bizarre Vampire Twist

Josh Safdie has let slip that the now-famous line,

“I was born in 1601,”

from Marty Supreme, might not have been just a throwaway gag. In a chat with Sean Baker on the A24 Podcast (as reported by The Playlist), Safdie described a scrapped finale that would have seen Timothée Chalamet’s character on the receiving end of a vampire bite from none other than Kevin O’Leary.

Safdie explained,

“You’re on his eyes, we built the prosthetic for Timmy and everything, and Mr. Wonderful shows up behind him and takes a bite out of his neck, and that was the last thing in the movie.”

The team had even gone as far as preparing special effects for Chalamet, ready to pull off the supernatural twist. The idea was to cap off the film with a moment that would have left punters gobsmacked.

Hints of the Supernatural

For those who’ve seen the film, there’s a memorable exchange where Milton Rockwell, played by O’Leary, tells Chalamet’s Marty Mauser,

“I was born in 1601. I’m a vampire. I’ve been around forever.”

On the surface, it sounds like he’s just taking the mickey, using the line to show he’s not rattled by Marty’s antics and to warn him off. The film itself doesn’t dabble in magic or fantasy, so most viewers likely took it as a bit of dry humour or a metaphor for Milton’s unflappable nature.

Still, given how unpredictable and at times downright absurd the film can be (in the best possible way), it wouldn’t have been a massive stretch if Milton’s claim had turned out to be true. The original ending would have pushed the story into completely new territory, blending sports drama with a dash of the supernatural.

Behind the Scenes and Inspiration

Safdie directed the film from a script he co-wrote with Ronald Bronstein. The story is loosely inspired by the life of Marty Reisman, a table tennis legend who made his name in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The film follows the ups and downs of Marty Mauser, with Chalamet in the lead role.

Chalamet himself has called this his “best performance” so far, and plenty of locals seem to agree. The film’s blend of high-stakes sport, offbeat characters, and unexpected moments has made it a standout in cinemas. The now-axed vampire ending would have added another layer of surprise to an already wild ride.

What Could Have Been

Marty Supreme is currently showing in cinemas, drawing crowds keen to see what all the fuss is about. While the final cut sticks to its gritty, grounded tone, the revelation about the original ending has sparked plenty of chat among fans. It’s a reminder that even the most down-to-earth stories can take a sharp left turn in the editing room.

For those looking ahead, there’s a heap of much-hyped films on the horizon for 2025 and beyond. But for now, Marty Supreme’s near-miss with the supernatural is sure to keep film buffs talking.