This 2025 Thriller Is a Terrifying Must-See Examination of Obsessive Fan Culture

Fandom may have always existed in some form or another, but these communities have certainly grown more toxic in recent years due to the abundance of information on the Internet. Although it may be in the best interest of a potential celebrity to share details of their personal life with strangers, as it could boost their career goals, the consequence is that strangers may begin to feel like they’ve developed a legitimate relationship. Descriptions of “toxic fandom” may genuinely revolve around mean-spirited comments or cyberbullying, but the new thriller Lurker shows just how dangerous celebrity obsessiveness can get.

Lurker is certainly not the first modern depiction of the relationship between dedicated fans and unwitting artists, but it is certainly the most mature. HBO’s The Idol dropped any legitimate social criticism in favor of shocking content, and Todd Phillips’ Oscar-winning Joker was too much of a carbon copy of Martin Scorsese’s King of Comedy to be judged as an individual entity. Lurker is the rare film that finds sympathy for both participants in a toxic relationship, and explores how an unhealthy celebrity culture has placed them in an uncomfortable situation. Even if this story of ambition and ego is timeless, Lurker finds particular relevance in its exploration of the repercussions of social media.

What Is ‘Lurker’ About?

Lurker follows retail worker Matthew (Théodore Pellerin), who befriends the rising star musician Oliver (Archie Madekwe) after a chance encounter at his place of employment; although many of Oliver’s fans overwhelm him with questions, Matthew is able to win his affection by pretending to be oblivious to his fame. Lurker becomes a thriller as Matthew gets closer to Oliver, and begins working on music videos for his upcoming act. Although he faces stiff resistance from Oliver’s close circle of friends, Matthew has convinced himself that he is a trusted ally who has valuable insights on a potential career. The extent to which Matthew has deluded himself becomes clear when Oliver attempts to cast him out of his life; now feeling both dejected and aggravated, Matthew launches into a sinister plan to ensure that Oliver will never force him out again.

What’s most disturbing about Lurker is that the film does not feel particularly unrealistic in showing how a dynamic like this could come into existence. Matthew is able to gather information about Oliver through social media, and has begun to learn enough about his preferences, goals, and history to simulate an actual conversation. However, Matthew is also only exposed to the version of Oliver that he has presented publicly, which represents only a fraction of who he is. It’s an effective way to satirize the manipulation that is involved in the rise of a celebrity, as even artists that claim to be completely humble and pure have orchestrated a careful media plan in order to make themselves as endearing as possible to the largest possible audience. The consequence is that Oliver has shown just enough about himself for Matthew to feel like they had an actual connection, and now begins to feel ownership over him and his work. Lurker is also a film about young people who, for better or worse, have made their online personas an important part of their lives and careers; there may be much larger films from larger studios that have attempted to visualize social media, but Lurker is a more profound examination of the crude, and often dehumanizing effects that it overuse has had on an entire generation of impressionable youths.

‘Lurker’ Examines the Dark Side of Fan Culture

Lurker explores the challenges that celebrities and artists have in choosing how to present themselves online. Due to the way that fandoms work, artists may be compelled to frame themselves as being relatable, which draws in fans like Matthew who feel like he can sympathize. Even if Oliver has been strategic in what aspects of his life he is withholding, Matthew still feels entitled to this information, as he feels that he is owed something based on his many years of dedication. Although there was the potential for this to feel like a very cheesy story of heroes and villains, Lurker is able to find sympathetic traits in both characters. Oliver may be ignorant and not particularly skilled as a musician, but he is willing to evolve his work, and does appear willing to take suggestions about self-improvement. Despite how deceitful and self-centered he ends up being, Matthew is ultimately not trying to steal Oliver’s fame; rather, he wants to give him pointers in order to take his career to even higher heights.

Lurker is also willing to touch on other issues of intersectionality that complicate the relationship between the two leads. As a working-class character, Matthew is faced with economic pressures that Oliver has not had to worry about; however, Matthew is also a person-of-color, which means that he has less inherent privilege. Lurker can be particularly disturbing because of the humanity it finds in both characters, especially because of the electrifying chemistry that Pellerin and Madewke have whenever they get the opportunity to share the screen with one another. The late summer has been surprisingly solid in terms of exciting new releases, but Lurker is certainly an underdog that deserves to be considered among 2025’s most underrated thrillers.

Lurker is now playing in theaters.

Lurker

Release Date

August 22, 2025

Runtime

100 minutes

Director

Alex Russell

Producers

Alex Orlovsky, Charlie McDowell, Duncan Montgomery, Jack Selby, Archie Madekwe, Francesco Melzi d’Eril, Olmo Schnabel, Galen Core

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  Théodore Pellerin

  Matthew

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