Here's Everything You Need To Know About Netflix's 'Secret Obsession'
There's nothing scarier than a spurned lover, and those involved in the psychological thriller genre seem to know that very well. Obsessive romantic partners and (wannabe romantic partners) are a mainstay of countless horror movies, and that's definitely the case in Netflix's latest scary flick, Secret Obsession. The movie was just released, and it's already picked up a pretty big fanbase, as well as a lot of buzz on Twitter. In fact, fans are already wanting to know: Will a Secret Obsession sequel happen? The end of the movie definitely left a few questions unanswered. Warning: Spoilers for Secret Obsession follow.
Secret Obsession tells the story of a woman named Jennifer (Brenda Song) who wakes up with amnesia after a near-fatal accident and finds her doting husband Russell (Mike Vogel) ready to bring her home to their California mansion. But not everything is as it seems, as both the audience and Jennifer soon realize.
The film has been compared a lot to You, the Netflix series starring Penn Badgley, in which a stalker ends up dating (and controlling the life of) his obsession. Similarly, Secret Obsession tells the story of a creepy guy who goes to extremes in order to fully take over his victim's life, but with the added twist of amnesia. Because Jennifer can't remember who she is or any details about her life when she wakes up in the hospital, she has no reason not to believe Russell when he says that he is her husband. Believing herself to be safe, she willingly goes with Russell to his secluded mansion. But she — and a detective — get suspicious and soon realized that Russell isn't who he says he is, and that Jennifer has actually been kidnapped.
As Jennifer pieces together more of the past, she learns that the man she thought was her husband actually killed her real husband, the real Russell. He also killed her family and friends, and was attempting to kill her the night of the accident. Once Jennifer learns the truth, the movie becomes a race against the clock for her to escape. It's a pretty dark film, but at least it ends on a somewhat triumphant note: Jennifer kills Russell and escapes. The last audiences see of Jennifer is her driving off while looking at a note from her actual husband. The movie doesn't make it clear where Jennifer is headed next, which means there's a possibility of a second movie to set up what her new life will be.
Another idea is that a Secret Obsession sequel could follow a totally new stalking case. Song has said she would love to see another version of the movie where a woman is the villain. She told Glamour:
I think what would be really fun is having the roles reversed: having a female [antagonist] to a male. I don't think that there should be any limits to it. I think we're in a great place—not just as females but with everyone—where genders can be reversed. It's fun because it changes the dynamic and the feel of the movie. I would love that. I would love to see more role reversals in these movies to see where they go.
As of July 19, no plans for a sequel have been announced yet, but the movie is pretty new, so an announcement could come later. In the meantime, fans can just do the next best thing and watch Secret Obsession again on Netflix.
