Opus ending explained: What happened to the Levelists?

Opus is a horror thriller film from A24, the esteemed independent production company. A24 has established its name in the industry with some of the best movies, including the Academy Award-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once and Alex Garland's high-grossing action thriller, Civil War.

Opus was released in theaters in March 2025, following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025. The film stars The Bear's Ayo Edebiri as Ariel Ecton, an entertainment journalist who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she's chosen to preview the first album teased in three decades by a long-retired pop star, Alfred Moretti.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers for Opus. Reader's discretion is advised.

Soon after arriving at Moretti's abode, Ariel realizes that something is really wrong with Moretti and his followers. She tries to warn her boss, Stan, as well, but he brushes it off, thinking she is overreacting. Things quickly spiral out of control as it becomes a matter of life and death.

When Ariel returns to the place with the police, they find Moretti calmly playing piano, with his cult followers nowhere to be seen. Assuming that Moretti killed them all, the police arrest the former pop star, and he is sentenced to jail time. Later, when Ariel meets Moretti in prison, she learns that the cult followers known as the Levelists are alive and spreading the word about the cult.

How does Ariel escape Moretti's estate in Opus?

John Malkovich's Alfred Moretti invites some critics to reveal the first look at his album. Besides Ariel and Stan, talk show host Clara, influencer Emily, paparazzi Bianca, and radio jockey Bill also arrive at the Utah compound as the chosen ones.

Ariel is wary of the concierges dedicated to them, and her doubts are confirmed when people begin disappearing; Bill is hacked to death, and Emily is poisoned. The cult clearly cannot stand criticism and believes that these critics and reviewers have no right to bash art the way they do sometimes.

Ultimately, Stan and Bianca are stabbed to death, which becomes Ariel's cue to try to escape the place. Before she can do that, she learns that a mass suicide is planned for that night. Everyone is going to drink poisoned champagne, and that is how Clara ends up dead.

Moretti gets set on fire while Ariel attempts to leave. Thankfully, one of the cult members helps the journalist escape from the compound. Ariel believes everyone is dead. Moretti is arrested and becomes a target of the media, who paint him the villain with gusto.

Ariel's escape was a part of Moretti's plan in Opus

Two years after the ordeal, Ariel writes a book about the trauma she experienced and how she escaped the place. This not only fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a book writer, but also earns her the attention and wealth she always desired. The press praises her book as a documentary, which exposes the cult.

One thing that Ariel failed to do in these years is interview Moretti, who rejected meeting her at the prison. However, once she becomes famous, he agrees to let her interview him. It is during this interview that Moretti reveals that her escape was part of his plan. The cult leader wanted Ariel to escape and become famous.

Ariel's documentary unknowingly served as the PR for his cult movement. She makes an even more surprising discovery that his cult followers are alive and are preaching the gospel that he set. Ariel is confused by this and is determined not to let his evil plan succeed.

Much to her horror, during a press appearance for her book, she notices that the interviewer is wearing a necklace like the one the cult followers used to wear. So, she is basically on TV with one of the Levelists, and there is nothing she can do about it.

Opus is available to stream on HBO Max.