Dylan O’Brien’s Twinless Turns A Quiet Theatrical Release Turns Into Streaming Hit

Months after a quiet theatrical release, Dylan O’Brien‘s latest movie has become a quick streaming sensation in the U.S. Almost a decade after his breakout role as Stiles Stilinski on Teen Wolf came to an end, O’Brien’s cultivated a list of performances that have allowed him to work with emerging filmmakers on exciting and unexpected roles.

Written and directed by James Sweeney, who also stars alongside O’Brien, Twinless tells the story of two men forming a bond after meeting at a support group for people who have lost their twin. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025, later releasing in over 500 theaters in September.

Now, only a day after being added to Hulu in the U.S., Twinless has already made a mark on the Top 10 charts. As of this writing, on January 17, the R-rated comedic thriller holds the #8 spot. For those outside the U.S., Twinless is available to buy and rent on digital platforms.

With a cast that includes Aisling Franciosi, Chris Perfetti, François Arnaud, and Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham, the 100-minute movie earned some of the best reviews of O’Brien’s career. The comedy was hailed as O’Brien’s career-best performance by many critics, including in Graeme Guttman’s review of Twinless for ScreenRant, and it garnered an Astra Film Award nomination for the actor, as well as an Independent Spirit Award.

The thriller sits at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 131 reviews, with the audience score sitting at 94%. But the trick about discussing Twinless, which landed a spot on several Best of 2025 lists, is that it is perhaps best experienced by knowing as little about the plot as possible. But suffice to say, what could easily be a familiar sad comedy about loss and friendship quickly becomes something far more unique and tense.

It all builds to an ending of Twinless, which is perfect, and helps to solidify Sweeney as a filmmaker to seek out after his previous comedy, Straight Up. It also stands as a singular achievement in O’Brien’s filmography, continuing a string of standout leading roles that range from 2020’s Love and Monsters to the recent thriller Caddo Lake.

He will next star in the horror film Send Help opposite Oscar nominee Rachel McAdams. The film is directed by Sam Raimi, revisiting themes and genres that have made him a beloved audience favorite. Releasing in theaters on January 30 via 20th Century Studios, Send Help is a more high-profile project for O’Brien, who has favored smaller projects in recent years.

But because of his stellar work in Twinless, not to mention his stellar collaborators like Raimi and McAdams, the actor’s return to blockbuster fare is even more exciting.