There doesn’t seem to be an “official” Donnie Darko Day, however when Fathom Entertainment re-released the Richard Kelly horror film into movie theaters for its 25th anniversary in 2026, the marketing poster mentions “Remastered in 4K This Donnie Darko Day.”

Additionally, X user @carteblanche230 tweeted this post:

I guess October 2nd has become “Donnie Darko Day.” And we all know who “Donnie” really is… It’s the 25th anniversary of the film’s release, btw.

For many years however, fans of the movie and horror in general, have celebrated October 2nd as Donnie Darko Day, relating the date not only to the movie, but its connection to the month of October as the beginning of Fall and it culminating with Halloween.

The date October 2nd does not refer to the movie’s theatrical release date. Donnie Darko’s World Premiere was actually January 19, 2001 during the Sundance Film Festival, followed by a limited theatrical release on October 26th of the same year. The date October 2nd is the the day the story of the movie Donnie Darko begins: October 2nd, 1988.

On that calendar date in the film, troubled teenager Donald “Donnie” Darko sleepwalks outside of his home in a Virginia suburb, led by a mysterious voice. Once outside, he meets a figure named Frank in a monstrous rabbit costume. Frank tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. Donnie wakes up the next morning on a local golf course and returns home to discover a jet engine has crashed into his bedroom. His older sister, Elizabeth, tells him that FAA investigators do not know the debris’ origin. So begins the strange and twisting story of the film Donnie Darko.

Written and directed by Richard Kelly, Donnie Darko stars Jake Gyllenhaal as titular character Donald “Donnie” Darko, along with Alex Greenwald, Arthur Taxier, Beth Grant, Carly Naples, Daveigh Chase, David Moreland, David St. James, Drew Barrymore, Gary Lundy, Holmes Osborne, James Duval, Jazzie Mahannah, Jena Malone, Jolene Purdy, Kristina Malota, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marina Malota Darling, Mark Hoffman, Mary McDonnell, Noah Wyle, Patience Cleveland, Patrick Swayze, Seth Rogen, Stuart Stone, Tiler Peck and Tom Tangen.

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