The first trailer for Twinless, James Sweeney’s twisted yet tender dark comedy that took home the Audience Award at Sundance 2025, has officially dropped, and it’s serving grief group chaos, emotional intimacy, and secrets that unravel faster than a therapy circle confession.
Starring Dylan O’Brien in dual roles and Sweeney himself, Twinless explores what happens when two strangers mourning their identical twins meet in a support group and develop a bond that toes the line between healing and codependence. The film hits theaters Sept. 5, courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
A Connection Born From Loss
The story follows Roman (O’Brien), who’s reeling from the death of his twin brother Rocky (also O’Brien), and Dennis (Sweeney), who is also grieving his twin. The two meet in a bereavement support group specifically for twins who’ve lost their other half. While that premise might sound like the setup for a heavy drama, Twinless walks a more unusual, and darkly comedic, line.
“In Twinless, two young men meet in a twin support group and form an unlikely friendship,” the synopsis reads. “Roman and Dennis both search for solace and an identity without their other halves and soon become inseparable outside the group. But when Roman meets Dennis’ exuberant co-worker Marcie, all is revealed to be not what it seems, as each man harbors secrets that could unravel everything.”
Secrets, Suspicion, and a Whole Lot of Dylan
If you’re expecting a straightforward buddy comedy or grief drama, think again. The trailer shows Roman struggling to navigate the world post-loss, sharing his time between therapy sessions and his increasingly close connection with Dennis. But the closer they get, the clearer it becomes that both men are hiding something, and those secrets may jeopardize their fragile friendship.
O’Brien, known for roles in Teen Wolf and The Maze Runner, delivers a nuanced dual performance as Roman and Rocky. His portrayal earned him a special jury award for acting at Sundance. He admitted to Variety that his voice choices for Roman came from a place of emotional vulnerability.
“My Roman voice, I got self-conscious about it immediately because he pointed it out,” O’Brien said of Sweeney’s direction. “But that’s how I was processing the weight of the very sheltered life he had experienced until that point, and then the tragedy that he experienced, and that’s what the f— came out. [James] was like, ‘I love it.’”
A New Chapter for Sweeney’s Queer Vision
Sweeney, who made waves with his 2019 debut Straight Up, brings his signature offbeat queer storytelling back to the screen. His blend of earnestness and razor-sharp wit was first introduced at Outfest and has since built a devoted following.
Like Straight Up, Twinless taps into themes of identity, mental health, and the awkward, unpredictable nature of human connection, with a queer edge that refuses to play by mainstream rules.
The film also stars Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, Abbott Elementary’s Chris Perfetti, François Arnaud, Susan Park, and Cree. With its Sundance accolades and a premise that balances absurdity with emotional truth, Twinless is shaping up to be one of the fall’s must-see indie films.
Catch Twinless in theaters starting Sept. 5.
