Fantasy Island (2020)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A group of vacationers discovers that their dream-like fantasies on a tropical resort are turning into horrific living nightmares.
The story
Five people—businesswoman Gwen Olsen, former police officer Patrick Sullivan, stepbrothers J. D. and Brax Weaver, and teenager Melanie Cole—arrive at Fantasy Island, a tropical resort where fantasies apparently come true. Upon arrival, island proprietor Mr. Roarke guides them to their specific fantasies: Patrick is enlisted in a war, Melanie seeks revenge on a childhood bully, the Weavers attend a mansion rave, and Gwen accepts a marriage proposal. However, the atmosphere shifts as the guests begin to realize that their desires are manifesting in increasingly dangerous and terrifying ways, forcing them to fight for survival.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Five people arrive at Fantasy Island, a tropical resort where fantasies come true. Mr. Roarke guides them to their desires: Patrick joins a war, Melanie seeks revenge on Sloane Maddison, the Weavers attend a rave, and Gwen accepts a marriage proposal. Melanie discovers Sloane was kidnapped and saves her from a masked surgeon. Patrick is captured by a military platoon led by his father, Lieutenant Sullivan. A private investigator, Damon, reveals the fantasies are created by spring water under a glowing rock and that his own fantasy of seeing his deceased daughter became a nightmare. Gwen eventually wants to save her neighbor Nick Taylor from a fire. The island turns fantasies into nightmares: the Weavers are taken by a drug cartel, and the cartel reanimates as zombies. J. D. is killed, and Sullivan sacrifices himself. Damon sacrifices himself to save Melanie and Sloane from the zombified surgeon. Roarke reveals they are in a fantasy where they are all killed. The guests realize Melanie orchestrated their arrival for revenge on Nick. They attempt to escape via a plane that is shot down and head to the cave to destroy the glowing rock. They are confronted by zombies; Patrick faces his father, Sloane faces her darker self, and Gwen faces a false daughter. Melanie reveals her true fantasy was revenge. Julia, Roarke's wife brought back to life, convinces Roarke to help them. Nick's zombified corpse attacks Melanie, who activates a grenade; Patrick sacrifices himself to protect the others. Gwen, Sloane, and Brax wake up at the resort. Brax stays behind to become Roarke's new assistant, 'Tattoo', so his fantasy of J. D. coming back to life can come true.
- First release year
- 2020
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jeff Wadlow
- Writers
- Jeff Wadlow · co-writer; Chris Roach · co-writer; Jillian Jacobs · co-writer
- Cast and characters
- Michael Peña; Maggie Q; Lucy Hale; Austin Stowell; Jimmy O. Yang; Ryan Hansen; Portia Doubleday; Michael Rooker
- Genres
- supernatural horror; fantasy adventure
- Themes
- wish fulfillment; consequences of the past; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- supernatural horror; dark; cautionary
- Premise and plot tags
- horror reimagining; indirect prequel; zombie film; vacationing
- Source material / true-story basis
- ABC's 1977 television series of the same name
- Franchise connections
- Fantasy Island
- Reception
- The film was largely panned by critics but was a financial success, grossing $49 million worldwide against its $7 million production budget.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 9% · review count: 114; Metacritic · score: 22 · scale: 100 · review count: 29
- Production trivia
- The film was described as 'a mix of Westworld and The Cabin in the Woods'.; The film was originally scheduled to open on February 28, 2020, before being moved up.; The film was released alongside Sonic the Hedgehog, The Photograph and Downhill.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…