Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
In a future where body parts are repossessed like property, a young woman must navigate a world of organ debt and corporate greed.
The story
By the year 2056, an epidemic of organ failures has devastated the planet, leading the megacorporation GeneCo to provide transplants on a payment plan. Clients who default are hunted by 'Repo Men' who repossess the organs. Rotti Largo, the terminally ill CEO of GeneCo, plans to leave his fortune to 17-year-old Shilo Wallace, the daughter of his late ex-fiancée. Shilo suffers from a rare blood disease and is kept indoors by her overprotective father, Nathan, who believes he killed Marni. Shilo's secret exploration of the outside world leads her into a dangerous underworld of debt and organ trade.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2056, a global organ failure epidemic has left GeneCo as the primary provider of transplants. Rotti Largo, the dying CEO, intends to leave his fortune to Shilo Wallace, a girl with a blood disease. Shilo is kept confined by her father, Nathan, who is actually GeneCo's head Repo Man, a secret kept from her by Rotti. Shilo meets GraveRobber, who sells Zydrate, and Blind Mag, a GeneCo spokesperson. Rotti lures Shilo to a fair, where she learns Mag's eyes are being repossessed. Nathan refuses to repossess Mag's eyes due to their friendship, leading Rotti to vow to eliminate him. Mag eventually reveals she is Shilo's godmother and warns her of Nathan's lies. At a staged opera, Mag denounces the Largo family and is impaled by Rotti. Shilo is used as bait to lure Nathan; she discovers his identity and his role in poisoning her. Rotti offers Shilo the company if she kills Nathan. She refuses, and Rotti shoots Nathan before dying. Shilo flees, leaving the company to Amber, who auctions her fallen face for charity.
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 99
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Darren Lynn Bousman
- Writers
- Terrance Zdunich · screenplay; Darren Smith · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Alexa Vega · Shilo Wallace; Anthony Stewart Head · Nathan; Sarah Brightman · Mag; Paris Hilton · Amber; Nivek Ogre · GraveRobber; Terrance Zdunich · GraveRobber; Bill Moseley · Repo Man; Paul Sorvino · Rotti Largo
- Genres
- musical; gothic rock opera; horror; science fiction; dystopian; satirical; splatter; biopunk
- Themes
- corporate corruption; dysfunctional families; organ trade; debt; addiction
- Tone and mood
- gothic; bombastic; campy; dark
- Setting
- A dystopian world in the year 2056 devastated by an epidemic of organ failures.
- Premise and plot tags
- dystopian; musical; horror; biopunk; satire; organ transplantation
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2002 stage musical of the same name
- Content notes
- gore
- Reception
- The film received mixed-negative reviews, primarily criticized for its bombastic gore and writing, though the performances were praised. It has achieved cult status and a devoted following.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 32 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Raspberry Award · Worst Supporting Actress · won
- Production trivia
- The film was adapted from a ten-minute short film used to pitch the idea to studios.; The film has achieved cult status similar to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…