Passenger (2026) – Transcript

Passenger (2026)
Director: André Øvredal
Writers: Zachary Donohue, T.W. Burgess
Release date: May 22, 2026
Stars: Jacob Scipio (Tyler Genocchio), Lou Llobell (Maddie Brecker), Melissa Leo (Diane Larson), Joseph Lopez (“The Passenger”), Miles Fowler (Lucas Tedesco), Alan Trong (Daniel).

Plot: Two friends, Daniel and Lucas, are driving down a dark road at night. While stopped on the side of the road for Lucas to urinate, Daniel is suddenly killed by an unseen attacker and Lucas flees.

Elsewhere, couple Maddie and Tyler are celebrating six weeks of being on the road, having recently left their jobs and taken up the van life lifestyle. They pull over on a residential street to camp for the night, where Tyler proposes to Maddie, who accepts. After a neighborhood watch member tells them they are not permitted to camp on the street, the two hit the road again. While driving on a remote highway, Lucas speeds ahead of their van frantically. Moments later, Maddie and Tyler pull over when they see Lucas’ car crashed against a tree. Lucas tries to crawl out of the passenger seat, but is pulled back inside by an unseen force and killed.

In the morning, the couple sees that their van has three claw marks, similar to the ones on Lucas’ car. At a gathering of other van-lifers, Maddie goes through the other tents and sees pictures of missing people, as well as a stick figure with three lines going through its body. She meets a woman named Diane and mentions stopping for a car accident the night before. Diane’s tone becomes ominous, as she warns Maddie not to stop on the road at night. Later that night, Maddie sees the mysterious figure.

Maddie looks at the dashcam footage of Lucas’ car before the crash and sees the figure sitting next to him in the car. Suddenly, the figure enters the van and tries to strangle Maddie with her seatbelt, but she burns its hand with a St. Christopher medallion. Maddie rushes out of the van and tells Tyler, but the figure has vanished.

Maddie learns there have been other incidents of travelers going missing after their vehicles have been seen with the claw marks. The figure that she saw is known as the “Passenger”, which haunts and kills travelers. During a screening of Roman Holiday, the Passenger attacks Tyler and Maddie, forcing them to flee. Maddie suggests to Tyler that they get to Flagstaff to find Diane, as she may know how to get rid of the Passenger. During the night, they narrowly escape another attack from the Passenger: While changing a flat tire, the Passenger appears, takes Maddie and crushes Tyler’s leg under the van. After changing the tire, Tyler drives off to find Maddie. The Passenger takes the form of Tyler to trick Maddie, but is thwarted by the lights of the van as Tyler finds Maddie in shock in the scene of another accident.

The couple makes it to Flagstaff, asking for Diane. She tells Maddie and Tyler that there was a rumor of a traveler who was haunted by the Passenger, but sought refuge in the Church of St. Christopher, which is not on any map. Diane agrees to help them, but The Passenger kills her, forcing the couple to flee. They stop at a Shree’s, patch themselves up, and buy a bunch of medallions to hang around the van for protection.

Maddie and Tyler follow a symbol on a billboard, avoiding tricks from the Passenger. Tyler is pulled out of the van and Maddie keeps driving until the Passenger is flung through the windshield. Maddie rams the van into the Passenger, impaling it on a statue and killing it. Tyler reunites with Maddie as emergency vehicles arrive.

* * *

Transcript

Note for Students & Writers: This transcript is archived here for educational purposes, critical analysis, and screenwriting study. All rights belong to the original creators.

[RAP MUSIC PLAYING OVER RADIO]

[SNORING]

Lucas.

Lucas.

[SCREAMS, YELLS INCOHERENTLY] [YELPS]

Fuck!

[SNICKERS] Bro!

I’m sorry, that was kind of mean.

Why the fuck, dude? What do you need?

I was lonely.

I need somebody to talk to.

What? [SIGHS]

[SLURPING LOUDLY]

Yo, how much water you gonna drink, bro?

Bro, I’ll be fine.

No, you won’t. You have the world’s tiniest bladder.

I’m not stopping again. Bro, I’m a camel. Chill.

[SLURPING LOUDLY]

What the fuck is wrong with you? Chill the fuck out.

I’ve had this for four years.

Dry mouth? Yes.

I told you. It’s extremely rare.

I’m just saying that

I don’t think drinking water is the solution.

Are you prediabetic?

You don’t think I’ve asked myself these questions?

Gone to doctors and tried to figure this out?

Well, you should probably change primary care physicians.

Could you just drive? I don’t have to pee.

Okay.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING OVER RADIO]

I fucking knew it! I knew it!

Don’t get mad at me. What did I tell you?

Every time! I have to pee.

DANIEL: Make it quick, dude. Quick.

Bro, you got two minutes.

LUCAS: Fuck off!

Two minutes!

[SIGHS]

[UNZIPS PANTS, URINATING]

[SIGHS IN RELIEF]

Oh, that’s so good.

[MOCKINGLY] “Bro, I’m a camel.”

Camel my ass, dude.

[LEAVES RUSTLING]

[HORN HONKS] Dude!

Oh, shit, shit, shit.

Give me one minute! Chill out!

It’s quite fucking annoying.

Want to go? Give me two fucking minutes. Fuck!

[HORN CONTINUES HONKING]

Yo! Chill the fuck out! What’s your deal, man?

Daniel?

[HORN CONTINUES HONKING]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[KEY CLICKS] [HONKING STOPS]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[LINE RINGING]

[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]

[CELL PHONE STOPS VIBRATING]

[CAR THUDS]

Daniel?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

Daniel?

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[DOOR CLOSES]

[MUSIC BLARING OVER RADIO] What the…?

[RADIO TURNS OFF]

[PANTING]

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[SCREAMS]

[WHIMPERING]

[WEAKLY] Help.

LUCAS: Daniel?

[BRANCHES RUSTLING]

[BODY THUDS]

[PANTING]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[WHIMPERS] Daniel… Daniel… Daniel.

Just, uh…

[KEYS JANGLING]

[PANTING]

What the…?

Okay. Come on, come on.

[ENGINE SPUTTERING]

What the fuck?

Come on. Come on, please.

[SCREAMING]

[ENGINE STARTS]

[ENGINE REVVING]

He’s not real.

[PANTING]

No way. [LAUGHS]

Stupid, stupid.

[PANTING, WHIMPERS]

[SHRIEKS]

Thank you, guys.

MAN 1: Did you get all the boxes?

MAN 2: Yeah, I did.

[OBJECTS CLATTERING]

[HORN HONKING HAWAII 5-0 THEME]

[MADDIE CHUCKLES]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

TYLER: Hmm?

Not sure that horn’s gonna win us any friends out there.

You don’t like it? I don’t know.

People like it.

It’s like the road rage diffuser, you know?

[MADDIE CHUCKLES]

TYLER: How we doing?

Good. Keys dropped, apartment’s fully purged.

It’s like we never lived here.

Sure we don’t want to put anything in storage?

No. No? Okay.

No way. Feels good to make a clean break.

Mmm.

Besides, everything we need’s right here, right?

[MADDIE SIGHS]

Home sweet home. Mm-hmm.

MADDIE: Hmm.

Hey. Got you a little something.

It’s like a housewarming gift.

Thank you.

Need some help with that? No, that’s okay. Thank you.

I’m gonna help you with it, because…

No, wait! Okay, okay, okay!

Let’s get this show on the road.

MADDIE: [CHUCKLES] All right!

[MADDIE GASPS]

[CHUCKLING] Oh, my God.

It’s a little Bob Ross.

Do you like it? It’s perfect, baby.

Thank you.

[MADDIE GIGGLES]

What does Bob always say?

“No mistakes, just happy accidents.”

No mistakes, but… how about no accidents either?

Amen. [GIGGLES]

[DEVICE BEEPS]

[SIGHS] You still checking that thing?

Just making sure it still… [BEEPING]

Works. Yay!

We’re not gonna need it though.

I got us something better.

Mmm?

No? No.

Saint Christopher.

Patron saint of travelers.

My family always drove with one of these.

This guy’s gonna keep us safe.

Yeah, I’ll just stick with this.

Then I guess you’re going to hell.

[LAUGHS]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[TIRES SCREECH]

Oh!

[MADDIE LAUGHS] All right.

Should we get out of the city?

Let’s go.

[UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES]

[MUSIC FADES]

MAN: [OVER PHONE] So, I just have to run the car for two hours, and then my whole battery system’s charged.

ANNOUNCER: It’s Fuller time, baby!

Maddie?

Mads!

TYLER: Maddie?

[SEAGULLS CALLING]

TYLER: Okay.

Hey.

Hey. Ready to go? Mm-hmm.

Good. I was thinking… maybe we could add a brief pit stop. How brief?

There is this local barbeque spot that’s supposed to be unmissable.

All right. Mm-hmm.

What do you say? Game for Plan B… BQ?

[TYLER CHUCKLES] [LAUGHS]

You liked that one! Come on.

We got the reservation at six, and it’s super tight.

You know? Right.

But… beautiful romantic hot springs?

MADDIE: Mmm.

Just us two? I can’t wait.

But… wouldn’t a little barbeque on the way make it… absolutely perfect?

[HORNS HONKING]

MADDIE: Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Really? [CHUCKLES, SIGHS]

You sure you can’t hold it for another hour?

We’re thirty minutes away. Forty-five, tops.

[HORNS HONKING]

Yeah. Okay.

Got it, thank you.

This won’t be the last hot spring.

Yeah… I know.

Sorry.

What do we do?

Everything else is booked. I’ll have to find us a Plan C.

[SIGHS] Yeah.

[DOG BARKS DISTANTLY]

[CORK POPS] [GASPS]

Oh, God.

[CHUCKLES]

What’s that for?

Six weeks on the road. Wow.

I know, right? Doesn’t feel that long.

Um, well, I was actually gonna say it feels way longer.

Oh, really? I’m kidding.

Cheers. Cheers.

[TYLER EXHALES]

[GULPS, SLURPS]

Wow.

Yeah. Okay.

Ah! Whew! All right.

Ty, what’s going on?

I got something to show you.

Oh! Wow.

Okay. And, uh…

[ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

Wow.

[CHUCKLES] This is amazing. When did you do all this?

[CHUCKLING] Wow. It’s beautiful.

Tyler!

This was gonna be way more romantic. I swear.

I had the whole thing planned out at the hot springs.

But if we survive six weeks on the road, then we can survive anything, baby.

So…

[EXHALES]

Maddie Brecker, will you marry me?

[BANGING ON DOOR]

[MADDIE GASPS]

TYLER: Oh, shit!

MAN: Neighborhood Watch.

No camping on residential streets.

Yeah. Oh, right.

You got sixty seconds before I call the cops.

All right, we’re gone. Sorry.

[LAUGHS]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[SIGHS, CHUCKLES] [TYLER SIGHS]

I swear that isn’t a bad omen.

Yes.

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

Yeah!

She said yes! Whoo, baby! [LAUGHS]

Thirty seconds!

All right, man! All right, we’re moving!

Okay, we got to go.

TYLER: Hey, you think we should invite that guy back there to the wedding?

I don’t think so. No.

You know what we should do?

Spring for a hotel.

Hmm.

A long hot bath does sound amazing.

Fresh sheets.Yeah.

Maybe a massage.

There’s one about an hour from here that’s not too pricey.

TYLER: Oh, yeah? Yeah.

TYLER: Book it.

[R&B MUSIC PLAYING OVER RADIO]

[YAWNING]

Hey… you must be beat. Come on, just let me drive.

No, I’m good. Come on.

I’m good. I’m good. No, no, you be passenger princess.

Just let me drive, Ty.

Baby. [CHUCKLING] Come on.

I can drive for a bit.

Mads… you’re looking at the Road Warrior.

[SNORING]

[SIGHS]

[RING CLATTERING] Shit!

[SIGHS]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[GRUNTS] Fuck.

[EXHALES] All right.

[HORN HONKING] [GASPS] Oh, fuck!

Come on, just go!

[HORN CONTINUES HONKING]

Come on!

What’s going on? Uh…

What is wrong with this guy?

[CAR ENGINE REVVING]

Slow down.

Let him go.

Your road rage woke me up. [CHUCKLES]

Oh, my God.

Ty. TYLER: Oh, man.

[BRAKES SQUEAL]

Oh, shit.

Oh, shit.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

TYLER: There’s been a crash. He’s hit a tree. [HESITATES]

Well, straight off the road. Uh, yeah.

Where are we? Uh…

Forrester… I don’t know.

We’re on Forrester Road. Yeah.

You guys better hurry up, man.

It does not look good.

Ty, he needs help. Yeah. Forrester Road.

[GROANING]

[WEAKLY] Help.

[LUCAS YELLS]

[GASPS]

Something pulled him back in.

Ty. Ty.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

It’s just him.

What?

Hey, man… you okay?

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

TYLER: Ambulance is on its way, all right?

Don’t talk, don’t talk. Just try to breathe.

[MOANS SOFTLY]

[MOANS] What?

[GRUNTS, GASPS]

Oh, what the fuck?

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

Ty, are you okay?

TYLER: Don’t come in here, okay, Mads?

You do not want to see this.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

I thought I just saw…

There’s nothing there, baby.

That’s so weird.

[POLICE SIREN WAILS] Hey, look. Cops are here.

I’ll talk to ’em, okay? Yeah.

I just want to get out of here.

Yeah, totally. [INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]

Go on.

Okay.

Hey. Uh… we, uh… Hey.

We were driving and this guy just came out of nowhere…

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Come on, come on, come on, Ty.

Hurry up.

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

[LOW GROWL]

TYLER: Okay, let’s go.

[TYLER GRUNTS] [DOOR CLOSES]

[ENGINE STARTS, RUMBLING]

[WATER RUNNING]

TYLER: So good to have hot water, right?

MADDIE: Something’s wrong with the dashcam.

Footage cuts out right before the crash happens.

It’s so weird.

[TYLER SIGHS]

MADDIE: Come on.

That is weird.

MADDIE: [CHUCKLES] What?

Come on! Mads.

Why don’t we give it a rest for tonight, huh?

Please? [SIGHS]

Yeah. Yeah? Good.

Yeah. Okay. [SIGHS]

Can I have your undivided attention?

Yes.

Good. Because I got an idea.

Tomorrow there’s a van-life meetup.

How about you and me go?

Not be on the road?

Right.

Who are you?

I’m your fiancé.

[MADDIE CHUCKLES]

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

Come on, you slowpoke! Careful.

[TYLER GRUNTS]

You can’t do that. I’m coming.

You can’t do that.

I’m not gonna try. [CHUCKLES]

[BAG THUDS]

What the fuck?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

I… I saw these on the car last night.

What?

What do you mean, like, he crashed into us?

No.

I mean I saw the exact same marks on his car.

Three scratches just like that.

Yeah, well, his car was all types of dinged up.

We’ll get someone at the van meet to buff it out, right? Yeah.

Yeah, good idea.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

You excited?

TYLER: Uh-huh. [CHUCKLES]

[LIVELY CHATTER]

MAN: Here you go. Thanks.

[BOYS CHATTER]

I think we found your tribe.

TYLER: I’m getting out there.

MADDIE: Go, go. [LAUGHS]

[BANGING ON HOOD] [CHUCKLES]

FULLER: It’s Fuller time, baby!

Oh, my God. It’s him.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

Yeah, absolutely. Just respect, you know?

Hey. [CHUCKLES]

WOMAN: Hey!

FULLER: Hi. Hey, man.

You’re Brad Fuller, right?

From Vandalize Channel? [CHUCKLES] Yeah.

I’ve been a subscriber of your channel forever.

I’ve seen all your videos a hundred times!

[FLY BUZZING]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

What the fuck?

[APPLE SQUELCHING]

Oh, my God!

Ugh, gross!

So this is Pumpkin.

Uh, she’s nowhere near as sleek and sexy as yours, but we kind of based our build off of yours.

Still working on it.

[CHUCKLES] The van.

[CHUCKLES] Not Maddie. [LAUGHS]

This is Maddie. Hi.

She did the interior design.

Yeah.

FULLER: Oh.

Last job before I retired.

FULLER: Good for you.

But honestly, nothing beats this.

Yeah.

I even feel like I breathe different out here.

[SNIFFS, EXHALES]

Ouch! That looks nasty.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Had a bit of a rough night.

Yeah, uh, we got kicked out of the street we were stealth camping, and, um…

Oh, 24-hour gyms, you park there.

They’re your friends from now on.

They won’t give you the knock.

And they got hot showers.

MADDIE: Hmm.

How ’bout I tour the castle?

Yeah, of course, man! Come on in.

I’m gonna go stretch my legs.

You want me to come with? Uh, no.

No, it’s okay. Have fun.

It’s Brad fucking Fuller! [CHUCKLES]

[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

Prayer happening in ten, hope you can make it.

Uh, no, thanks.

[OMINOUS CHORAL MUSIC PLAYING]

They’re great.

DIANE: Betty, there you are.

WOMAN 1: How ya doin’, love?

WOMAN 2: Oh, hey.

Great to see you again.

WOMAN 2: Wow, these are new.

WOMAN 1: Yeah.

Nice. A new design.

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

WOMAN: So much death.

Depressing, isn’t it?

Yeah. A little.

Let me guess. What, two months out?

How can you tell? [CHUCKLES]

Well, you don’t have that obnoxious glow of a first-weeker. [MADDIE LAUGHS]

Um, how long have you been out here?

Ah, I lost count two decades ago.

[CHUCKLES]

Um, Maddie. Diane. Good to meet you.

So, um, you’ve been to a lot of these?

Not so much. I just stopped in to see how Betty was keeping.Mmm.

Yeah.

Um…

How long did it take you to, you know, fully adjust?

[CHUCKLES] Longer than two months, honey.

Well, took my boy, uh, fiancé like two hours.

[CHUCKLES] So…

Not what you expected?

[CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY] We both needed a change of pace.

And it’s been an adventure…

Mmm. [CHUCKLES] …for sure.

But…?

I don’t know, it’s, uh…

It doesn’t quite feel like home yet.

But we’ll get there. I think.

You headed west? Yeah.

Uh, you?

Flagstaff.

I got a friend has a little seafood restaurant, middle of the desert. [CHUCKLES]

Go figure. Great. Well, um…

Safe travels. You, too.

The road can be a scary place.

[INAUDIBLE CONVERSATION]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

We were driving and, uh, this guy just came out of nowhere and crashed right in front of us.

It was… awful.

Did you stop?

What…?

Look, you seem a lot brighter than some of these yuppies.

Whatever you and your man are looking for, it’s not out here.

Oh, no, we’re okay.

No, I am serious. You listen to me.

You stay off the quieter roads, don’t drive at night, and if you do, don’t stop.

Don’t ever stop.

People don’t take trips. Trips take people.

TYLER: Maddie?

Hey.

You take care, Maddie.

Don’t want to see you up there next time I’m back.

TYLER: Hmm? Making friends, huh?

Uh… yeah, uh, I thought so.

Hey, I got something to show you. Come on.

Uh… Yeah. Yeah, come on.

Okay.

Hey, you want some popcorn?

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

Notice anything different?

You fixed it. [CHUCKLES] Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a paint job guy.

Oh, wow. How much did he charge you?

Well, he said he wanted to reset his karmic balance, so… did it for free.

Wow.Mm-hmm.

Look at you networking!

Mmm. Just like the old days.

[CROWD CHEERING]

Party’s heating up. Mm-hmm.

Want to go for a ride?

[CLICKS TONGUE]

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING] [ALL CHEERING]

TYLER: Check out these guys. You got to go dance.

Yeah? [LAUGHS] I might.

I mean, I’ve had a couple IPAs, so why not? [LAUGHS]

WOMAN: Tyler, come dance!

MADDIE: Oh, you got to go.

TYLER: I hear the music, I’ll go dance!

[CHUCKLES]

[MUSIC FADES]

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

Hey, Mads! [LAUGHS]

Come on. Yeah?

Yeah. All right.

All right, we’ll go right here.

Here we go.

Which way we going?

[TYLER HUMMING]

[ROCK MUSIC CONTINUES]

[FOOTSTEPS RUNNING ON TREADMILL]

TYLER: Hey. Hey.

You done? Yeah.

All right. Movie’s nearly downloaded.

Cool. I’ll see you at the van.

Yeah, I’ll see you soon.

[DOOR WHIRRING]

[POP SONG PLAYING OVER EARBUDS]

[HUMMING]

[CHUCKLES]

[CHUCKLES]

[LIGHTER CLICKS]

[BREATH TREMBLING]

[HORN HONKING] [GASPS, SHUDDERS]

Jesus Christ. [PANTING]

Oh, shit.

[CAR ENGINE STARTS]

[PANTING]

[WHISPERS] All right.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[FOOTSTEPS STOP]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[PANTING] All right.

Hmm.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING]

[RUNNING FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[GASPS]

[MUFFLED PANTING]

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

[GRUNTS]

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[VAN ALARM BEEPS]

[YELLS]

[DOOR LOCKS] [PANTING]

[MONITOR CHIMES]

[WHIMPERS]

Okay. [BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SIGHS]

[CELL PHONE CHIMES] Okay.

Oh!

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

What?

[GASPING]

[ALARM BLARING] [GROANS]

[WHIMPERING]

[ALARM STOPS] [PANTING]

Oh, God.

[LIGHTS FLICKERING]

[PANTING]

[VAN CREAKING]

[TAPPING ON MONITOR]

[SCREAMS]

[THUDS]

[BANGING]

[METAL CLANGING]

[PANTING]

[GRUNTING]

All right, Ty.

[CELL PHONE CHIMES]

[DOOR CREAKING]

[CELL PHONE CLATTERS]

Okay, come on. Please.

[SEAT BELT CLICKS]

[ENGINE SPUTTERING]

Come on!

[GRUNTS]

[DOOR CLOSES] [GASPS]

[PANTING]

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[GASPS AND GRUNTS]

[STRAINING]

[CHOKING]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[MADDIE WHIMPERING]

[GASPING]

[CHOKING]

[SNARLING AND SHRIEKING]

[PANTING]

[TYLER PANTING]

Maddie, Maddie, hey! [WHIMPERING]

What’s up? [GASPS]

Someone’s in the van.

[WHIMPERS] Tyler, no, wait, baby!

[PANTING]

[DOOR CLOSES]

TYLER: It’s empty!

What?

It’s empty.

No. No, no, no. I’m… I’m telling you, he…

He grabbed me and then… Who did, baby?

No… What the fuck is in the van? He’s…

He’s on… on the dashcam. Let me show you, okay?

He’s on here. [SNIFFLES]

Where do I go to the…?

No, it doesn’t record when the van’s not moving. It just…

What? Just how it works, baby.

But he was in that guy’s car the other night.

He was in his car.

Okay. I saw it.

Look, he’s right there. All right.

Let me see this. Look, look!

If you just look really close, he’s in…

There’s nobody there, baby.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

All right, what’d he look like?

Uh…

What’d he look like? I’ll go find him.

Hey, hey, hey. No, no, no.

I… I don’t want to sleep here. Please.

Hey…

I believe you.

Okay.

[MADDIE SNIFFLES]

[POP MUSIC PLAYING OVER RADIO]

“Mistakes in life? Just make them birds.”

Bob really was your happy place, huh?

No matter what home I got moved to or where I was, watching this guy do what he loved was the one constant I could count on.

I guess to me that meant he was kind of home.

Having both your parents under the same roof don’t make it a home.

They look perfect, but… behind closed doors…

[SIGHS]

People get trapped in lives they don’t want.

But this van, you… was my way to escape all of that.

[SQUEAKING]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

TYLER: Oh, my God.

Mads, check it out.

No? It’s even got your spelling.

It’s going in the bag.

[LICENSE PLATE CLATTERS] It’s got to.

[MADDIE CHUCKLES]

This place is like a goldmine of, like, the opposite of gold.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[DOOR CLOSES]

There’s nothing in here of any value and yet I want it all.

Oh, my God.

Hey.

Guilty.

[CHUCKLES]

In the bag? Yeah.

In the bag. I think we’re gonna need a bigger van.

We’re gonna need a bigger bag, that’s for sure. [MADDIE CHUCKLES]

That, too. Yeah.

TYLER: So, uh, tonight, at the campsite, I was thinking we’d cuddle or… maybe just… [LAUGHING] I can’t!

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

It’s this amazing spot in the forest.

[CHUCKLES] You’re gonna love it.

No. No, no, no!

Oh.

[BREATH TREMBLING]

[FOOTSTEPS ON VAN ROOF]

[TYLER WHISTLING TUNE]

[TOUCH PAD CLICKS]

[UNSETTLING MUSIC BUILDS]

[KNOCKING] Hey.

TYLER: Everything okay? Yeah.

Good. I got something to show you.

What? Come on.

MADDIE: [CHUCKLES] What is this?

TYLER: Welcome to Le Sprinter Cinema Paradiso.

[MADDIE CHUCKLES]

MADDIE: Thank you. [CHUCKLES]

Whatever happened back there is way behind us, it’s long gone.

It’s like a hundred miles in the rearview.

I was thinking tonight we could just be in the moment.

I mean, it ain’t much, but it’s home.

From Roman Holiday.

TYLER: Mm-hmm.Mmm.

Courtesy of the gym’s free Wi-Fi.

Ah. Very good. Yeah.

Well, here you go.

[MOVIE PLAYING INDISTINCTLY]

I love this movie.

Yes! MADDIE: Ah!

TYLER: My boy! [MADDIE CHUCKLES]

Even though we actually get the better ending.

Oh, yeah? How’s that?

TYLER: Uh, she goes home by herself without Joe at the end. Hmm. Right.

But us… we get married.

[CHUCKLES] Yeah.

We get to keep doing this forever.

Forever? [INHALES SHARPLY]

I mean, eventually we’ll have to go back to reality, right?

Well, actually, Gary, my old boss, called me.

Oh, yeah?

He offered me my old job back.

Said I could do the thing completely remotely, and there’s even a pay bump.

Pretty good, right?

Yeah. Wow, um…

That’s, uh… great.

You don’t exactly sound thrilled.

Oh, uh…

I… I just… I don’t know how long this is sustainable.

Do we really want to try and find somewhere safe to sleep every night?

Hasn’t worked out lately.

What is going on right now, Mads?

You haven’t even put your ring on yet.

GREGORY PECK: [OVER SPEAKER] Suits you. You should always wear my clothes.

AUDREY HEPBURN: Seems I do.

MADDIE: It’s not that I don’t love you.

I do. I love you.

I just…

[MOVIE CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

I… I don’t love this life.

I mean… you know I grew up always being shuffled from one foster home to the next.

I never had a home home like you did.

You know that’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY] You see?

The thing you’re running away from is the very thing I’ve been searching for my entire life.

I thought this was what you wanted.

You and me, together.

On the open road. Unshackled from our desks.

MADDIE: I did. I did.

It was fun in the beginning, but I…

[SIGHS] All right. So, what, you…

You want to slow down?

[INHALES]

I want to… [SIGHS]

I want to stop.

You want to stop? Yeah.

I’ll pack up the van.

Sell it.

MADDIE: No.

[SIGHS] Head back to Brooklyn.

Maybe we can get our lease back.

Hey, look at me.

I saw your face at the van meet.

You love this.

Being free.

And I’d never ask you to give up your dream.

I’m just worried…

That no matter what direction we take… one of us will end up… [LOUD STATIC OVER SPEAKER]

[STATIC STOPS]

TYLER: Just glitched out.

But what were you saying? One of us will end up what?

[LIGHTS FLICKER AND TURN OFF]

MADDIE: What just happened?

TYLER: I’m not sure.

[MOVIE CONTINUES WITHOUT AUDIO]

Ty.

What is that?

MADDIE: I don’t know, Ty.

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

[BREATH TREMBLING]

[FLASHLIGHT CLICKS]

Stay there.

Hey, man.

[GASPS]

[GASPS]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

You saw that, right? Yeah.

[BRANCHES SNAPPING] [BREATHING HEAVILY]

[LEAVES RUSTLING] [GASPS]

TYLER: You see anything?

MADDIE: No.

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[TYLER BREATHING HEAVILY]

[FOOTSTEPS RUNNING] Oh, hell no.

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[FOOTSTEPS RUNNING]

[FOOTSTEPS RUNNING]

[BRANCH SNAPS]

[EERIE MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

[MADDIE SCREAMS]

[ROARING]

[DOOR CLOSES]

[MADDIE AND TYLER GASPING]

[LOUD THUD]

[LOUD THUDDING]

[LOUD CRASHING]

[VAN RATTLING]

[MADDIE SCREAMING]

[VAN CONTINUES RATTLING]

[MADDIE WHIMPERING]

[RATTLING STOPS]

[BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY]

It stopped. [MADDIE CRIES]

It stopped.

We got to move. Yeah.

Come on. What? The keys.

I don’t have the keys. Um…

MADDIE: Where… Um…

They’re outside.

What? They got to be.

Careful. [SIGHS]

[PANTING] Come on. Come on!

Come on! [OBJECTS CLATTERING]

[KEYS JANGLING]

[KEYS JANGLING]

[BREATHING SHAKILY]

[KEYS JANGLING]

[BREATH TREMBLING]

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[KEYS JANGLING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SCREECHING]

[TYLER GASPING]

MADDIE: Come on! [GASPS]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

Come on, come on, go!

[ENGINE STARTS]

Go, go, go!

[ENGINE REVVING]

What the fuck is going on?

[BREATH TREMBLING]

Is that what you’ve been seeing?

[TIRES SCREECHING]

Come on.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

[BLUES MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

TYLER: Hobo Code?

It’s the way drifters communicated back in the day when the roads were first being built.

They used these symbols to warn each other.

This is on our van.

And the car that crashed.

This thing… it latches onto you when you’re on the road.

WAITRESS: Some waters for you?

Thank you.

I’ll give you two a moment.

TYLER: Mm-hmm.

Some people call him… the Passenger.

He made that guy crash.

And then we stopped.

And somehow everywhere we’ve gone… he’s there.

There’s got to be a way we can shake him.

[ENGINE STARTS]

He marked the van.

Mads, look at me.

He marked the van, right?

Right?

So we just dump it, yeah?

MADDIE: No.

We burn the van. No, no.

I don’t think it works like that.

From what I read… it’s not the van he’s marked.

It’s us.

No.

No. No, we can shake him.

[MADDIE BREATHING HEAVILY]

I’ll be right back. Yeah.

Yeah.

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[WATER RUNNING]

[WHIMPERING]

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[EERIE MUSIC CONTINUES]

MADDIE: Hey. Hey.

Uh…

We need to find Diane.

Who? The nomad from the van meet.

She tried to warn me about this.

What do you know about her?

She was headed to Flagstaff to work in a seafood restaurant.

There can’t be many of those.

Flagstaff is a straight shot from here.

Let’s go. No.

She said not to drive at night.

We should wait.

[ENGINE STARTS]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[MEDALLION CLINKING]

TYLER: [EXHALES] We’re running out of daylight.

How much further? We should be close.

Manager at the restaurant said she was staying here.

[TIRE BLOWS OUT]

TYLER: Shit!

MADDIE: We can’t stop.

TYLER: I know.

But we haven’t got a choice.

This thing only comes out at dark, right?

So either we wait around… or we get out there and deal with this.

[SIGHS] We’ll make it quick.

[TOOL SQUEAKING]

[TYLER GRUNTING]

[TOOL SQUEAKING] [TYLER GRUNTING]

[LEAVES RUSTLING]

[TYLER SIGHING] Oh, yes.

[TYLER GRUNTING]

[TIRE THUDS]

[SOFTLY] What the fuck?

Hey.

Baby! Yeah.

TYLER: Light. Oh. Sorry.

TYLER: The bolt things… They were here, right?

Where’d they go? They were just here.

Here, give me. Give me the light.

Oh, you got to be kidding me. Anything?

Careful. [TYLER GRUNTS]

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

[SOFT THUD]

[METAL CREAKING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY] [PARKING LIGHTS FLICKERING]

[TYLER GRUNTS]

[SQUEAKING]

[CREAKING]

[METAL CREAKING]

TYLER: Think I got them all.

[DOOR CREAKING]

[PARKING LIGHTS FLICKERING SLOWLY]

[GASPS]

[MADDIE SCREAMING]

TYLER: Maddie?

Maddie! [SCREAMING]

[VAN CREAKING]

[GROANING] Ah!

[CREAKING CONTINUES]

[FLESH SQUELCHES] [SCREAMING]

[GROANING IN PAIN]

[GRUNTS]

[SQUELCHING]

[GROANING]

[PANTING]

Okay, Maddie. [GRUNTS]

[PANTING]

Maddie!

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

Come on.

Come on!

[MUSIC FADES] [GASPS, PANTING]

[BRAKES SCREECH]

Ty?

TYLER: Maddie! Oh, my God. Oh. Oh, my…

[TYLER BREATHING HEAVILY]

Oh, my God.

I thought I lost you, baby.

It’s okay.

[IN DEMONIC VOICE] It’s over.

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[EVIL LAUGHTER]

[RASPY BREATHING]

[RASPY BREATHING INTENSIFIES]

[SINISTER MUSIC PLAYING]

[BRAKES SCREECH]

[CRASHING] [PANTING]

TYLER: Mads! Mads! Mads!

[MADDIE PANTING] You okay?

TYLER: Oh… [WHIMPERING]

MADDIE: Oh, God.

We have to go.

Yeah. Come on. Yeah. Okay.

[EVIL GOT A HOLD ON ME BY BLUES SARACENO PLAYING]

MAN: [SINGING] Well, the devil.

Got a hold on me.

She got me worried.

Won’t let me be

‘Cause she evil.

Evil.

Evil.

Evil got a hold on me

[SONG ENDS]

Hey.

You guys know Diane Larson?

I don’t know her. I don’t know her.

All right. Okay.

Hi.

Hi, uh… How’s it going?

Sorry to bother you, but we’re looking for Diane. Diane? Larson?

Don’t know her.

Can’t help you. Diane. Her name is Diane.

We were told it was this camp. We know it’s this camp.

MAN: Whatever you guys got yourselves into, we don’t want any part of it.

Just please point us in the right direction.

Take your Airbnb on wheels and get out of here. What are you doing here?

Diane. Um…

Hi. Uh, is there some place that we can talk in private, please?

Why?

Something’s following us.

Oh, my God.

Get back in your van and get the hell out of here.

TYLER: What? Now! Right away!

No, no, no, no. No.

[DIANE WHISTLES]

MAN 2: Let’s go, let’s go!

DIANE: Come on, everybody, pack up!

Get inside! [DOG BARKING]

Lock your doors!

MADDIE: What are they doing?

DIANE: They’re gonna lock up. Lock themselves in.

These are good people just trying to get by and you chose to bring evil into this camp?

MADDIE: We had no choice, okay?

Uh, he’s been following us everywhere.

And he’s gonna keep coming.

MADDIE: Well, what is it?

He’s a highwayman from hell. An abomination.

I don’t know what it is, but it’s unholy.

Something demonic.

It’ll have its fun by causing wrecks on the highway.

Hungering for pain, death, suffering.

When it marks you, most people don’t last more than a couple of days.

The fact that it hasn’t killed you yet means its enjoying the ride.

All right, so how come you lived on the road so long and not run into it?

Why’d it pick us?

Because you stopped.

We’re careful.

We see the warning signs and, most importantly, we follow the rules.

Don’t drive at night.

Whatever you do, don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.

TYLER: Hey, Diane.

DIANE: What do you want from me?

TYLER: Please, what do we do here?

There’s got to be a way to beat it, right?

MADDIE: I hurt him. You what?

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

The first time he attacked me, um… he let go when our St. Christopher medallion touched him.

DIANE: Whoa.

There’s a story from a long time ago.

There was this trucker who got away.

He sought refuge in a church outside of Grand Junction.

The St. Christopher Church.

So if you can get there, that might be your best hope.

Okay, um…

What do we do when we get there?

St. Christopher’s holy ground just might weaken its powers.

Get it there, maybe you can kill it.

If that doesn’t work, you pray.

For salvation.

Diane, where do we find this church?

It’s not on any map you’ll find.

How do we get there? Come on!

DIANE: It’s on a dead end road in the middle of a desert.

And you need to know how to read the signs.

[SOFTLY] How do we… We don’t…

[MADDIE BREATHING HEAVILY]

I’ll take you there.

MADDIE: Oh, my God, really?

Yeah. Thank you.

We got to get a move on though.

Get in your van. I’ll meet you over on the other side, okay?

Run, guys! We got to get out of here.

[WIND HOWLING]

TYLER: What is that?

Tyler, we’ve got to go. He’s here!

[WHIRRING]

[TYLER GRUNTING]

[TYLER GROANING]

TYLER: Come on.

MADDIE: Hey, come on! Go, go!

[DOOR SLIDES] [BONES CRUNCH]

[SCREAMS]

I’m okay. Aw, shit. Okay.

Come on, guys!

We got to drive.

[DIANE SCREAMING] [WHIMPERING] No, no, no.

No! No, Diane!

[GASPS]

[FLESH SQUELCHES]

[PASSENGER SNARLS]

Fuck. Oh, man.

MADDIE: Oh!

TYLER: Oh, man. Oh, my God.

[TIRES SCREECHING]

[HORN HONKING]

[TYLER GROANS]

MADDIE: Oh, my God.

[BREATHING HEAVILY] Oh, fuck.

I’m so scared, Ty.

It’s our fault she’s dead! There’s no end to this.

[HORN HONKS]

[MADDIE GASPS]

Oh, my God. [PANTING]

[TYLER SIGHS]

[WINCES, GROANS]

Your hand. Uh…

Stay there.

Hey, here’s, uh…

MADDIE: Oh.

[TYLER GROANS]

MADDIE: Hey. Hey.

Are you okay?

TYLER: Yeah.

Watch your hand.

MADDIE: Mmm.

[MADDIE WINCES]

Sorry, I’m sorry. That’s okay.

TYLER: I’m a bit rusty. [CHUCKLES]

MADDIE: Hey, that church!

That church. We have to get to that church.

Right? Yeah.

In Grand Junction. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

It’s not a lot to go on. I know.

But I say we… we drive in that direction and try every back road we can, right?

That’s better than waiting around to die. Uh-huh.

I’ll gas up, you go get us supplies.

Hey, hey.

Ty, we’re not splitting up, okay? We’re not splitting up.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[STORE BELL CHIMING]

You got more of these in the back?

[HAMMERING]

Twenty-six miles from nowhere

I think I will stay.

Find anything?

Just the usual Saint Christopher stuff.

Here’s something.

“When he was younger he wandered the roads” “with a nomadic monk.”

“One morning,” “the monk suddenly stopped in his tracks,” “terrified by a cross on the side of the road.”

“Christopher then realized” “he wasn’t traveling with a man of God.”

“This was a demon.”

“The demon who takes the form of a preacher” “as an act of blasphemy.”

Diane said he’s been around forever.

Christopher’s dark opposite.

For everything holy, there’s something unholy.

TYLER: We’re making good time.

[INDISTINCT VOICES]

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[GASPS]

[TIRES SCREECH]

How is it night?

MADDIE: I don’t know.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

We got to get back to town.

[TIRES SCREECH]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[BEEPS]

Hey.

We’ll make it.

[TIRES SCREECH]

Why’d you stop?

“You have to know how to read the signs.”

Hold on.

Mads?

What are you doing? It’ll be a one-way trip.

[BREATHES DEEPLY] [ENGINE REVS]

MADDIE: Just trust me.

[VAN RATTLING]

That symbol. It’s from the Hobo Code.

It means “this way.”

But there’s no fucking road there, baby.

Someone or something put that symbol there for us to see.

What if it was him?

[VAN RATTLING]

[RADIO STATIC]

PREACHER: [OVER RADIO] Your sins have led you down the path of condemnation! And hell is the wicked’s punishment.

Turn back, sinner, before…

What?

[RADIO GLITCHING]

…before the sun rises.

Before Satan is upon you.

What the fuck? Shut up!

[RADIO STOPS] God! [PANTING]

TYLER: There! There’s something over there.

A sign. Look. Yeah.

Go that way.

Look, look, look!

All right.

We’re on a road.

This has to be the road.

The church has to be on this road.

Yeah.

All right.

MADDIE: How do we get through?

I’ll guide you.

[MADDIE BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

[ENGINE ACCELERATING]

[WIND BLOWING]

[MEDALLIONS CLINKING]

[ENGINE IDLING]

Hey.

The church.

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

None of this is real.

He’s just trying to stop us.

Come on.

[ENGINE ACCELERATING]

[GASPS] [BODIES SQUELCHING]

[THUDDING]

[BONES CRACKING]

[WHIMPERS]

MADDIE: What is that?

[GASPS] [MEDALLIONS RIPPING]

No, no, no! Keep going, baby.

Oh, shit.

[TYLER GASPS]

[PASSENGER SNARLS] [TYLER GRUNTS]

[GASPS]

[TYLER GRUNTING]

[PASSENGER GROWLS]

[TYLER YELLS]

[TYLER GRUNTS]

Tyler!

[TYLER GRUNTS] [MADDIE YELLS]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[ENGINE REVVING]

[TYLER GROANS]

[WINCING, GROANS]

Mads.

Get to the church. [PASSENGER GRUNTS]

[TYLER SCREAMS] Tyler!

[ENGINE REVVING]

[PASSENGER GRUNTS] [GASPS]

[MADDIE WHIMPERING]

[BRAKES SCREECH]

[PASSENGER SHRIEKS]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SKIN SIZZLING]

[PASSENGER SNARLS]

Holy grounds. [ENGINE REVS]

[PASSENGER SNARLING]

[YELLING]

[THUDS]

[PASSENGER GROWLS]

[HORN HONKING HAWAII 5-0 THEME]

[CRASHING] [WHIMPERS]

[DRAMATIC CHORAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[YELLING]

[PASSENGER SHRIEKING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SKIN SIZZLING]

Oh, fuck.

[PASSENGER SNARLING] [GASPS] Shit.

[ENGINE REVVING]

[TIRES SCREECH]

[ENGINE ACCELERATING] [GRUNTS]

[CRASHING] [BELL TOLLING]

[ENGINE REVVING]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

Come on!

Oh, shit. [SNARLS]

[TIRES SCREECH]

[THUDS]

[BRAKES SCREECH]

Happy accidents. [PASSENGER GRUNTS]

[ENGINE REVVING]

[PASSENGER SHRIEKING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SOBBING]

[DRAMATIC CHORAL MUSIC CONTINUES]

[ENGINE TURNS OFF]

[BREATHING DEEPLY]

[EXPLOSION]

[FIRE ROARS]

[COUGHS]

[COUGHING]

[YELPS]

[WOODEN PLANKS CLATTERING]

Maddie!

Maddie!

[SWEEPING MUSIC PLAYING]

[MADDIE GRUNTS]

We lost everything.

Not everything.

[MADDIE GRUNTS SOFTLY]

I knew you’d save Bob.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

That’s not Bob. [CHUCKLES]

MADDIE: Ah. [BOTH CHUCKLE]

[SIRENS WAILING]

What?

Oh, yeah.

[DEVICE BEEPS] I hit the S.O.S. button.

[MADDIE CHUCKLES]

TYLER: Yeah.

I’m thinking we buy a house in a gated community. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, sounds good.

Get a guard dog. Yeah.

Order takeout every night. Yeah.

And never fucking leave.

[THE PASSENGER BY SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES PLAYING]

I am the passenger.

And I ride and I ride.

I ride through the city’s backsides

I see the stars come out of the sky.

Yeah, the bright and hollow sky.

You know, it looks so good tonight.

I am the passenger.

I stay under glass

I look through my window so bright

I see the stars come out tonight

I see the bright and hollow sky.

Over the city’s ripped backsides.

And everything looks good tonight.

Singing.

La la la la, la-la-la-la.

La la la la, la-la-la-la.

La la la la, la-la-la-la-la-la-la.

Singing.

La la la la, la-la-la-la.

La la la la, la-la-la-la.

La la la la, la-la-la-la-la-la-la.

Singing.

La la la la

[EVIL GOT A HOLD ON ME PLAYING]

Well, the devil.

Got a hold on me.

She got me worried.

Won’t let me be

‘Cause she evil.

Evil, evil.

Evil got a hold on me.

Well, them demons.

Callin’ out to me.

They got no mercy.

For a soul in need

‘Cause they evil.

Evil.

So damn evil

‘Cause they evil.

Evil.

Evil.

Evil got a hold on me.

Evil.

Evil.

Evil.

Evil.

Evil.

Evil.

Evil

‘Cause you’re evil.

Evil.

You’re so damn evil.

And evil got a hold on me

[SONG ENDS]