- In an oral history published by The New York Times celebrating 25 years of Donnie Darko, Seth Rogen admitted he was initially sceptical about Jake Gyllenhaal's brooding portrayal of the titular character during filming.
- Rogen, who played bully Ricky Danforth in his first-ever film role, revealed he originally doubted how Gyllenhaal's uncharming performance would land, but later praised the deep level of thought Gyllenhaal brought to the role.
- Gyllenhaal recalled that reading the script felt like a semi-psychedelic journey, explaining that the film captured the overwhelming adolescent emotions he was personally experiencing at the time.
- Although Donnie Darko was a box-office disappointment upon its 2001 release, the sci-fi drama subsequently gained a devoted cult following, with audience appreciation continuing to grow over the past 25 years.
- Director Richard Kelly noted that audiences have evolved to appreciate unusual puzzle-type films, with an official sequel novel titled The Philosophy of Time Travel scheduled for release in December.
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