Predestination (2014)

Last updated:
June 4, 2025

Predestination (2014) is a mind-bending science fiction thriller directed by Michael and Peter Spierig, based on Robert A. Heinlein’s short story “All You Zombies.” It stars Ethan Hawke in a story that twists time, identity, and destiny into a singular paradox. At its core, it explores questions of fate, gender, and existence in a way few films dare.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Introduction: The Temporal Agent

The film opens with a mysterious figure trying to disarm a bomb set by the infamous Fizzle Bomber, a terrorist wreaking havoc across time. The mission fails, and the agent (Ethan Hawke) is severely burned. He undergoes facial reconstruction, and we’re told he’s one of the Temporal Bureau agents — a government organization that travels through time to prevent crimes before they happen.

The Bartender and the Unmarried Mother

Recovering from his injuries, the agent takes on the persona of a bartender in 1970s New York. Here, he meets a cynical and emotionally scarred man who writes confession stories under the pen name “The Unmarried Mother.” The man offers the bartender what he calls “the best story you’ve ever heard.” What follows is a deeply personal and tragic tale.

Jane’s Story

The man reveals that he was born as Jane, a girl abandoned at an orphanage. Jane was exceptionally intelligent and physically gifted, even being considered for a space program called SpaceCorp, but rejected due to an unknown medical issue. She later falls in love with a mysterious man, becomes pregnant, and is abandoned. After giving birth, her baby is stolen from the hospital. During the birth, doctors discover that Jane is intersex and undergoes forced gender reassignment surgery, becoming male. Jane becomes John — the man we see in the bar.

This revelation is central to the movie’s complex identity themes.

Recruitment and Time Travel

The bartender offers John the chance to travel through time and confront the man who ruined his life. They jump back in time to the moment Jane meets her lover — and in a stunning twist, John realizes he himself was the man who fell in love with Jane. He has now seduced his past self.

This moment reveals that Jane, John, and the mysterious lover are the same person, making Jane both mother and father of her own child. John is then recruited by the Bureau as a temporal agent.

Chasing the Fizzle Bomber

The film progresses to John’s final assignment: capturing the Fizzle Bomber. Meanwhile, the bartender/agent retires but breaks protocol by using his time machine one last time. He tracks down the Fizzle Bomber, and in the final, shocking twist, the bomber is revealed to be his future self — older, disillusioned, and convinced that his terrorist acts actually save more lives in the long run.

Despite his horror, the agent kills his future self — or at least this version — in an attempt to end the cycle.

Movie Ending

The ending of Predestination ties all its paradoxes together:

The baby Jane gave birth to was taken by the Bureau and placed back in time at the orphanage — meaning Jane is her own mother, father, and child.
Jane, John, the lover, the agent, and the bomber are all the same person — at different points in their life.
The entire timeline is a closed loop — the ultimate predestination paradox.
The Temporal Bureau’s true motivations remain murky — they may be manipulating events not just to stop crime, but to control time itself.
The final line — “I miss you terribly” — from the agent to himself is both heartbreaking and haunting, underscoring a life of infinite loneliness.

The film ends with ambiguity: did the agent really stop the cycle by killing the bomber? Or is he, too, doomed to become the bomber? The open-ended nature of the conclusion leaves room for endless debate — and that’s part of the brilliance.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Predestination does not have any post-credits scenes. The story is completely contained within the film’s runtime, and the final scene is meant to be the definitive emotional and thematic conclusion.

Type of Movie

Predestination is a science fiction thriller that delves into psychological drama, time travel, and existential paradoxes. It combines high-concept narrative design with emotional storytelling, making it a standout in the time-travel genre.

Cast

Ethan Hawke as The Barkeep / Temporal Agent / Fizzle Bomber
Sarah Snook as Jane / John / The Unmarried Mother
Noah Taylor as Mr. Robertson (Temporal Bureau handler)
Christopher Kirby as Agent Miles
Madeleine West as the mother in the hospital

Sarah Snook delivers a particularly outstanding performance, seamlessly portraying both genders and multiple stages of the same person’s life.

Film Music and Composer

The film’s score was composed by Peter Spierig (one of the co-directors), and it features a moody, atmospheric soundtrack that supports the philosophical and suspenseful nature of the film. The music is understated but effective, often drawing more attention to silence and subtle tension than loud orchestration.

Filming Locations

The film was primarily shot in Melbourne, Australia, with various locations standing in for 1970s New York and other time periods. Clever set design and lighting were used to transform local urban areas into believable period-specific backdrops, helping stretch the film’s modest budget.

The limited yet detailed locations contribute to the film’s intimate, cerebral tone — emphasizing character and narrative over spectacle.

Awards and Nominations

Predestination received critical acclaim, particularly in Australia, and won several awards:

AACTA Awards (Australian Oscars):
- Best Actress (Sarah Snook)
- Best Editing
- Best Production Design
- Best Sound
- Best Original Score

It was also nominated for Best Film and Best Direction, and was recognized at various international genre festivals.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Sarah Snook wore extensive prosthetics and voice training to convincingly play both Jane and John.
The Spierig Brothers were longtime fans of Heinlein’s short story and spent years developing the script.
The film was shot on a tight budget of around $5 million, making its production design and effects all the more impressive.
Ethan Hawke signed on quickly, citing the script as one of the most original he’d ever read.
Despite being complex, the film was shot in less than 40 days.

Inspirations and References

The film is adapted from Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 short story “—All You Zombies—”, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest time-travel stories ever written.
Philosophical themes include determinism, identity, and the bootstrap paradox — where events are their own cause and effect.
The story challenges traditional notions of gender, destiny, and free will.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

While no alternate endings are publicly available, the Spierig Brothers confirmed in interviews that they filmed several extended character scenes that were cut for pacing reasons. These included more background on the Temporal Bureau and longer segments of John’s early struggles.

These deleted scenes are included in some Blu-ray extras but do not change the core narrative or its outcome.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The film follows Heinlein’s short story remarkably closely but expands on several elements:

The Bureau is more developed in the film than in the story, which leaves it vague.
The film adds more action (like the Fizzle Bomber plot), which is not in the original text.
Heinlein’s original story was shorter and more abstract — the movie adds emotional depth and background to Jane/John’s journey.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Jane’s rejection from SpaceCorp and her heartbreaking realization of being intersex.
John meeting Jane — the moment of self-seduction.
The final confrontation with the Fizzle Bomber.
The moment the baby is left at the orphanage, closing the loop.

Iconic Quotes

“What if I could put him in front of you? The man that ruined your life.”
“You have to make tough decisions. Sacrifices.”
“I miss you terribly.”
“I know where I come from — but where do all you zombies come from?” (from Heinlein’s story)

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The ticking clock motif is used symbolically throughout the movie.
The name “Unmarried Mother” is a dark joke referencing Jane’s own identity paradox.
The use of mirrors in several scenes emphasizes the theme of self-reflection and dual identity.
The same music cue plays when John meets Jane and later when he sees the bomber — symbolizing self-recognition.

Trivia

Sarah Snook’s performance was so transformative that many audiences didn’t realize she played both Jane and John until the credits.
The story’s full timeline can be drawn as a loop — there is no external origin for Jane/John.
The film’s working title was “All You Zombies,” before reverting to Predestination to avoid confusion.
The term “bootstrap paradox” is derived from this kind of story — where a person is their own origin.

Why Watch?

Predestination is essential viewing for fans of smart science fiction. It’s not just a time-travel story — it’s a philosophical thriller that pushes the boundaries of identity, gender, and causality. If you enjoy films that demand attention, reward analysis, and leave your brain spinning in the best way — this one’s for you.

Director’s Other Movies

Daybreakers (2009)
Jigsaw (2017)
Undead (2003)
Winchester (2018)

Predestination (2014)