Death of a Unicorn (2025) Explained: The Ending, Unicorn Powers & The Deeper Meaning

If you’re a fan of darkly comedic horror films, Death of a Unicorn (2025) should be at the top of your must-watch list. Directed by Alex Scharfman and starring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Téa Leoni, Will Poulter, and Richard E. Grant, this A24 monster comedy delivers a wild ride of gory unicorn attacks, biting satire about corporate greed, and a surprisingly heartfelt tale about family bonds and redemption.

This long-form ‘explained’ piece dives into the core plot points of Death of a Unicorn, clarifies its ambiguous ending, and discusses the deeper meaning behind its dark humor. If you’re looking for more details—like quizzes, discussions, and ratings from other popular movie websites—be sure to check out the dedicated Death of a Unicorn page at What’s After the Movie. You can also explore the What’s After the Movie blog for more posts like this, where we keep the conversation going long after the credits roll.

---

What Is Death of a Unicorn (2025) About?

The story follows father-daughter duo Elliot Kitner (Paul Rudd) and Ridley Kitner (Jenna Ortega) on their way to the estate of Elliot’s wealthy employers, the Leopolds, to discuss a major career move for Elliot. On the drive, Elliot and Ridley hit what appears to be a unicorn with their car. Initially believing it dead, they bring the creature with them, only to discover it is alive and part of a family of unicorns that will do anything to protect their own.

When the Leopolds and their pharmaceutical empire see a chance to exploit unicorn horn dust for its healing properties, chaos ensues. The parent unicorns show up to reclaim their baby, leading to bloody confrontations. Elliot and Ridley are caught in the middle, fighting to survive while also confronting their own fractured relationship in the process.

---

Why Do the Unicorns Crash the Cop Car at the End?

By the end of the film, nearly everyone at the Leopold compound is dead except Elliot, Ridley, and the loyal butler Griff. When the police arrive, they assume Elliot and Ridley are responsible for the carnage. Handcuffed and driven away in a squad car, they soon realize the unicorn family is trailing behind them. The unicorns lock eyes with Elliot and Ridley, then slam into the car.

Although it looks like a violent attack, the unicorns likely intend to help Elliot and Ridley. They’ve already resurrected Elliot, formed a special bond with Ridley, and demonstrated compassion toward them—at least in comparison to how they treated the greedy Leopolds. Since the unicorns don’t understand human laws or vehicles, their best attempt at a rescue is to force the car off the road. This is, of course, a major risk for Elliot and Ridley’s well-being, but the unicorns’ power to heal or resurrect suggests they might be able to save them again.

---

Why Do the Unicorns Revive Elliot?

Elliot dies heroically near the film’s climax. As Shep Leopold (Will Poulter) threatens Ridley’s life to capture the parent unicorns, Elliot intervenes by stabbing Shep with the baby unicorn’s horn. Shep retaliates, mortally wounding Elliot with an arrow. Believing she’s lost her last remaining parent, Ridley cradles Elliot in her arms. In that moment, the unicorns gather around them, place Elliot’s body alongside their baby, and combine their horns to resurrect both Elliot and the wounded foal.

Their power to bring the dead back to life (or near-death states) stems from the film’s mystical portrayal of unicorns. The creatures operate on a cosmic plane far beyond normal comprehension. Their willingness to save Elliot arises from Ridley’s empathy and the selfless acts that Elliot ultimately chooses over greed. Once Elliot prioritizes his daughter’s safety (and the unicorns’ well-being) over financial gain, he becomes worthy of this miraculous second chance.

---

What Happens to Elliot, Ridley, and the Unicorns?

The unicorns escape the Leopold estate and return to their natural habitat, presumably remaining hidden from the rest of the world. Nobody else survives to bear witness. Meanwhile, Elliot and Ridley are arrested under suspicion of having caused the mass death at the estate. Despite the film cutting to black, the crash orchestrated by the unicorns strongly hints the pair will somehow be freed. The unicorns’ repeated demonstrations of healing, resurrection, and protectiveness suggest Elliot and Ridley could survive whatever injuries the crash inflicts.

Although the movie doesn’t show the aftermath, the final note is one of emotional resolution for Elliot and Ridley. They reconcile during their horrifying ordeal, forging a deeper bond that might carry them through any investigation—or even another harrowing brush with unicorn magic.

---

Where Do the Unicorns Come From?

Death of a Unicorn never offers a definitive origin story for these creatures, but it implies unicorns are ancient beings that have lived in hidden corners of the world for centuries. Ridley’s research into “The Unicorn Tapestries” points to their long-running presence in myth and recorded history, with old warnings suggesting that humans have tried (and failed) to harness unicorn power before.

In the film, the unicorn horns connect to a greater cosmic plane, giving them extraordinary healing abilities and a raw destructive force. Their immortality or longevity is strongly hinted at, especially when they resurrect their baby and, later, Elliot. The film thus suggests that similar creatures might exist elsewhere, just as hidden and lethal to those who attempt to exploit them.

---

Is Griff the Butler Still Alive?

Griff (Anthony Carrigan) is a standout character for his quiet endurance of the Leopolds’ eccentricities. He’s the one who manages to alert the authorities, and he’s seen driving behind the squad car that carries Elliot and Ridley. When the unicorns slam into that car, they effectively knock both vehicles off the road.

Although we don’t see Griff’s fate after this chaos, the film’s creators have confirmed in interviews that he survives. Griff’s sympathetic nature and relative innocence likely spare him from the dark fate that befalls the Leopolds and their associates. Whether he ends up telling the police the real story or simply disappears into a new, unicorn-free life remains open to interpretation.

---

What Is the Real Meaning of Death of a Unicorn?

On one level, the film is a scathing satire of corporate greed. The Leopolds represent an elite class of exploiters who see nature (and even mythological creatures) purely as resources to be monetized. Their willingness to trap and dissect a unicorn—simply because its horn dust can cure illnesses—shows how far they will go in the name of profit.

The family’s downfall is swift and brutal, which underscores the film’s eat-the-rich perspective: if you treat the mystical forces of nature as commodities, you risk being devoured by them. Meanwhile, Elliot and Ridley learn that true wealth lies in protecting and respecting life—whether it’s a lethal unicorn or an estranged family member.

At its heart, Death of a Unicorn is also about reconciliation and trust between a father and daughter who have grown distant after a family tragedy. Elliot’s journey from “Do whatever it takes to make more money” to “Put my child’s and the unicorns’ well-being first” is rewarded. His reunion with Ridley—enhanced by the cosmic vision of the unicorns—reminds us that genuine connection can outweigh any corporate ambition.

---

How Can You Learn More About Death of a Unicorn?

If you’d like to dive deeper into this bloody yet heartfelt story, visit the Death of a Unicorn page on What’s After the Movie. There, you can find quizzes, discussion threads, a movie summary, and a space to share your theories on the film’s abrupt final shot. You can also head over to the What’s After the Movie blog for additional commentary on other movies, both new releases and classics.

For reviews, ratings, or streaming info outside of What’s After the Movie, you can check out resources like Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, TMDB, Wikipedia, JustWatch, Box Office Mojo, Letterboxd, Movie Insider, Common Sense Media, and Fandango. These platforms offer everything from professional critic summaries to user ratings, box office data, and more.

---

Final Thoughts

Though it’s filled with surreal carnage, Death of a Unicorn (2025) manages to blend grisly imagery with a surprisingly touching examination of family, grief, and second chances. Elliot and Ridley’s mutual survival—and Elliot’s miraculous resurrection—serve as a testament to the power of compassion in a world where greed and exploitation run rampant. The ambiguous closing scene, in which unicorns crash a police car to “save” our protagonists, captures the film’s blend of dark comedy, sentimentality, and outlandish lore.

Still have questions or lingering theories about what really happened after that final crash? Check out the What’s After the Movie blog for more theories and trivia, or head to the dedicated page to see which quiz or discussion you want to tackle first. Whatever path you choose, remember this: in the world of Death of a Unicorn, nature’s magic is both wondrous and terrifying, and it might just stomp you out if you don’t treat it with respect.