A year after its release, Blink Twice has found itself back in the headlines — and not for its box office numbers. Internet users are now drawing unsettling parallels between the 2024 psychological thriller and resurfaced details linked to Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.
The renewed scrutiny follows the circulation of old emails referencing “trumpet plants” in Epstein’s nursery, alongside mentions of scopolamine — a drug known to impair memory and cognition. For many on X and Instagram, the overlap with Blink Twice’s fictional memory-erasing perfume has been enough to raise eyebrows and suspicions.
Directed by Zoe Kravitz, Blink Twice centres on Frida, a cocktail waitress invited to the lavish private island of tech billionaire Slater King played by Channing Tatum. What begins as indulgent escapism quickly turns sinister. Women wake with bruises, blackouts and fractured memories. Eventually, they realise they’ve been drugged, assaulted and filmed — their recollections erased by a perfume derived from flowers grown on the island.
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What exactly are the online parallels?
Users point to resurfaced emails reportedly sent by Jeffrey Epstein mentioning “trumpet plants” — a term associated with Brugmansia and Datura. These plants contain scopolamine, a compound that, in high doses, can cause confusion, hallucinations and severe memory loss.
In Blink Twice, the billionaire host gifts guests a perfume infused with island flowers that wipes memories clean. The fictional mechanism and the real-world references have fuelled speculation that the similarities are more than coincidence.
What is scopolamine, and why is it significant?
Scopolamine is medically prescribed for motion sickness and post-operative nausea. However, at higher concentrations, it can impair free will and cognition. One resurfaced email reportedly described it as a substance that “eliminates free will” and makes individuals highly suggestible — language that has only intensified online comparisons.
Is there proof the film was based on Epstein?
There is no confirmed evidence that Blink Twice was directly inspired by Epstein’s case. When the film first released, its themes were widely interpreted as commentary on elite abuse and unchecked power. The current debate largely stems from timing — and the resurfacing of specific email details.
Why are private island scandals back in focus?
The conversation has also spilled into discussions about other figures, including Peter Nygard, who faced allegations involving his Bahamian estate. While speculation online often outpaces verified facts, the broader theme remains consistent: immense wealth, isolation and impunity.
For now, Blink Twice sits at the centre of a digital double-take. Whether it was sharp foresight or sharp coincidence, the internet has decided the resemblance is impossible to ignore.
