Quick Read
- Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut returned to Tubi on February 1, 2026.
- The film’s return has coincided with a resurgence of online conspiracy theories.
- These theories claim Kubrick was assassinated for exposing elite depravity in the film.
- The Washington Post and other sources have extensively debunked these claims, citing Kubrick’s declining health.
- Eyes Wide Shut is widely considered an an allegory for power dynamics, not a literal exposé.
LOS ANGELES (Azat TV) – Stanley Kubrick’s acclaimed final film, Eyes Wide Shut, has returned to the streaming platform Tubi as of February 1, 2026, coinciding with a significant resurgence of online conspiracy theories surrounding the 1999 psychological thriller. The film’s re-availability has fueled renewed discussions across social media, particularly on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), regarding long-standing claims that Kubrick was assassinated for attempting to expose a secret society of powerful elites.
The Return of a Controversial Classic
Directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, Eyes Wide Shut features prominent stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as Dr. Bill Hartford and his wife Alice. The film, originally released in 1999, explores themes of desire, jealousy, and moral ambiguity, following Bill’s obsessive quest into a clandestine sex club linked to a powerful, masked secret society after Alice confesses her sexual fantasies. Its return to Tubi, where it previously streamed in December, makes it freely accessible to a new generation of viewers and existing fans, as noted by Filmogaz.
Known for its distinctive tone, Eyes Wide Shut juxtaposes its disturbing narrative with unexpected humor, often setting its dark themes against a backdrop of festive Christmas decorations. This contrast, coupled with its complex visual language, has contributed to its enduring legacy. Upon its initial release, the film garnered mixed reactions from audiences but was hailed as a masterpiece by some critics, solidifying its status as a must-watch classic over time.
Eyes Wide Shut and Resurfacing Conspiracy Theories
The film’s reappearance on streaming platforms has reignited a persistent online myth: that Stanley Kubrick was murdered for exposing the predations of the world’s elite through Eyes Wide Shut. This theory claims that Kubrick’s death from a heart attack on March 7, 1999, just six days after submitting the final cut to Warner Bros., was suspicious. Proponents of the theory often allege that the studio excised scenes that depicted ‘elite sexual rituals, child sacrifice, and organized depravity,’ suggesting these details were too sensitive for public consumption.
These conspiracy claims have gained renewed traction, particularly in the wake of the Epstein scandal and subsequent document releases. Online threads on X have circulated, linking the film’s infamous, ritualistic orgy scene to alleged real-life elite abuses. A resurfaced podcast clip featuring Eyes Wide Shut co-writer Roger Avary on The Joe Rogan Experience has also contributed to speculation about post-production changes after Kubrick’s death, further fueling the narrative that the film contained hidden truths.
Debunking the Myths: What the Evidence Shows
Despite the persistent nature of these theories, multiple sources, including The Washington Post, have extensively debunked the claims of foul play and deleted footage. According to The Washington Post, Kubrick’s declining health was well-known, and he died of natural causes at age 70. There is no script, footage, or paper trail to support the existence of 24 minutes of deleted scenes ‘naming names’ or depicting child sacrifice. Critics have pointed out that such explicit content would not have aligned with the film’s allegorical narrative structure.
Furthermore, the recent release of Epstein’s files, while embarrassing many prominent figures, has ‘all but disproved several’ of the wilder conspiracy theories. The Washington Post reported that Hollywood figures were ‘fairly underrepresented among Epstein associates,’ challenging the notion of Hollywood as a central hub for such alleged elite abuse. The film itself was an adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 novella, Traumnovelle (Dream Story), decades before the events surrounding Epstein came to light, making it unlikely to be a direct exposé of contemporary figures.
Kubrick’s Allegory of Power and Desire
Far from being a documentary insert or a coded confession, Eyes Wide Shut is understood by critics and analysts as a profound allegory about class, jealousy, and humiliation. The masked ritual, for instance, is seen as ‘Kubrick doing what he always did: using spectacle to show how power behaves when it is unaccountable,’ as one recent analysis observed. The film’s horror stems not from explicit violence but from ‘the calmness of authority, the politeness of menace, the certainty that rules exist you will never be allowed to read.’
Kubrick was famously meticulous and secretive, and his film ‘denies closure,’ ending with discomfort rather than clear revelation. The film’s true power lies in its exploration of ‘the humiliation of learning that privilege has limits, and that beyond those limits lie rooms you are not meant to enter.’ It examines how mechanisms of secrecy and hierarchy perpetuate power, rather than naming specific villains. The ambiguity in the film, such as the final, blunt line delivered by Alice, allows for multiple interpretations, contributing to its enduring mystique without requiring a hidden, literal truth.
The continued fascination with Eyes Wide Shut and its associated conspiracy theories highlights a broader cultural tendency to seek definitive, dramatic explanations for complex societal issues, often preferring a cinematic narrative over ambiguous realities.