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Fight Club actually gives away major twist during the first 20 minutes of the movie

Home> Entertainment> Film

Published 14:11 25 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Fight Club actually gives away major twist during the first 20 minutes of the movie

There are loads of pointers which foreshadow the epic plot twist littered in the 1999 film

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

Fight Club is littered with a host of hints about the elaborate plot twist which throws viewers for a loop towards the end of the film.

The 1999 flick spans two hours and 19 minutes in length, but the audience are only let in on the big secret about three-quarters of the way through.

But as they say, hindsight is 20/20 - and loads of movie lovers have found that there are loads of clues about the surprise turn of events hidden in the opening sequence of Fight Club.

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The psychological thriller, starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt, follows the journey of an unnamed white-collar worker suffering from insomnia who strikes up a friendship with a care-free soap salesman.

Known only as The Narrator, Norton's character is pretty much in a constant state of sleeplessness, and he isn't exactly chuffed with how the rest of his life is going either.

Norton's character The Narrator hasn't had a good nights sleep in far too long (20th Century Studios)
Norton's character The Narrator hasn't had a good nights sleep in far too long (20th Century Studios)

After 'meeting' Tyler Durden (Pitt), he becomes close with the dodgy salesman and the pair decide to set up an underground fight club/soap-making scheme, while viewers watch them both become increasingly unhinged.

Things start to get seriously out of control when Tyler recruits more members for their Fight Club, as it turns into an army of anarchists who rebrand as 'Project Mayhem', while causing chaos on the streets in a bid to disrupt social order. By this point, The Narrator is losing the will to live with his weird pal - but viewers are still in the dark about what is really going on.

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You can take a look at the trailer for Fight Club here:

What is the plot twist in Fight Club?

As far as the audience are concerned up until this point, Tyler and The Narrator are two separate entities.

But then comes along Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), who bursts our bubble by uttering just one word, revealing that the men are much more connected than viewers might have first thought.

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After going AWOL again while Project Mayhem reaches a new height of popularity, The Narrator calls Marla and she bizarrely refers to him by his business partner's name.

This is when the penny finally drops for the protagonist and he realises that the eccentric soap salesman he's been palling about with is actually part of his split personality, rather than his mate.

By day, The Narrator is a depressed employee at an automobile company, but at night, he is moonlighting as the chaotic and charismatic Tyler during bouts of insomnia.

I know a lot of people would pay good money to watch that plot twist unravel itself again for the first time.

When was the Fight Club plot twist hinted at?

It turns out that the earlier scenes of Fight Club are chock-a-block with secret suggestions about the soap salesman actually being The Narrator's alter ego.

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There is even evidence of it in the opening sequence, which shows Norton's sleep-deprived character in an office building while Tyler Durden shoves a gun in his mouth, warning explosives are about to blow nearby buildings to bits.

That's the supposed climax of Project Mayhem - and the narration during these Fight Club scenes hints at the plot twist further through frequent mentions of Tyler and their future closeness.

For example, The Narrator says: "I know this because Tyler knows this," which foreshadows the revelation that the men actually share the same brain, given that they are the same person.

There are loads of hints that Tyler and The Narrator are the same person littered in the 1999 film (20th Century Studios)
There are loads of hints that Tyler and The Narrator are the same person littered in the 1999 film (20th Century Studios)

The hints get a lot less subtle from there on out, as viewers then watch as the insomniac begins to 'see' Tyler appear suddenly in random places, such as by the photocopier, at the hospital, or among the crowd in support groups.

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Fittingly, The Narrator tells viewers: "With insomnia, nothing is real. Everything feels far away. Everything's a copy of a copy of a copy."

As you're likely aware, The Narrator remains nameless throughout the film - but dons badges sporting a range of different monikers while attending the various support groups he sneaks into.

At one point, Marla memorably asks him: "Who are you anyway? Rupert, Cornelius, Travis?"

Their conversation comes to an abrupt end before The Narrator can answer, meaning Marla nor the audience never find out his 'real' name - which again hints at the fact that he is actually Tyler.

There's a ton of other clues weaved into the film too, such as The Narrator working the day shift while Tyler takes the night, the fact both characters share the same daddy issues and them both travelling on the bus with just one ticket.

So next time you find yourself watching Fight Club, keep a close eye out for pointers towards the epic plot twist.

Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Studios

Topics: Brad Pitt, Entertainment, Mental Health, TV and Film

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

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@livburke_

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