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Let's Start A Cult (2024) movie poster

Timeline

Let's Start A Cult (2024) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2024 · English
Echo score 69
JustWatch #9,625 8

Following a missed opportunity for a mass suicide, a frustrated cult member and his former leader decide to start a new group. They assemble a collection of awkward individuals who are eager to embrace a transcendent destiny and find belonging within the burgeoning cult.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (17)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Let's Start A Cult
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Let's Start A Cult (2024)

Where can you watch Let's Start A Cult? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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17 events in order · contains spoilers

Let's Start A Cult Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Let's Start A Cult (2024) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Cult's Final Video Interviews

    In 2000, the cult led by William Davenport records a series of video interviews. This is done just before they commit mass suicide as part of their transcendence ritual, an event that sets the stage for the chaos that follows.

    When
    2000
  2. Chip's Exile

    Chip Harper, a crass and overweight member, is relegated to sleeping alone in a dark barn that lacks electricity. While there, he also attempts to catch raccoons, showcasing his neglect and the absurdity of his situation within the cult.

    Where
    Barn
  3. The Transcendence Celebration

    On the day of the cult's transcendent ceremony, chaos erupts due to Chip's antics. In a twist of fate, he is tasked to deliver their videotape to the press but fails, leading to tragic consequences when he returns to find the cult members have completed the ritual without him.

  4. Discovery of the Bodies

    Three months later, Chip is living a mundane life with his parents and selling gravel. He is shocked to hear on the news that the bodies of his former cult members have been discovered, and that William is the only one who remains unaccounted for and is wanted for murder.

    When
    Three months later
  5. Finding William

    Chip embarks on a search for his former cult leader, William. He eventually tracks him down only to find William working as a clown at children's birthday parties, a bizarre and unexpected twist in the story.

    Where
    Children's birthday party
  6. The New Cult Plan

    Upon confronting William, he claims that he has been resurrected with a divine purpose to reconnect with Chip and start a new cult. The two of them begin plotting a scheme, with their unusual goal of making money while recruiting new members.

  7. Recruiting New Members

    As part of their recruitment efforts, Chip and William perform a disastrous clown act. After this failure, they hit the road and encounter new individuals, including Tyler, a military reject, and Diane, a single mother fighting for custody of her son.

  8. The Journey to a New Life

    William promises to take his new recruits to a compound where they can start afresh. The excitement of a new beginning contrasts with the personal struggles of each group member, reflecting their shared desperation for belonging.

  9. Conflict Over Leadership

    As they travel, complications arise as Chip begins to assert his leadership, disagreeing with William's plans. This power struggle creates a rift between them, complicating their purpose of starting a new cult.

  10. Arriving at the Compound

    Their journey culminates when they arrive at the supposed new cult compound, only to discover that the house William was meant to inherit belongs to Dorota, a former women's wrestling champion. This unexpected twist leads to new alliances.

    Where
    New compound
  11. Flirting with Dorota

    In the course of events, Chip finds himself flirting with Dorota, leading to a passionate encounter between them. This moment not only alters the dynamics of their group but also sets off a seismic shift in Chip’s leadership.

    Where
    Dorota's house
  12. William's Betrayal

    In a shocking betrayal, William leaves the group and claims to authorities that he is an escaped cult member, shifting the blame onto Chip. This accusation pushes Chip to desperation as he fights to clear his name.

  13. Attempted Drowning

    After a confrontation with the police, Chip becomes distraught and attempts to drown himself as guilt consumes him. However, he's saved by Jim, Diane, and Tyler, who refuse to let him succumb to despair.

  14. Uncovering the Truth

    The group makes a daring plan to uncover evidence to exonerate Chip and expose William’s true role. They return to the old compound and discover the original videotape hidden in the barn, capturing the cult's true statements.

    Where
    Old compound
  15. Confrontation with William

    In a climactic encounter, Chip reveals the original tape to a news reporter, leading to a standoff with William. The confrontation ends shockingly when William accidentally impales himself, leaving Chip to triumph over his former leader.

    Where
    Old compound
  16. New Beginnings

    In a montage following the chaos, we see Chip transform into a motivational speaker and marry Dorota, despite her incarceration. As they build a family together, the group finds stability in their unconventional lives together.

    Where
    Dorota's house
  17. William's Fate

    Though he survives the mishap, William's future is grim as he is left with serious brain damage. The once powerful cult leader now exists in a state that leaves him with 'shit for brains', serving as a cautionary tale of the cult's collapse.

Last updated: May 12, 2025 at 07:03

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Timeline questions answered

Let's Start A Cult Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Let's Start A Cult (2024): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Chip left behind during the cult's mass suicide?

Chip was tasked with delivering a videotape to the press on the day of the transcendence ritual. His clumsy failure at this duty meant he wasn't present when the other members completed the mass suicide. When he returned to the compound, he discovered they had already completed the ritual without him.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Chip is exiled to the barn with a poorly-made raccoon trap, showing his position as an outsider within the cult.

  • chip harper
  • mass suicide
  • cult
  • transcendence ritual
  • left behind
Q2

Why is William working as a clown after the cult ends?

William claims he died during the original mass suicide but was miraculously resurrected with a divine purpose: to reconnect with Chip and start a new cult. This resurrection story, however absurd, is presented as his justification for the bizarre career change.

  • william davenport
  • clown
  • resurrected
  • new cult
Q3

Why does William betray Chip and frame him for the cult?

William becomes threatened by Chip's growing authority and leadership within the group. When Chip begins making decisions without William's approval, particularly recruiting Jim and taking leadership during the camping trip, William feels his control slipping. In retaliation, he escapes and tells police that he is an escaped cult member, pinning the blame entirely on Chip.

Foreshadowing: The seeds of conflict are planted when Chip clandestinely recruits Jim while William sleeps, establishing Chip's willingness to act independently.

  • william
  • betrayal
  • frame
  • chip
  • leadership
  • power struggle
Q4

Why does Chip try to drown himself in the lake?

After William frames Chip for being the cult mastermind and the police close in, Chip is consumed by guilt and despair. Feeling responsible for leading his new friends into danger and unable to clear his name, he attempts to end his life in the lake.

  • chip
  • suicide
  • drowning
  • guilt
  • despair
Q5

How does William die or get injured at the end?

During the confrontation at the old compound, William threatens a reporter with pliers. In the chaos, he accidentally triggers Chip's old raccoon trap, a mechanism with a machete. The machete falls and impales him. He survives but is left with severe brain damage, described as having 'shit for brains.'

Foreshadowing: Chip's ill-fated raccoon trap from the beginning of the movie, shown in the barn with electricity, becomes the unexpected instrument of William's downfall.

  • william
  • machete
  • accident
  • brain damage
  • death
Q6

What is the original videotape that Chip finds in the barn?

The videotape contains the original cult's video statements recorded in 2000 before their mass suicide. This tape serves as evidence that William was the true leader and mastermind, not Chip. Chip uses it to clear his name and expose William's manipulation to the news reporter.

Foreshadowing: The timeline establishes that these video interviews were recorded just before the mass suicide, making the tape crucial evidence.

  • videotape
  • barn
  • evidence
  • william
  • expose
Q7

Why does Dorota let Chip and the group stay at her house?

After discovering the property William claimed would be their compound actually belongs to Dorota, a former women's wrestling champion, Chip flirts with her. They have a passionate encounter, and she permits the group to stay as a result of their romantic involvement.

  • dorota
  • house
  • stay
  • romance
  • wrestling
Q8

Why do Tyler and Diane join the new cult?

Tyler was disqualified from military service due to a bone disorder, leaving him without purpose or direction. Diane is a single mother fighting to regain custody of her son while struggling with her mental health. Both are seeking belonging and a fresh start, making them vulnerable to William's promises of a new compound and transcendent destiny.

  • tyler
  • diane
  • recruit
  • military
  • custody
  • belonging
Q9

Why does William want to start a new cult after the first one failed?

William claims his resurrection gave him a divine mission to reconnect with Chip and rebuild. More practically, he and Chip need money and followers. William sees the new cult as both a spiritual endeavor and a scheme to earn income through their increasingly desperate recruits.

  • william
  • new cult
  • resurrection
  • mission
  • money
Q10

Why does William give up leadership and make Chip the cult leader?

After Chip and Dorota's romantic encounter, William recognizes that Chip has secured both a place to stay and the group's loyalty. Feeling outmatched, William voluntarily relinquishes his leadership role and anoints Chip as the new cult leader, capturing the moment on video for their growing congregation.

  • chip
  • leader
  • william
  • leadership transfer
  • dorota
Q11

What happens to the original cult members' bodies?

Three months after the mass suicide in 2000, the bodies of William's original cult members are discovered. William is the only one missing and is subsequently identified as the prime suspect in their murders, creating the criminal investigation that drives Chip's quest to find him.

  • bodies
  • discovered
  • murder
  • william
  • police
Q12

How does Chip end up becoming a motivational speaker?

After surviving the cult chaos and exposing William's crimes, Chip channels his bizarre experiences into inspirational content. His journey from a failed cult member to someone who overcame manipulation and betrayal becomes the foundation for his motivational speaking career.

  • chip
  • motivational speaker
  • transformation
  • inspiration

Movie threads

More Movies Like Let's Start A Cult, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Let's Start A Cult tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about misfits finding their tribe like Let's Start A Cult

Stories where awkward outsiders form unconventional bonds in strange circumstances. For viewers who liked the awkward camaraderie in Let's Start A Cult, this list features movies about unlikely groups forming their own found families. Discover similar comedies and dramas where social outcasts, loners, and misfits find a sense of belonging through bizarre or unconventional circumstances.

  • character-driven
  • awkward
  • found family
  • bittersweet
  • darkly humorous
  • quirky
  • Tone: darkly humorous, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a collection of distinct, often eccentric characters who are brought together by chance or shared circumstance. The story explores their initial difficulties connecting, the gradual building of trust, and the eventual formation of a strong, if unconventional, family bond that provides them with the acceptance they've been seeking.

Why they belong together: They are grouped together because they share a core theme of finding connection and family outside of traditional structures. The mood is a specific blend of awkward humor, genuine warmth, and character-driven storytelling, often with a bittersweet or hopeful emotional core.

Darkly comedic character studies like Let's Start A Cult

Absurd and satirical films that delve into the psyches of deeply flawed characters. If you enjoyed the satirical and character-focused humor of Let's Start A Cult, explore these movies that blend dark comedy with sharp character observation. Find similar films where absurd plots serve to explore the motivations and flaws of chaotic, unpredictable, yet compelling individuals.

  • satirical
  • absurd
  • character-driven
  • darkly humorous
  • unpredictable
  • chaotic
  • Tone: satirical, dark, absurd
  • Pacing: steady, unpredictable
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is often secondary to exploring the motivations and psychology of the central characters. The story unfolds through a series of escalating, absurd events prompted by the characters' specific worldviews or obsessions, leading to chaotic outcomes that are both humorous and revealing.

Why they belong together: They share a unique blend of tone: using comedy to explore dark or serious themes through the lens of flawed individuals. The pacing is often steady, allowing for deep character exploration, and the mood balances satirical humor with a sense of the unpredictable and absurd.

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Every angle

Let's Start A Cult (2024) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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