Stephanie

Stephanie

Year: 2017

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: Akiva Goldsman

HorrorMysteryHorror

Following a devastating global crisis, a young girl finds herself alone and must hide from a sinister force threatening her home. When her parents eventually return, they face a desperate fight to protect their daughter from the looming danger and uncover the truth behind the mysterious events.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Stephanie (2017) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Stephanie (2017), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Stephanie Shree Troietta Crooks is a young girl who is abandoned by her parents and left to live in their home with only a toy turtle for company, while a dark, supernatural presence seems to watch over her. A shadow hangs over the airwaves as news broadcasts hint at an impending apocalyptic event, yet Stephanie distracts herself by channel-surfing through cartoons like Despereaux, Equestria Girls, and Friendship is Magic, as if those cheerful worlds could shield her from the looming danger.

Her most troubling secret, hidden from the outside world, is the corpse of her brother Paul kept in his bed, where she yells at and occasionally strikes him. When they manage a fragile moment of reconciliation, she even holds his cold hand. In moments of whimsy, she hosts tea parties with stuffed animals, though a menacing presence always lurks just beyond the frame, and each scene ends with a jump scare as Stephanie wakes up back in her bed. The parents return home—Eric and Jane Anna Torv—to apologize and attempt to restore a sense of normalcy, burying Paul’s body in the yard and trying to move forward. Eric keeps a gun on his belt, a constant reminder of the danger, while Jane bears long, visible scars across her stomach that hint at a violent past.

That night, a horrific moment erupts when Paul’s corpse is catapulted through the attic window, sending shockwaves of distress through the house while Stephanie remains oddly unfazed. The next morning, a tense portrait unfolds: Stephanie and Paul had been carving pumpkins, and when Paul teased her and damaged hers, she responds with a terrifying burst of telekinetic power, breaking his neck. Jane arrives to investigate and is struck in the midsection, and Stephanie’s power manifests as giant, invisible octopus tentacles that lash out and dominate the scene.

The adults confront a brutal truth: there is no monster hiding in the shadows—Stephanie herself is the threat. They reveal that she has been hallucinating the shadowy figure and, in a desperate attempt to cure her, drug her and pursue brain surgery to nullify her powers. The Doctor Samantha Smith arrives as part of this intervention, but Stephanie awakens and telekinetically destroys the lab. News broadcasts across the world explain a terrifying pattern: murderous, telekinetic children like Stephanie are appearing everywhere, and there is no known cure—they must be killed.

Back in their home, Eric and Jane decide to end the threat with poison. As Stephanie moves to drink the cocoa, her telekinesis autonomously knocks it from her hand, and she lashes out in an attack that leaves the father gravely wounded, firing several rounds that seemingly kill her. Yet the nightmare isn’t over. Stephanie returns home, unharmed, tortures and kills her parents, and drags their bodies to Paul’s grave, stomping on her toy turtle as if surrendering to the force that now possesses her. The neighborhood trembles as she walks away, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake, her shadow stretching into long, sinister tentacles while she laughs in a demonic register.

The final minutes pull back to reveal Earth from space: fires burn across cities, and the camera hints that other telekinetic children around the world are unleashing similar cataclysms, with humanity facing an outbreak that knows no cure and offers no mercy.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:26

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Apocalyptic Horror Stories Through a Child's Eyes Like Stephanie

Survival stories where childhood innocence confronts an overwhelming world-ending threat.If you liked the harrowing perspective of a child facing the apocalypse in Stephanie, explore more movies like it. This list features similar horror and survival stories where young protagonists must navigate a terrifying, collapsing world, focusing on themes of innocence lost and overwhelming vulnerability.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a young protagonist suddenly isolated by a cataclysmic event. The narrative focuses on their survival instincts, their limited understanding of the danger, and the emotional toll of being utterly alone or with flawed protectors in a hostile new reality.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on childhood vulnerability during global or personal catastrophes. They create a specific, poignant brand of horror by contrasting innocence with extreme terror, making the emotional stakes feel uniquely high and distressing.

Movies About a Monster Within the Family Like Stephanie

Psychological horror where the true terror originates from within the family unit itself.For viewers who appreciated the central horror of Stephanie—a child as the source of terror—this list collects similar movies like it. Discover psychological thrillers and supernatural horrors where the threat comes from inside the family, exploring themes of parental guilt, protection, and tragic love.

oppressivepsychologicaltragicclaustrophobicanxioussinisterunsettlingparental guilt

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a family confronting the horrifying realization that one of their own has become a danger. The plot revolves around the moral dilemma of protection versus elimination, the unraveling of domestic safety, and the ultimate destruction of the family unit from within.

Why These Movies?

These films are linked by their core premise: the corruption of the family by an internal threat. They share a mood of claustrophobic dread, heavy emotional weight centered on guilt and tragic love, and a focus on the psychological horror of failing to protect a loved one from themselves.

Unlock the Full Story of Stephanie

Don't stop at just watching — explore Stephanie in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Stephanie is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Stephanie Timeline

Track the full timeline of Stephanie with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Stephanie Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Stephanie

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Stephanie. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Stephanie

Stephanie Spoiler-Free Summary

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Stephanie Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Stephanie

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