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Timeline

Temple (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 78 min · English
Echo score 36
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Directed by
Michael Barrett
Starring
Naoto Takenaka, Logan Huffman, Brandon Sklenar, Asahi Uchida, Natalia Warner

Set in 1920s London, the story follows two roommates, Rehal and Arul, as they grapple with personal identity and the lingering effects of colonialism. Rehal harbors an unrequited love for Arul, which fuels a growing sense of unease and foreboding. The film is a haunting exploration of queer experience, delving into the secrets and hidden desires that shape their lives and the shadows of the past that surround them.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Temple
  6. 6 Every angle
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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Temple Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Temple (2017) 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. Present-day interrogation and flashback

    In present-day Japan, a professor and his interpreter question a wounded and bandaged man. They exchange questions that go unanswered, building tension and mystery. When the professor plays a videotape, the man suddenly flashes back to the period before his injury, hinting at a deeper backstory.

    When
    present
    Where
    Hospital/room, Japan
  2. Trip to Japan to study temples

    Kate invites her friend Chris to join a trip to Japan to study local temples, while her boyfriend James remains casual about their platonic friendship. Chris, who speaks some Japanese, agrees to translate for the group. The trio prepares for travel and exploration.

    When
    pre-trip
    Where
    Planning/flight to Japan
  3. Bookstore encounter and refusal

    During sightseeing, they stop at a bookstore where Kate discovers a folklore book illustrating a temple. The proprietor abruptly refuses to sell the book and closes the shop, leaving the trio puzzled. They return to their hotel, unsettled by the encounter.

    When
    day
    Where
    Bookstore, Japan
  4. Club night and jealousy

    That night, Chris and James visit a club, and Chris sees James kiss and dance with other women. The tension between them grows as Chris grapples with jealousy and the strain of the trip. They return to the hotel with unresolved feelings.

    When
    night
    Where
    Club
  5. Seita encounter and the purchase

    Back at the bookstore, Chris meets Seita, a boy claiming to work there, who offers to sell him the folklore book. Seita's presence feels unsettling as Chris begins experiencing strange, stalking-like sensations. He leaves with the book, unsure what to make of the encounter.

    When
    evening
    Where
    Bookstore
  6. Haunted temple rumor and directions

    In a bar, a man tells Chris that the temple is nearby and haunted, and the bartender provides directions to a village near it. They are warned to stay away, which only fuels their curiosity. The seeds of danger are planted as they weigh a dangerous search.

    When
    evening
    Where
    Bar, near temple
  7. Hitoshi legend and local warnings

    A local tells them of Hitoshi, a man who returned from a temple trip blind with visions. Villagers recount that a monk was killed when the temple's secrets were misunderstood, a story that the trio initially dismisses as superstition. The legends quietly foreshadow a darker reality.

    When
    day
    Where
    Village/Temple area
  8. Inn stay and eyeless encounter

    They rent an inn for the night, where Chris meets Seita again, who reiterates his offer to take them to the temple the next day. At the inn, Chris encounters the eyeless man who identifies himself as Hitoshi and reveals that fifty years ago children disappeared and a monk was killed by villagers. The revelation deepens the sense that the past and present are connected.

    When
    night
    Where
    Inn
  9. Journey to the temple and the mine

    Seita leads the group toward the temple, and along the way they discover an abandoned mine. James expresses a desire to explore it but ultimately agrees to reach the temple before dark to avoid danger. The sense of foreboding grows as wilderness and superstition converge.

    When
    day
    Where
    Forest path / mine vicinity
  10. Temple arrival, danger escalates

    The temple is guarded by a kitsune statue, and Kate begins to explore while James grows uneasy. A disturbance in the forest unsettles them, and then Chris is pulled through a wooden floor, breaking his leg. James vows to fetch help at first light, but overhears Kate confessing an abortion to Chris and leaves in distress.

    When
    night
    Where
    Temple / mine
  11. Kitsune chase and James' fate

    A kitsune pursues James, while Kate heads back to the mine to rescue their companions. She finds James disfigured and eyeless; terrified, she flees as the mine entrance collapses, trapping her inside.

    When
    night
    Where
    Mine / temple area
  12. Missing children attack at the temple

    Meanwhile, the missing children suddenly ambush Chris at the temple. The terror escalates as the haunting presence they have chased becomes a direct threat in the heart of the temple. The line between memory and reality blurs as danger closes in.

    When
    present-night
    Where
    Temple
  13. Present-day revelation and escape

    In the present, the bandaged man, believed by the professor to be Chris, denies killing Kate and James despite evidence from Chris's camera showing him attacking James. The man grows enraged when they deny Seita's presence, stabs the translator with a pen, and escapes, leaving the professor to confront a disturbing reality.

    When
    present
    Where
    Room, Japan

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:19

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Timeline questions answered

Temple Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Temple (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does the bandaged man deny killing Kate and James if the camera shows him attacking?

The bandaged man, believed to be Chris, insists he did not kill Kate and James despite the camera footage appearing to show him attacking James. This creates a key mystery: either the footage is misleading, Chris has no memory of the event, or something else manipulated the situation. His violent reaction when the professor denies Seita's existence suggests he may be protecting something deeper about what actually happened at the temple.

Foreshadowing: The film's opening interrogation establishes that reality and memory are unreliable, with the bandaged man's flashbacks revealing events before his injury.

  • bandaged man
  • Chris
  • kate
  • james
  • killing
  • denies
  • murder
  • camera footage
Q2

What is the kitsune that stalks the characters in Temple?

The kitsune is a supernatural fox-like entity from Japanese folklore that serves as a guardian of the forest and the temple. It appears as a menacing presence that pursues the characters, particularly James, representing the ancient power protecting the temple's secrets. The statue of a kitsune at the temple's gate signals the sacred yet dangerous nature of the location.

Foreshadowing: The bartender warns them about the haunted temple before they even set out, and the kitsune statue at the gate serves as a warning they ignore.

  • kitsune
  • fox
  • supernatural
  • guardian
  • forest
  • temple
  • japanese folklore
Q3

What happens to James in the mine?

James is pursued by the kitsune into the abandoned mine, where Kate eventually finds him disfigured and completely eyeless, his eyes have been removed. This mirrors the fate of Hitoshi, the man from the 50-year-old legend who also returned blind from the temple. The mine entrance collapses while Kate is inside, trapping her with James's mutilated body.

Foreshadowing: Hitoshi's warning about the children vanishing and his own blindness foreshadows James's exact fate in the mine.

  • james
  • mine
  • disfigured
  • eyeless
  • blind
  • kitsune
  • pursuit
Q4

Who is Seita and why does he help the group reach the temple?

Seita is a young boy who approaches Chris at the bookstore and offers to sell him the folklore book. He claims to live in the village near the temple and volunteers to guide the trio the next day. His knowledge of the area and insistence on helping them reach the temple seems helpful at first, but his presence is unsettling. The professor denying Seita's existence in the present-day interrogation suggests Seita may not be what he appears to be.

Foreshadowing: Seita appears repeatedly at key moments, the bookstore, the inn, and as their guide, almost as if he's drawing them toward the temple.

  • seita
  • boy
  • guide
  • village
  • temple
  • bookstore
  • inn
Q5

Why does Kate tell Chris about her abortion?

Kate confesses to Chris that she had an abortion without telling her boyfriend James, revealing a secret she's been carrying. This moment occurs late in the film when Chris and Kate are alone at the temple while James is supposed to fetch help. The confession creates emotional tension, and James overhears it while hiding nearby, which contributes to his decision to abandon them. The abortion represents Kate's hidden past and adds to the psychological unraveling of the group.

Foreshadowing: James's jealousy over Kate and Chris's close friendship has been building throughout the film, making this revelation particularly devastating.

  • kate
  • abortion
  • confession
  • james
  • chris
  • secret
  • relationship
Q6

What is the legend of Hitoshi that the villagers tell?

Hitoshi is an eyeless man Chris encounters at the inn who reveals that fifty years ago, several children vanished from the village. The villagers found a monk at the temple and, dismissing his story as fiction, killed him. Hitoshi himself returned from the temple trip blind, having experienced whatever supernatural horror lies there. This legend directly mirrors the events that unfold for the trio.

Foreshadowing: The villagers' warning about the temple being haunted and the children's disappearance plant the seeds for the horror to come.

  • hitoshi
  • legend
  • villagers
  • children
  • monk
  • killed
  • blind
  • 50 years
Q7

Why do the missing children attack Chris at the temple?

The missing children from the 50-year-old legend, the same ones who vanished when the monk was killed, ambush Chris at the temple. They appear as vengeful spirits or ghosts connected to the temple's dark history. Their attack on Chris represents the ongoing consequences of the past crime: the villagers killed the monk, and now the spirits of the wronged children hunt those who enter the temple.

Foreshadowing: Hitoshi's story about the children vanishing and the monk being killed directly sets up this attack as the ghosts seek retribution.

  • missing children
  • attack
  • temple
  • ghosts
  • spirits
  • vengeance
  • monk
Q8

How does Chris get injured at the temple?

Chris is dragged through a wooden floor at the temple, which causes his leg to fracture. This sudden attack happens as the group attempts to leave after Kate grows uneasy. The wooden floor gives way as something pulls Chris down from beneath, suggesting the temple itself is a trap or that supernatural forces are actively harming them. This injury leaves Chris trapped at the temple while James goes for help.

Foreshadowing: The temple's ominous atmosphere and the kitsune statue signal this location is not just abandoned but actively dangerous.

  • chris
  • injured
  • fracture
  • leg
  • temple
  • floor
  • dragged
  • attacked
Q9

What happened to the monk at the temple 50 years ago?

Fifty years before the film takes place, villagers discovered a monk at the temple who told them a story they dismissed as fiction. Rather than heeding his warnings, the villagers killed the monk. This act of violence against a sacred figure appears to have unleashed the curse that now haunts the temple, the children vanished, Hitoshi returned blind, and the kitsune became violent. The present-day characters are suffering the consequences of this ancient crime.

Foreshadowing: Hitoshi tells this story to Chris at the inn, and the warning that the villagers killed the monk for telling the truth sets up the cycle of retribution.

  • monk
  • killed
  • villagers
  • temple
  • 50 years
  • curse
  • curse
  • retribution
Q10

Why does the professor think the bandaged man is Chris?

The professor believes the wounded, bandaged man being interrogated in present-day Japan is Chris based on evidence from Chris's camera footage, which appears to show him attacking James. However, the man denies this and becomes furious when the professor dismisses Seita's existence. The film leaves ambiguous whether the bandaged man is genuinely Chris suffering memory loss, or if something more supernatural is at play.

Foreshadowing: The opening interrogation uses the camera footage as evidence, but the man's denial and violent reaction suggest the truth is more complicated.

  • professor
  • bandaged man
  • chris
  • interrogation
  • camera footage
  • evidence

Movie threads

More Movies Like Temple, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Temple tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Psychological Supernatural Siege movies like Temple

Characters are trapped and tormented by a relentless supernatural force linked to past sins. If you liked the intense survival horror and psychological breakdown in Temple, explore more movies where characters are besieged by a vengeful supernatural force. These films often feature groups tested by a curse, a claustrophobic setting, and a bleak outcome, creating a similar sense of foreboding and inevitable doom.

  • claustrophobic
  • foreboding
  • paranoid
  • desperate
  • hostile
  • vengeful
  • Tone: tense, dark, bleak
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread begin with a group entering a place marked by a dark history. A supernatural entity, often tied to a specific past crime or curse, becomes active, trapping the characters. The threat escalates steadily, forcing secrets into the open and testing loyalties, ultimately leading to a high-stakes survival scenario with tragic consequences.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their core premise of a supernatural siege that is intrinsically linked to character psychology. They share a high-tension, high-intensity atmosphere, a steady pacing that builds dread, and a focus on the collapse of sanity and relationships under extreme pressure, resulting in a heavy emotional weight and often a bleak resolution.

Bleak Queer Gothic horror films similar to Temple

Haunting stories where queer desire and identity are shrouded in repression and supernatural dread. For viewers who appreciated Temple's exploration of queer identity and unrequited love within a tense, historical horror framework, this section highlights similar movies. These stories blend themes of repressed desire, cultural or societal shadows, and a pervasive sense of dread, often culminating in tragic or bittersweet outcomes.

  • repressed
  • melancholic
  • atmospheric
  • secretive
  • haunting
  • tragic
  • Tone: tense, melancholic, foreboding
  • Pacing: steady, atmospheric
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern centers on characters grappling with queer identity in a hostile or unaccepting world, frequently a repressive historical setting. Secrets and desires fuel a growing tension, which is amplified by a gothic atmosphere—a haunted house, a cursed legacy, or a general sense of decay. The story unfolds with a steady, deliberate pace, leading to an emotionally heavy conclusion that underscores the cost of repression.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by their fusion of queer themes with gothic horror sensibilities. They share a specific mood: tense, melancholic, and foreboding, driven by the conflict between personal truth and external pressure. The pacing is often steady, allowing the psychological unease and atmospheric dread to build towards a consequential, typically heavy-hearted ending.

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Every angle

Temple (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Temple in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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