Wishmaster

Wishmaster

Year: 1997

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

HorrorFantasyHorror

After a centuries‑old Djinn is unwittingly freed from his tomb, he obsessively pursues the woman who released him, intent on harvesting her soul. By doing so he hopes to open a portal that will unleash his fellow Djinn, allowing them to conquer the world.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Wishmaster (1997)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Wishmaster (1997). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1127 and present-day

The story spans two eras: the 12th century, when the Djinn and the Persian emperor interact, and contemporary times, where the fire opal and the awakened Djinn wreak havoc in modern American settings. Each era frames different consequences for wishes and power. The modern timeline centers on invention, greed, and the manipulation of fate through magical bargains.

Location

Ancient Persia, Present-day United States, The Djinn's realm inside the fire opal

The action first unfolds in 12th-century Persia, centered on a palace where the Djinn torments the emperor. The narrative then shifts to present-day America, with scenes set around a bustling dock, an auction house, a university town, and a private party. The Djinn’s powers create a symbolic and perilous realm inside the fire opal, a realm that mirrors his malevolent influence on the human world.

🗺️ Ancient 🏙️ Modern 🔮 Supernatural

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:37

Main Characters – Wishmaster (1997)

Meet the key characters of Wishmaster (1997), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Alexandra Amberson (Alex) – Tammy Lauren

A sharp, determined appraiser at Regal Auctioneers who initiates the investigation into the fire opal after it awakens the Djinn. She follows a trail of strange events, pieces together the gem’s history, and becomes a target as the Djinn begins granting dangerous wishes. Her quick thinking and courage drive the counter-movement to trap the demon before more souls are lost.

🧠 Smart 🧭 Investigator 🎯 Determined

Raymond Beaumont

A powerful industrialist and collector who hosts the party where chaos erupts. His ambitions and vanity make him a prime target for the Djinn’s manipulations, culminating in a deadly, living-work of art at his gathering. Beaumont’s greed and self-image propel the destructive chain of events.

💼 Wealthy 🎭 Charismatic 🏛️ Collector

Josh Aickman

A curious researcher and medical student who experiments with the opal’s power. He initially seeks relief from pain, and the Djinn grants his wish with fatal consequences. His fate is reversed later in the story, illustrating the fragile boundary between life and death under magical interference.

💡 Curious 🧪 Scientist ⚠️ Risk-taker

Nick Merritt

A colleague who becomes entangled with a dangerous bargain. He negotiates with the Djinn for wealth, spurred by personal ambition and a desire to secure a better future for his family. His arc showcases the corrupting lure of money when even the powerful are not immune to manipulation.

💰 Ambitious 🧠 Calculated

Wendy Derleth

A folklore professor who provides crucial historical context about the Djinn and the jewel. Her scholarly insights help the protagonists understand the rules governing wishes and the peril of releasing the demon. Her knowledge proves invaluable, even as she becomes a target.

📚 Scholarly 🧭 Knowledgeable

Lt. Nathanson

A police lieutenant who becomes entangled in the case as the Djinn experiments with truth and guilt. His decisions and investigations are shaped by the demon’s manipulations, blurring the line between justice and chaos.

👮‍♂️ Law enforcement ⚖️ Tactical

The Djinn (Nathaniel Demerest – impersonation)

An ancient demon who grants wishes by extracting souls, using deception and shapeshifting to manipulate his victims. He thrives on human folly and constructs elaborate traps to prove his power. He resides within the fire opal, from which he plots to unleash his brethren on Earth.

😈 Malevolent 🗝️ Trickster 👁️ Deceptive

Ariella

A sales clerk who wishes for eternal beauty and is transformed into a mannequin, embodying the perverse cost of vanity. Her fate serves as a stark warning about the superficial nature of desire. Her plight haunts the other characters as a visible consequence of the Djinn’s bargains.

💋 Beauty 🧊 Immortality

Johnny Valentine

The doorman who becomes entangled in the party’s chaos through the Djinn’s manipulation. His wish to escape his routine life becomes a fatal doorway for the demon to slip into the party, escalating the danger for everyone present.

🎭 Appearance 🗝️ Escape

Mickey Torelli

A crane operator whose drunken handling of the cursed crate triggers the box’s drop and the release of the Djinn. His role centers the initial catastrophe and, later, the reversal that helps trap the demon again. His sobriety state becomes a pivotal plot point in undoing the disaster.

⚙️ Labor 🧯 Rescue

Ed Finney

Beaumont’s assistant who falls victim to the Djinn’s early acts of vengeance. His death demonstrates the immediate cost of the demon’s capricious wishes and foreshadows the broader carnage to come.

💀 Victim 🧬 Tragedy

Persian King

The ruler in the 1127 scene whose court encounters the Djinn’s first dangerous, torturous wishes. This figure anchors the ancient origin of the Djinn’s power and the moral caution surrounding the use of wishes.

👑 Ruler 🗺️ Ancient

Pharmacist

A minor but pivotal figure in the early chaos who encounters the Djinn’s manipulation in the distribution of injuries and cures at the pharmacy scene. His role highlights the everyday reach of the demon’s mischief.

🏥 Support 💊 Medicine

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:37

Major Themes – Wishmaster (1997)

Explore the central themes of Wishmaster (1997), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔮 Power and Temptation

Wishes grant power, but they come with a price. The Djinn tempts characters with shortcuts to their desires, revealing how quickly ambition can bend ethics. The protagonist must weigh the allure of instant solutions against long-term harm. The gem acts as a catalyst that exposes raw greed and latent ruthlessness.

⚖️ Consequences

Every wish reshapes reality in unpredictable ways, often harming innocents and complicating lives. The film emphasizes cause and effect, showing that shortcuts fracture communities and blur moral lines. Characters experience shifting fates as the Djinn twists outcomes for his amusement. The plan to trap the Djinn hinges on recognizing and reversing damaging choices.

🪞 Identity and Deception

The Djinn uses disguises and impersonation to manipulate people, eroding trust and exposing hidden secrets. Protagonists confront altered truths, questioning who they are when faced with supernatural influence. The narrative explores the tension between surface appearances and underlying motives. Trust becomes the crucial currency in a world where truth is easily warped.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:37

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Movies with an unleashed ancient evil like Wishmaster

Stories where a primordial supernatural force is freed to wreak havoc.If you enjoyed the high-stakes race against a djinn in Wishmaster, you'll find similar terror in these stories. This list features movies like Wishmaster where an ancient supernatural force is accidentally freed, forcing characters into a desperate battle for survival against an overwhelming, malevolent power.

sinisteranxiousthreateningapocalypticdesperateancientsupernatural

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a clear pattern: an ancient evil is discovered and inadvertently set free, initiating a chain of catastrophic events. A protagonist, often connected to the release, must quickly learn the entity's rules and weaknesses to stop its apocalyptic plan, usually involving a trail of destruction and manipulated victims.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on the central conflict of a primordial, intelligent evil being unleashed upon the modern world. They share a high-intensity, fast-paced structure, a dark tone centered on a manipulative antagonist, and the heavy emotional weight of facing an unstoppable force.

Movies about twisted wishes and curses like Wishmaster

Tales where supernatural wishes are granted with horrific, unintended consequences.Fans of Wishmaster's clever and gruesome wish-twisting will enjoy these films. Discover movies similar to Wishmaster that explore the terrifying concept of monstrous wish fulfillment, where every desire comes with a deadly price and the line between dream and nightmare is obliterated.

gruesomeparanoidnightmarishsinisteranxiousironiccursed

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a powerful being (genie, devil, cursed object) that grants wishes but deliberately subverts the wisher's intent for its own malevolent purposes. The story unfolds through a series of set-pieces showcasing these twisted grants, building towards a final confrontation where the core rules of the wishes are tested.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a focus on the theme of dangerous desire and the horror of getting exactly what you asked for in the worst way possible. They are united by a dark, cynical tone, gruesome and creative set-pieces, and a sense of paranoia about the cost of power.

Unlock the Full Story of Wishmaster

Don't stop at just watching — explore Wishmaster 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 Wishmaster is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Wishmaster Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Wishmaster, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Wishmaster Summary

Wishmaster Timeline

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

Wishmaster Timeline

Wishmaster Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Wishmaster that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Wishmaster Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Wishmaster

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Wishmaster: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Wishmaster

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