Xanadu

Xanadu

Year: 1980

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Greenwald

FantasyRomanceScience FictionSong and danceDazzling vocal performances and musicals

A whimsical fantasy musical set in a world where dreams become reality, a beautiful muse encourages an artist and his older friend to transform a rundown auditorium into an opulent rollerskating club, blending art, romance, and glittering spectacle.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Xanadu (1980)

Trace every key event in Xanadu (1980) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Sketch torn up; mural awakens

Frustrated with his art, Sonny Malone tears up a sketch and tosses the pieces from his Los Angeles studio window. The wind carries the fragments toward a wall mural of nine dancing sisters, and the mural seems to react as the scraps touch it. The sisters' images burst into life and glide across the city.

Los Angeles, Sonny's studio
2

A dancing sister skates into Sonny's world

One of the sisters roller skates through town and intentionally slows down to meet Sonny. She leans in to kiss him briefly before skating away, leaving him stunned and curious. The encounter hints at a magical destiny behind the painted mural.

Los Angeles streets near the mural
3

AirFlo assignment introduces the mystery woman

Back at AirFlo Records, Sonny is asked to reproduce a cover for the group called the 9 Sisters. The mysterious woman from the mural appears on the cover, though she should not be there. The photographer notes that she showed up in a few shots unexpectedly.

AirFlo Records studio, Los Angeles
4

A surprising reunion with Danny McGuire

Sonny returns to the spot where he first encountered the woman and unexpectedly meets Danny McGuire, a former big-band clarinet player turned construction mogul. The two men strike up a conversation and feel an odd kinship around the mystery woman. The encounter sets the stage for a shared dream.

Near the mural and abandoned Art Deco auditorium, Los Angeles
5

Kira introduces herself and lures them toward Xanadu

During their talk, the mysterious woman materializes in person and is revealed to be Kira. Sonny follows her across town to the same abandoned Art Deco auditorium, where she stays enigmatic about her background. The moment deepens Sonny's fascination and pulls Danny into the intrigue.

Abandoned Art Deco auditorium, Los Angeles
6

A muse inspires a club: Xanadu takes shape

Kira urges Sonny and Danny to open a nightclub at the auditorium, naming it Xanadu. The plan gives them a new creative purpose and they begin turning the space into a venue for music and magic. A new partnership forms as they commit to the dream.

Auditorium transformed into Xanadu site, Los Angeles
7

Romance blooms as the club dream grows

Sonny and Kira's relationship grows, and their bond feels both impossible and inevitable. A magically animated sequence celebrates their romance and the dream of Xanadu. The couple's love fuels the project and the city senses a coming enchantment.

Xanadu site, Los Angeles
8

Kira's revelation: she is Terpsichore

On the night before Xanadu's opening, Kira reveals that she is Terpsichore, one of Olympus's Nine Muses. She explains she was sent to inspire Xanadu but cannot stay with mortals. Sonny's hopes collide with the truth of her celestial nature.

Night before opening Xanadu site / auditorium, Los Angeles
9

Kira leaves Earth; Sonny's heartbreak

Kira departs Earth after fulfilling her mission, leaving Sonny devastated. Danny encourages him to keep pursuing his dream and not let the muse's absence kill his ambition. The departure marks a turning point in Sonny's personal and artistic journey.

Earth, near Xanadu site
10

Sonny enters Mount Helicon to plead for more time

Following Danny's advice, Sonny roller-skates into the Muses' mural and enters Kira's realm on Mount Helicon. He pleads with Zeus to allow Kira to return to Earth for a reunion. Mnemosyne attempts to influence Zeus, but the god remains unmoved.

Mount Helicon, realm of the Muses (via mural portal)
11

Zeus hesitates, then grants a possible reunion

Zeus finally relents, allowing Kira to be with Sonny for maybe just one moment, or forever. The gods' permission hangs on a fragile thread across the mortal-divine boundary. Sonny holds onto the possibility as he readies for what may come next.

Mount Helicon / Earth boundary
12

Xanadu's grand opening features a celestial performance

Kira and the Muses perform at Xanadu's grand opening on Earth, blessing the club with celestial magic. After the performance, they return to their realm, leaving Sonny awestruck and hopeful. The crowd is dazzled as myth touches reality.

Opening night Xanadu club, Los Angeles
13

The departure's echo: a new muse perhaps

The Muses depart back to their realm, leaving Sonny to navigate a future without their constant presence. A waitress who resembles Kira serves him a drink, hinting that inspiration might still flicker in unexpected places. The moment suggests creativity can return in mundane life.

Earth, Xanadu site and surrounding streets
14

A possible new muse: the Kira-lookalike waitress

Sonny engages the waitress who bears a striking resemblance to Kira, testing whether magic can live on in ordinary life. The closing image hints that Xanadu's wonder could reappear in surprising ways. Inspiration, he realizes, might still arrive from the most familiar faces.

Xanadu club / Los Angeles streets

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:59

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