The Reading is a psychological horror thriller that delivers a chilling tale of deceit and murder. The story revolves around Emma Leeden (Mo’Nique), a woman who survives a horrific home invasion that leaves her family dead.
She writes a book, “The Invasion,” about the tragic event, claiming that she refuses to be seen as a victim, which earns her fame and wealth. To capitalize on her new status, Emma agrees to stage a psychic reading in her home to gain viral social media attention.
Secrets spill and friendships fracture (Photo: The Reading/Hicks Media Productions and AWW Entertainment)She invites Sky Brown (Chasity Sereal), a college student who claims to have psychic abilities, to help her contact the spirits of her deceased family members. However, the session takes a dark turn when Emma realizes that Sky’s abilities might be more real than she ever imagined.
What happened at the end of The Reading?
During the reading, Sky connects deeply with the spirits of Emma’s family, describing each member’s final moments in great detail. She reveals that Emma’s husband had argued with a colleague, her teenage daughter was texting a friend, and her young son, Kyren, was taking a bath.
The shocking moment occurs when Sky, under Kyren’s spirit’s influence, sings a song Kyren was humming before his death. Sky then utters, “Hey, Momma. What are you doing?” – confirming Emma’s dark truth: there were no intruders; Emma murdered her family.
Emma’s façade falls apart as she realizes that Sky knows the truth. She discards her cane and speech impediment, locks the house, and begins killing those who threaten her secret. As the body count rises, the showdown occurs between Emma and Sky, with Sky managing to grab Emma’s gun and shooting her.
What did mommy do?
Before the trance, Sky tries to gain Emma’s trust by mentioning small, trivial details about the family’s past. These are things Sky could have learned through a tour of the house, and the PR manager admits to providing her with some minor details to make the reading appear credible.
However, as Sky connects with the spirits, her body begins to react in strange ways. Her eyes turn white, her body contorts unnaturally, and strange sounds emanate from other rooms.
Sky begins reenacting the final moments of the family members’ lives, including a business deal gone wrong, a moment of texting with a friend, and, most hauntingly, the drowning of Kyren in the bathtub. This moment is when the audience realizes that Emma, not Sky, is the source of the deception.
The tension peaks as water spills from Sky’s mouth, symbolizing Kyren’s tragic end.
For the love of money
Emma quickly realizes that Sky’s abilities are genuine, and her secret is no longer safe. She admits to the group what Sky already knows and takes control of the situation. The house is locked down, and Emma drops her victim persona, revealing herself as a cold-blooded killer.
Emma’s motives stem from her desperation to maintain her lavish lifestyle. Her husband was struggling with financial issues, threatening their wealth, and this is her justification for his murder. Emma’s children are simply collateral damage in her quest to keep her comfortable life.
Greed drives the entire tragedy, as Emma kills her family to stay rich, while Sky and her friends are motivated by money as well, despite Sky’s reservations. Courtney Glaudé, the film’s writer and director, explains that he crafted Sky as a loyal character, someone who would be deeply committed to her family and friends.
Sky’s reluctance to continue using her gift is evident, but she ignores her instincts out of fear of disappointing those around her.
What does the end of The Reading mean?
A year after surviving the harrowing events, Sky appears on a talk show, not promoting anything but sharing her survival story and exposing the truth about Emma. The final shot of the film mirrors the iconic ending of Psycho, where Sky looks directly into the camera.
Her appearance and demeanor have changed, hinting that her ordeal has transformed her. She now dresses more conservatively, echoing Emma’s appearance during her interview earlier in the film. This change could suggest that Emma’s influence still lingers in Sky.
If you listen carefully, you may even hear Emma’s laugh in the background, implying that something dark might be at work. While the film does not delve deeply into the supernatural elements of the story, the possibility remains that Emma’s spirit is now inhabiting Sky’s body.
This theory adds another layer of mystery to the already chilling story.
The ending could mean something else
At one point in the film, Sky tries to break through Emma’s hardened exterior by reminding her how terrified her children were in their final moments. For a brief moment, Emma shows what seems to be remorse, only to immediately flip and dismiss any sense of guilt, claiming that she never wanted children.
The past is never as simple as it seems (Photo: The Reading/Hicks Media Productions and AWW Entertainment)This change could indicate that Emma is not in control of herself. It is hinted that a dark presence may have already been in the house when Emma’s family was killed, and this force could have taken control of her body, influencing her to commit the unthinkable acts.
The end credits list Mo’Nique as playing multiple characters, including Emma Leeden, Ms. Leeden, and Emma. This raises questions about the different personas Emma adopts and whether her spirit might now be trying to inhabit a younger, more vibrant body.
The idea that Emma could want to take over a 19-year-old woman is an unsettling one, adding another layer to the film’s chilling perspective.
What has the director of The Reading said about the ending?
Courtney Glaudé, the film’s writer-director, was inspired by a moment he witnessed on a TV program where Bobby Brown was interviewed by a psychic. Despite the medium’s lack of knowledge about Brown’s fame, he was able to describe his deceased daughter, Bobbi Kristina, accurately.
This sparked the idea for The Reading. Glaudé enjoys incorporating twists into his films and encourages viewers to watch the movie more than once to fully grasp the hidden details.
He believes that after watching, audiences will realize things they missed, prompting them to rethink the entire story from a different perspective.
Glaudé is largely self-taught in film production, using trial and error to hone his craft. He credits filmmakers like M. Night Shyamalan, known for his plot twists, as inspirations for his own work.
Could there be a sequel to The Reading?
If the theory that Emma possesses Sky holds, a sequel to The Reading is certainly a possibility. The sequel could look into how Emma’s spirit managed to inhabit Sky’s body, and whether Sky remains aware of this possession or if she can regain control.
The question of whether Emma truly committed the murders or if a malevolent presence controlled her body could be explored in greater depth. While there are no official plans for a sequel, the possibility of continuing Sky’s story and addressing some of the supernatural questions left unanswered would make for an intriguing storyline.
If Sky is not possessed, there is still potential for a story that examines her emotional and psychological recovery after surviving the massacre. How will she cope with being the sole survivor? Will she continue to use her psychic abilities, or will she try to abandon them?
A prequel looking at Sky’s backstory and her strained relationship with her mother could also provide a compelling story.
