Commercially , '' Donnie Darko '' performed poorly at first . Released only a month after the September 11 attacks in New York , audiences did not respond well to the film 's dark mood or jet engine plot point . Against its budget of $ 4.5 million , the film made only $ 110,000 in its first weekend in limited release at 58 screens . By the end of 2001 it had taken $ 420,000 at the box office ; on completing its theatrical run , it had made a total of $ 515,375 . Consequently , the film had its international release date pushed back by a year , and was not released in the UK until October 25 , 2002 . In this market , the film became a minor hit , making £ 1 million at the box office and being named the second best film of the year on BBC Two 's '' Film 2002 '' programme behind '' The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring '' . Michael Andrews 's cover of " Mad World " by Tears for Fears — used in the film 's final sequence — topped the UK Singles Chart in December 2003 and became a Christmas number one
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut