The film had a limited release , opening October 26 , the month following the September 11 attacks . It was subsequently held back for almost a year for international release . Kelly said it took almost six months to sell the film . " It almost went directly to the Starz network . We had to beg them to put it in theaters . Filmmaker Christopher Nolan stepped in and convinced Newmarket to put it in theaters . " '' The Donnie Darko Book '' , written by Richard Kelly , is a 2003 book about the film . It includes an introduction by Jake Gyllenhaal , the screenplay of the '' Donnie Darko : The Director 's Cut '' , an in-depth interview with Kelly , facsimile pages from the '' Philosophy of Time Travel '' , photos and drawings from the film , and artwork it inspired . NECA released first a six-inch ( 15 cm ) figure of Frank the Bunny and later a foot-tall ( 30 cm ) " talking version " of the same figure
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Donnie Darko