The Truth About Jared Leto's Bizarre Cult

Since that 2019 Twitter post, online rumors have run rampant as journalists and Jared Leto fans alike try to get to the bottom of what seemed like more than just a Mediterranean getaway at an exotic locale called Mars Island, just off the coast of Croatia, as Total Croatia News reports. In what could be the groundwork for an honest-to-goodness pseudo-religion, Leto and his band sold three-day weekend passes with VIP packages costing up to $6,499. Attendees would also get matching tattoos, with opportunities to learn yoga, among other activities.

The biggest draw of all though, would be a performance from Leto's band, dubbed "Church of Mars." This would not be the first time Leto had used cult-like vernacular and imagery to describe his following, both as an actor and as a musician. As far back as 2013, Thirty Seconds to Mars used the phrase, "Yes, this is a cult," to describe the undying adoration of their fans, perhaps ironically. And since 2015, the band has held annual "summer camps" for the truly devoted, as Distractify explains. It wasn't until 2019, though, when photos and videos were released of devotees engaged in what seemed to be literal idol worship, that members of the public and press grew equal parts curious and concerned.