as williams learned more about this legend, he discovered many similarities between the plot of "out of time" and the reported stories of the "disappeared" family. in personal interviews with the press, williams does not assert that "darkest night" is based on a true story. however, he has said he believes the malaysian story is a valid account. also he makes no claims about the authenticity of local tales of ghosts that supposedly inhabit the actual ruins and locale where the malaysian family disappeared. when asked, williams refuses to give the name of the family in this urban legend, citing privacy concerns for family members still living in parts of the country.