The ending to a film can be the part that makes or breaks a great movie. Some excellent films have been totally undone by their endings (the nonsensical flying car scene in Grease), while other endings have been debated for years after they were released (did Leonardo DiCaprio return to his family in Inception, or was he still stuck in a dream?).
Filmmakers can go back and forth when it comes to ending a movie, and tying things up perfectly – or imperfectly – for the audience. In these 20 instances, screenwriters, directors, or producers imagined different endings for the characters we watched for the previous 90+ minutes – and some such endings change the mood of the movie entirely. Whether these endings are better or worse than what we got is up to the audience to decide. Should they have gone with their first choice, or did we get the endings we deserved?
20 Julia Roberts Got A Happily Ever After In My Best Friend’s Wedding
A rom-com that would be all kinds of problematic if it was produced today, My Best Friend’s Wedding initially gave a much happier ending to the protagonist, played by Julia Roberts. Rather than see Roberts end up with no one after trying to sabotage her BFF’s wedding, the original ending saw her ending up with a handsome wedding guest instead!
19 Alien Saw The Demise Of Every Character
If director Ridley Scott had had things his way, there would have been no sequels and the massive franchise that Alien spawned! According to Entertainment Weekly, Scott wanted the alien to destroy everyone, including Sigourney Weaver’s character, Ripley. Then, the victorious alien would call back to the space station, mimicking the captain’s voice! Naturally, the studio didn’t agree.
18 The Alternate Ending For Seven Was Less Dark
The film Seven (often stylized as Se7en) originally had an ending that was a bit less dark than what made it to the big screen. Rather than have Brad Pitt open the box, see his wife’s head inside, and kill John Doe (Kevin Spacey), as Doe intended, Morgan Freeman’s character instead shot Doe, explaining simply to Pitt, “I’m retiring”.
17 Andie Picked Her BFF In Pretty In Pink Instead
While it was clear that Duckie was the better choice for Andie in the 1980s classic Pretty in Pink, test audiences weren’t too fond of that idea, and instead preferred Molly Ringwald’s character end up with the hot guy! Jon Cryer, who played Duckie, told Entertainment Weekly that initially he “wanted to be the guy who got the girl” before coming around in the end.
16 Heathers Had Three Dark Endings To Choose From
A dark comedy like Heathers had a suitably tongue-in-cheek ending, but according to writer Daniel Waters, there were three darker endings: First, the school blows up, and we close on a prom in heaven. Second, at the real prom, kids drink the same blue stuff that killed Heather Chandler. Finally, Martha Dumptruck gets her revenge by stabbing Veronica (Winona Ryder). Yikes!
15 Pineapple Express Turned Into Bonnie & Clyde
The alternate ending for Pineapple Express was actually filmed and depicted a darker ending for Seth Rogen and James Franco. In this version, both actors are sitting on two barrels before being suddenly shot up by a machine gun! They reach over and hold hands, to signify their enduring bromance.
14 Carrie Had A Weird Birth Scene Ending
The 2013 remake Carrie was superfluous at best, but it did have a very weird birth scene attached to its initial ending. Nice girl Sue is seen in the hospital giving birth, only to birth Carrie’s bloody hand. But – surprise! – it’s just a fever dream, and when Sue’s mother comforts her, Sue is fixated on an image of a bloody Carrie cradling her infant daughter.
13 Legally Blonde Ended With A Big Cliché
More than a rom-com, Legally Blonde became a bit of an example of feminist filmmaking. However, that wasn’t always the case. Rather than give a rousing valedictory speech at Harvard graduation, the movie would’ve ended outside the courtroom, with a kiss from Emmett, then a fast-forward to a year later with Elle and Vivian (now blonde) handing out pamphlets for their Blonde Legal Defense Fund!
12 Sweet Home Alabama Ended With A Lightning Bolt
Another Reese Witherspoon classic, this ending was a head-scratcher that made sense left on the cutting room floor. After their rainstorm kiss, Witherspoon was supposed to be struck by lightning! Josh Lucas would pronounce her dead, only for Witherspoon to leap up and declare that she was renouncing her big-city identity. Yeah, you can understand why they ditched this idea.
11 Titanic Closed With A Cheesy Speech
Titanic is one of those cheesy, beloved movies that became such a cultural touchstone, it’s difficult to imagine it ending differently. However, in a filmed alternate ending, the crew watches Old Rose toss the Heart of the Ocean necklace into the water, after she gives a speech saying, “Only life is priceless.”
