A surprising number of movies are changed in post-production. The director will be completely finished with a movie, but for whatever reason (usually lame test audiences), they will be forced to change the ending. Sometimes (read - very rarely) this is for the better. Maybe the test audiences WERE on to something and the director got lost in their own vision. Other times these endings are abhorrent disasters that ruin an otherwise movie. Well, maybe not ruin, but “significantly lessen the impact.”
Changing an ending is very finicky. These are five movies with alternate endings better than the original, and five that are worse.
Better: 28 Days Later
Let’s face it, the theatrical ending of 28 Days Later is kinda lame. Jim, Selena, and Hannah escape the rapey compound, Jim miraculously survives his fatal wound, and the two are happily rescued. But just because an ending is happy doesn’t make it good, and this ending completely flies in the face of the movie’s apocalyptic tone.
In the original (and better) ending, Jim dies from his wound and Selena and Hannah head out to face the ruined world together. It makes for a great bookend to the story and it’s more in line with the movie’s themes and dower tone.
Worse: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
T2 beautifully closed the Terminator story before all the sequels had to go and ruin everything. The T-800 famously sacrifices himself, Sarah basks in her newfound sense of hope, and pontificates on the nature of personal change, all while the image of a dark road flashes before us. It’s beautiful.
In the God-awful alternate ending, an elderly Sarah (Linda Hamilton in abysmal old person makeup) watches an adult John play with his young daughter while telling the audience that Judgment Day never happened. It should be terminated and never seen again.
Better: I Am Legend
I Am Legend also has a goofy theatrical ending. Neville performs a Heroic Sacrifice by blowing himself up with a grenade, allowing Anna and Ethan to flee and provide the survivors’ camp with the cure. Neville is a legend because he created the cure for humankind. How sweet.
In the director’s cut ending, Neville realizes that his endless experiments have led to his reputation among the vampires as a boogeyman who kidnaps and preys on their kind while they sleep. It’s much more in keeping with the novel’s theme and message, and it makes the “legend” connotation more negative and contemplative than traditionally heroic.
Worse: Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a high octane adventure, but it also serves as a contemplative look at the complexities of marriage and working past personal issues. As such, the theatrical ending is perfect - the titular duo work past their predicament and see a marriage counselor and John comments on their highly improved sex lives.
The alternate ending jumps forward a few years and sees John and Jane as parents. While John is taking a picture of his daughter, she shoots a toy gun with incredible accuracy, signifying that their talents had passed on to their young child. It’s a little too cute.
Better: 1408
In another example of “director knows best,” we present 1408. 1408 is a popular adaptation of Stephen King’s short story starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Johnson. In the theatrical ending, Mike escapes the haunted hotel room, reunites with his ex-wife Lily, and convinces her that he saw the ghost of their deceased daughter.
In the original, Mike dies in the hotel fire and Olin is haunted by his charred and horribly disfigured ghost. The last shot we see is of ghost Mike in the burnt-out shell of 1408 happily reunited with his deceased daughter. It’s touching, it’s scary, and it’s much, MUCH better.
Worse: Clerks
Clerks was originally going to end in a…depressing way. It sees Dante emptying out the register when a random person enters the store. After telling him that the store is closed, Dante is shot in cold blood and dies, and the murderer takes off with the money in the register.
After the credits roll, another man enters and steals some cigarettes over Dante’s corpse. Luckily, the ending was criticized by producer John Pierson and Kevin Smith decided to end the film after Randal’s departure. We’re really glad he did.
Better: Blade Runner
All Blade Runner aficionados agree that the alternate ending is vastly and innumerably superior to the crappy theatrical one. It’s one of the most ambiguous and thematic endings in movie history - Roy dies, Gaff taunts Deckard about Rachael’s impending death, Deckard returns to his apartment, and both he and Rachael leave for adventures unknown.
The studio famously interfered and imposed on this movie’s creation, forcing an awkward voice-over to make the ending happy. It’s harmfully detracting and it ruins a gorgeous ending.
Worse: Fatal Attraction
In the theatrical ending, Beth shoots and kills a deranged Alex. After giving his statement to the police, Dan embraces Beth as they both walk back into the living room. In the alternate ending, Alex slashes her own throat and frames Dan. Luckily, Beth finds a convenient tape of Alex discussing her intentions and shows it to the police, acquitting Dan.
Test audiences suggested that they film a new ending, as this was too messy and depressing. Glenn Close initially hesitated, as she didn’t want to play a traditional villain, but she eventually relented. Obviously.
Better: The Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect isn’t a great movie by any means, but it does have a very impactful ending. Realizing that he is losing his mind and will be committed to an insane asylum, Evan travels as far back as he can go in a desperate attempt to alter the future - into his mother’s womb.
It’s here that Baby Evan strangles himself with his umbilical cord, preventing his life from ever occurring in the first place. It’s much better than the traditional happy ending, which sees Evan succeeding in his mission and happily passing Kayleigh on the street.
Worse: Dr. Strangelove
When it comes to film endings, it doesn’t get much more iconic than Dr. Strangelove. Strangelove bizarrely stands from his wheelchair and the movie ends as the world does…amidst numerous nuclear explosions as We’ll Meet Again plays over the carnage. It’s brazenly hilarious and bitingly satiric. Meanwhile, the original ending was set to contain…a pie fight. Yeah, all the characters were going to get into a big pie fight or something.
The end. Luckily, Kubrick realized that this was not in keeping with the satiric tone of the film and decided to change it to the now-iconic destructive magic.
