Some movies have the perfect ending, and there is no conceivable alternative.
Spoiler alerts ahead, but how would Planet of the Apes wrap up without the destroyed Statue of Liberty revealing that the ape-ruled planet was, in fact, Earth?
Or how would we have gone about spoiling The Sixth Sense to others if Bruce Willis had not been, ahem, the whole time? Think of the chilling twist in the final moments of Se7en, the technological wonder of a scene that concludes 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Daniel Plainview shouting "I'm finished!" at the end of There Will Be Blood.
Some movie endings simply cannot be changed.
But there are a litany of films that had completely different endings in their original scripts, and in some cases, they seem better than the ones we ended up with. It seems endings are often changed from the original to be a touch happierand an ounce more palatable.
Here are the alternative endings to eight films: of course, if you haven't seen them, be aware that this is a spoilers minefield.
1. ‘Alien’
At the end of Ridley Scott's 1979 classic sci-fi horror, we see Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) escape the self-destructing Nostromo ship in a shuttle only to discover that the xenomorph has followed her.
She puts on a spacesuit and uses gas to flush out the creature from the shuttle, but the battle continues as the xenomorph pulls itself into one of the engine exhausts, at which point Ripley fires the engines and finally kills it.
However, Ripley's survival was not on the cards at first. In the original script, she manages to escape the detonating Nostromo in a shuttle, but the alien bites Ripley's head off and starts communicating with Earth using her voice. Way creepier, way fewer chances for sequels.
2. ‘Die Hard With a Vengeance’
An alternative ending to the third Die Hard film would have shown us a different side to Bruce Willis's John McClane. Instead of having McClane save the day by killing bad guy Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons) in the big action scene, Gruber escapes in the original ending, leading to a more convoluted and creepy victory for McClane.
In this script, some time would have passed during which McClane would have become bitter and disillusioned after being blamed for Gruber’s crimes in New York City. He'd eventually find Gruber and get him to play a game of Russian roulette with a small rocket launcher with the sights removed, meaning they wouldn't know which end is which.
This alternative script culminates with McClane asking Gruber a series of riddles, and when Gruber gets one of the answers wrong, McClane forces him to fire the rocket launcher at his own chest at gunpoint.
The last moment would have revealed that McClane was wearing a flak jacket the whole time and would not have been killed by the rocket launcher. A deceptive, slightly evil, hero.
3. ‘Get Out’
Few contemporary filmmakers can blend social commentary with horror as elegantly as Jordan Peele. Get Out's actual ending let us sigh with relief after a tense ride, as Rod showed up to the Armitage house of horrors to rescue protagonist Chris.
However, Peele originally had a far more piercing, and perhaps more fitting, end to the film in mind. After Chris manages to kill his captors and sets out to escape, the police show up and arrest him for all the murders. This ending is far bleaker, but would have been more consistent with the film’s themes and a further searing critique of society.
For a while, Peele was unsure about which of the two endings to conclude the film with. "It was very clear that the ending needed to transform into something that gives us a hero, that gives us an escape, gives us a positive feeling when we leave this movie," the filmmaker revealed during an interview with Buzzfeed's Another Round podcast, which is why he went for the happier option.
4. ‘The Butterfly Effect’
The Ashton Kutcher thriller was one of the zaniest films to be released in the early 2000s. It told the story of a college student who could go back in time by reading memories he’d written in journals. He was then able to alter the past, but this then led to grave consequences in his present.
The film concludes with Evan (Kutcher) burning his notebooks and old photos as a way of putting a stop to his time-travelling misadventures. He does it with the hopes of saving his loved ones from the suffering caused by his changes in choices.
However, the film’s director's cut offered an alternative ending, which was way, way creepier: Evan travels back in time to his mother’s womb and strangles himself with the umbilical cord.
In a way, the film was set up to end this way: it was revealed early on that his mother had several still-born babies before Evan was born, suggesting that Evan’s siblings also had time-travelling abilities and chose to kill themselves in a similar vein.
5. ‘Interstellar’
Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic concludes with a touching reunion between Cooper and his now-elderly daughter. Many thought the ending was an overly sentimental way of wrapping up the film.
However, according to co-writer Jonathan Nolan, there was an alternative ending to the film in which Cooper dies in the black hole that he travels to in order to send a message to his daughter, sacrificing himself to save humanity.
6. ‘The Birds’
Alfred Hitchcock's feathered thriller is a cinematic masterpiece, but the ending always seemed a bit, well, off. The birds just stop attacking people and perch ominously around the Brenner house as the family escape.
Hitchcock originally had another, more expensive, ending in mind. The alternative conclusion sought a shot of the Golden Gate Bridge covered in birds, which would have been a much more chilling and memorable final scene.
7. ‘I Am Legend’
Will Smith's dystopian thriller had an alternative ending that would have made us sympathise with the vampiric zombie-like mutants. The ending has the creatures attack the lab as in the version that was made, but rather than mindlessly seeking to ravage everything in their path, it would have been revealed that the Darkseekers had only come to save the female creature that Dr Robert Neville (Smith) was experimenting on.
Dr Neville and the alpha Darkseeker would both realise that they had been wrong about one another. If anything, it would have made Dr Neville the villain of the film. The last scene was meant to be him driving out of New York City to let other survivors know what he had discovered.
8. ‘Titanic’
OK, so this alternative finish is not better than the theatrical version we ended up with. If anything, it’s much worse. It was even filmed and released as an extra on a 2005 DVD release of the film. The ending is this: Right when the elderly Rose (Gloria Stuart) tries to throw the rare Heart of the Ocean diamond overboard, she is caught in the act by Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) and her granddaughter.
The ship’s crew then go to stop her from throwing the diamond into the ocean, at which point Rose bursts out with some soap-opera-level lines.
“You look for treasure in the wrong place. Only life is priceless, and making each day count,” and then, with a cringe-worthy “whoops” she tosses the diamond into the ocean.
"That really sucks lady," one of the ship’s crew yells. What a canned conclusion.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Napoleon
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Ridley%20Scott%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Joaquin%20Phoenix%2C%20Vanessa%20Kirby%2C%20Tahar%20Rahim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%202%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
More on animal trafficking
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS
Biosafety Level 1
The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.
Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.
Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.
Used as teaching spaces.
Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.
Biosafety Level 2
These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.
Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.
Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1
Biosafety Level 3
These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.
Significant extra precautions are taken with staff given specific immunisations when dealing with certain diseases.
Infectious material is examined in a biological safety cabinet.
Personnel must wear protective gowns that must be discarded or decontaminated after use.
Strict safety and handling procedures are in place. There must be double entrances to the building and they must contain self-closing doors to reduce risk of pathogen aerosols escaping.
Windows must be sealed. Air from must be filtered before it can be recirculated.
Biosafety Level 4
The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.
All material must be decontaminated.
Personnel must wear a positive pressure suit for protection. On leaving the lab this must pass through decontamination shower before they have a personal shower.
Entry is severely restricted to trained and authorised personnel. All entries are recorded.
Entrance must be via airlocks.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
