10 Movies That Completely Changed Their Endings After Test Screenings

Movie endings can make or break how audiences remember a film. Sometimes a finale lands exactly the way a director hoped. Other times, early test screenings reveal a major problem, pushing studios to rethink the final scene before the movie reaches theaters.

In some cases, the changes are small. In others, entire endings are rewritten, reshot, or replaced after test audiences react poorly to what they see. That can mean a happier conclusion, a clearer resolution, a darker twist, or a finale that better matches what viewers expected from the story.

These behind-the-scenes changes have affected everything from horror movies and thrillers to comedies, dramas, and major blockbusters. Some alternate endings eventually became famous on their own, while others remained buried in deleted scenes, bonus features, or old production stories.

History Computer looked at 10 movies that changed their endings after test screenings, highlighting the films that nearly ended very differently before audience feedback helped shape the final cut.

"Little Shop of Horrors" is an excellent horror musical, but did you know there are multiple endings? Well, the original ending was about 23 minutes long – and spoiler alert – it ended with Seymour and Audrey dying and the alien plant taking over the world. As interesting as an ending as this is, audience members hated it, forcing producers to change it at the last minute. The new ending – the one that made it to the big screen – is happier with both Seymour and Audrey surviving.

The original ending of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" was incredibly different. Scott doesn't end up with Ramona – instead, he is rejected and ends up with Knives Chau. The director came up with this ending before the comic series was finished. The ending was changed after the comic's ending was released, as the comic writer disagreed with the movie's endin,g citing that it made Knives seem really weak.

So many iconic films almost concluded with a different ending, including "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." Technically, this originally planned ending didn't make it to test screening audiences. Still, it's worth a mention. The original ending had the kids playing Dungeons and Dragons again, but with Elliot as the dungeon master. The communicator was supposed to be the last shot, showing the audience that they still communicate with E.T.

The original ending of "Legally Blonde" was not as powerful as the one that ultimately made it to the big screen. Before they updated the ending, the film concluded with Elle and Vivian handing out flyers for the Blonde Legal Defense Fund. Vivian was also blonde. Audience members wanted more, feeling like the ending wasn't exciting enough.

"The Shawshank Redemption" is one of the most emotional films ever made. One of the better scenes is the ending, which looked very different before its release. The original ending was a mystery, ending with Red parting on a bus, like the novella the film is based on.

Test screen audience goers hated the ending of "Sweet Home Alabama." It was too silly and strange, disrupting the mood. In the original ending, the couple is struck by lightning, and Melanie looks dead. Andrew carries her body back to the reception of the wedding scaring everyone, but it turns out to be a joke. No one thought it was funny, so it never made it to the final release.

The scripted ending on "Halloween Ends" didn't make it past the script. Actually, many parts of this film were changed due to test screenings as well. The original ending of the film was bleak with Laurie's death, but they changed it so it was more hopeful.

You know you've done a good job creating a loved character when test screenings change the fate of a character. This is what happened to Mitch in "The Long Kiss Goodnight." Originally, in the film, the character dies, but after audience members protested, this was changed.

The original ending of "Thor: The Dark World," could have saved the movie. Within the Marvel Universe, this film isn't well-ranked due to its strange editing and jumps. The ending is especially hated by many. So, what was an alternative ending? "Thor: The Dark World" nearly ended with Loki's actual death, giving him a redemption arc.

Last but not least is the heartbreaking film, "The Lovely Bones." The ending was way too tame, causing test screening audiences to want a more satisfying ending. In the original film, Mr. Harvey, the killer, falls off a cliff, letting the audience wonder what happened to the killer.