10 Devastating Film Deaths That Came Out Of Nowhere

9. Leslie - Bridge To Terabithia

Leslie - Bridge To Terabithia
Summit Entertainment

On the surface, Bridge To Terabithia was supposed to be another delightful children's fantasy movie about the escapism of imagination and a young friendship helping two lost souls find themselves and their place in the world.

It was based on a beloved book, but the fact that it was released back in 1977 mostly preserved audiences 30 years later of the shocking, devastating twist in its tale as one of the twin leads - played by AnnaSophia Robb - is killed off off-screen to the horror of Josh Hutcherson's Jess.

What makes the death even more upsetting is that we see it from Jess' point of view: when he goes on a trip with his music teacher and neglects to invite Leslie, it seems a tiny injustice to his friend, but when it turns out she died attempting to get to the magical kingdom of Terabithia herself, he is destroyed by guilt. It's really tough to watch, and particularly so in a family movie.

Advertisement
In this post: 
Logan
 
First Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

WhatCulture's former COO, veteran writer and editor.