10 Film Directors Who Used The Same Ending Twice

10. The Athlete (Probably) Dies Mid-Performance - Darren Aronofsky

The Original

Darren Aronofsky's superb 2008 drama The Wrestler concludes with Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) ignoring the advice of doctors and loved ones by stepping back into the ring.

During the match, it's clear that his heart problems are flaring up once again, and despite his opponent's attempts to end the bout early, Randy climbs the top rope to perform his finishing move, the Ram Jam.

As he leaps off the turnbuckle, tears in his eyes, the film ends, the outcome left unknown.

The Repeat

Just two years later Aronofsky did for ballet what he did for wrestling - albeit with a gonzo horror twist - in Black Swan. The film revolves around obsessive ballet dancer Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), who at film's end discovers she has, in her mania, stabbed herself mid-performance.

Rather than seek medical attention, though, Nina returns to the stage and completes her performance, after which the crew realise she's bleeding profusely and rush to get her help.

Nina, seemingly on the verge of death, is clearly more concerned with how "perfect" her performance was, and then the film ends.

Like The Wrestler, it's a devastatingly ambiguous ending which leaves the protagonist's fate in limbo while passing ultimate commentary on professional obsession.