10 Alternate Endings That Almost Ruined Classic Horror Movies

A lesson in how not to end your horror film.

The Blair Witch Project Alternate Ending
Haxan Films

How a movie ends is arguably its most crucial element. No matter how amazing the preceding hour or two have been, a crappy ending can undo all of that. Not to mention that as the movie’s conclusion, its ending is likely going to stick with the audience – you want to out with a bang rather than a whimper.

Given the importance of a great ending, directors often toy with a few different ideas before a film’s final cut is released to moviegoers en masse. Sometimes these alternate endings can be superior to the finale that made it to the big screen but more often than not there’s a reason we get the endings we get. And that’s because the alternative was pretty stupid.

Take, for example, the following horror movies. Their finales are canonical classics and some of the best the horror genre has given us. But things could’ve been very, very different had their inferior alternate endings been properly entertained. In fact, some amazing horror movies would’ve probably been ruined or at least be a different beast entirely.

So, let’s take a jab at would could’ve been with some of horror’s most laughable alternate endings.

10. The Blair Witch Project

The Blair Witch Project Alternate Ending
Haxan Films

The Proper Ending: Film students Heather and Mike hear their missing friend Josh’s cries for help and follow them to a creepy, abandoned house. Following Josh’s voice to the basement, Mike is attacked by an unseen force and his camera drops to the ground.

A hysterical Heather enters the basement and through her camera we see Mike standing in the corner facing the wall before Heather is also attacked before everything goes silent and her camera cuts out.

The Awful Alternate Ending: Distributors Artisan Entertainment felt that The Blair Witch Project’s finale was too ambiguous so had co-directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez shoot a number of alternative endings that included Mike hung on a noose and crucified on one of the Blair Witch’s stick men figures.

Myrick and Sánchez voiced their concern that they felt the original finale was far more effective and scary in its ambiguity and went ahead despite Artisan’s belief that the confusing ending could cost them millions. Blair Witch then went on to make a massive $248.6 million at the box office against a $60,000 budget. How wrong could Artisan have been?

Contributor

Helen Jones hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.