10 Movies Actually Improved By Studio Interference
2. Get Out
Jordan Peele's 2017 directorial debut Get Out succeeded with combining cutting social satire with a classical horror twist to create a thoroughly unsettling and thought-provoking piece of filmmaking. However, despite the almost continuously disturbing themes running throughout the film, Peele's final horrifying twist proved to much for test audiences and studio executives alike.
Following Daniel Kaluuya's Chris escaping from the sadistic body-snatching Armitage family, Peele initially envisaged him being arrested after attempting to strangle his psychotic ex-girlfriend Rose. The film would then end with Chris behind bars telling his friend Rod that he'd stopped the family and everything was fine.
During the film's production, after consultations with executives and a series of high-profile incidents of police brutality, Peele decided to tone down his ending and only lead the audience to believe Chris was about to face arrest before being rescued by Rod instead.
In interviews following the film's release Peele has discussed the alternate ending at length and concluded that it ultimately led to a better end product. He was later proved correct when the finished film went on to receive 4 nominations at the 2018 Academy Awards, with Peele winning the Best Original Screenplay accolade.