10 Sci-Fi Movie Endings You Can No Longer See

5. The Cure's Success Is Unknown - The Invasion

Ex Machina
Warner Bros.

2007's The Invasion isn't a particularly good movie, but it almost had a far more interesting ending.

While the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers ended hopefully and the 1978 remake opted for a considerably bleaker finale, the 2007 version originally intended to split the difference and end on a more ambiguous note.

The initially shot ending left it uncertain whether Dr. Carol Bennell's (Nicole Kidman) immune son Oliver (Jackson Bond) survived an attack in the film's climax, leaving it up in the air as to whether his immunity could be used to cure the alien virus afflicting humanity.

Test audiences unsurprisingly turned their noses up at this, which combined with Warner Bros.' general dissatisfaction with the movie, prompted a round of reshoots to the tune of $10 million, written by the Wachowskis and directed by V for Vendetta's James McTeigue.

The new ending included an epilogue which categorically confirmed that Oliver survived and his immunity allowed the creation of a vaccine which wiped out the infection.

While it's easy to see what the studio was going for here, the original ending sounds way more bold. And considering The Invasion was a critical and commercial dud regardless, the reshoots clearly weren't worth the money and hassle.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.