10 Sci-Fi Movies That Almost Had Way Better Endings

It almost feels mean spirited to include this entry, as later remakes of the film have reinstated its original, far superior ending, but anyone who has sat through the almost-great 1956 original Invasion of the Body Snatchers can attest to the lameness of its ending, so it’s only fair that we give the far better ending an airing.

The film sees a Californian town overtaken by pod people who assimilate locals and replace them one-by-one in what is either an allegory for communism or capitalism, depending on which academic you ask, and is told in flashbacks by a noir-style narrator (that’ll be important later).

It’s an intense slow-burn which has aged impressively, retaining much of its claustrophobic tension despite some very aged effects work, and it culminates in a terrifying scene wherein our powerless protagonist is left screaming to onlookers that “They’re here!”, in a futile attempt to stop the growing horde of imitators from taking over.

You know, until we cut to the source of his narration—a police interview, wherein the two investigators are about to send him off for psychological evaluation until someone conveniently bursts inside and produces a mysterious person-sized pod to verify his tall tale and ensure the day is saved.

It’s a corny and tonally misjudged moment which costs the film dearly, but the filmmakers had hoped to end with the protagonist’s hopeless cries into oncoming traffic as he realizes he can’t defeat the alien threat.