The following contains spoilers for Until Dawn.Until Dawndirector reveals that the movie secretly has another ending. Inspired by the 2015 choose-your-own-adventure game, the movie focuses on a group of friends who are desperately trying to survive a supernatural death loop. They are targeted by armed killers, a wendigo, and Peter Stormare’s Dr. Hill while doing their best to survive throughUntil Dawn’s final moments. With a budget of $15 million, it is expected to earn approximately $8 million in its opening weekend. Like most horror movies,Until Dawnhinges on its finale.
However, in an interview withBloody Disgusting, director David F. Sandberg admits that it is not the only official ending. He acknowledged that there is an alternate conclusion, which will be included among the other deleted sceneswhen the movie enters the home video market. While he did not explain what the alternate finale would entail, he shared that the main cast would have the same fate, with some slight differences. Check out Sandberg’s quote below:
There is an alternate ending to the film in the deleted scenes, which will be in the home video release! It ends the same way for the main cast, butit’s a little different.
What The Alternate Ending Means For Until Dawn
It Ties Into The Video Game
When theUntil Dawnvideo game was first released in 2015, it immediatelydistinguished itself by ensuring intense replayability. Every decision that a gamer made would play a significant role in determining which characters lived, died, or were mutilated during each session. Every new run-through meant that players could change the narrative in drastic ways, which made for a far more compelling playthrough. TheUntil Dawnmovie attempted to replicate that style with the death loop, which allowed for significant changes, but it was still not as extreme as the game’s various changes.
TheUntil Dawngame was originally followed by a prequel,The Inpatient, and a spin-off,Until Dawn: Rush of Blood.
Featuring an alternate ending is far more in line with the unique format that continues to set the game apart. One alternate finale is not nearly as intense of a change as the game would often make, but the difference in mediums ensured thatthe movie could never replicatethe level of choice that a video game allows. Simply including one alternate ending is still a sign that this movie was attempting to honor the original’s style, just as the inclusion of the death loop does. Sandberg did his best to communicate a storytelling style that is fairly impossible in movies.
Image via Sony Pictures
The alternate ending will not feature any significant changes, given that Sandberg has already emphasized that everything will “end the same way” for the characters. Whatever that ending is, it is important to restrain expectations, as it will likely only feature minor edits.
Still, it is a clever touch that indicates the director’s respect for the game, which is always nice to see when it comes to a video game adaptation.Until Dawndepended on alternate endings, so even a non-significant change to the finale is proof that this movie is attempting to honor the original story.
