Rambo Commits Suicide? 6 Alternate Movie Endings We Never Saw — And Thank Goodness We Didn't

Sometimes digging into behind-the-scenes details leads to wild discoveries — like these original movie endings that would’ve changed everything. Some are darker, some more faithful to the source, but all of them would’ve left a completely different impression. I came across these and couldn’t resist sharing.

First Blood (1982)

Originally, Rambo doesn’t surrender — he begs Colonel Trautman to shoot him. When Trautman hesitates, Rambo takes the gun and ends his own life.

It’s a heavy ending that hits hard on the PTSD theme, but Stallone pushed for a more hopeful version — and let’s be honest, without it, we wouldn’t have gotten the sequels.

I Am Legend (2007)

This one really surprised me. There’s a version where Neville realizes the infected are actually intelligent, and he’s been the real monster all along. He sets one of them free and walks away. It’s closer to the book and completely flips the meaning of the story.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

In the director’s cut, Evan decides the only way to stop the pain he causes is to never be born — and strangles himself with his own umbilical cord. Brutal, but very in line with the film’s theme of inevitable tragedy.

28 Days Later (2002)

We all remember the plane rescue ending. But there were two darker versions. In one, Jim dies from his wounds. In another, he sacrifices himself to help find a cure. Honestly, I love how bold those ideas were — even if they didn’t make the final cut.

There’s something fascinating about these unused endings. Some feel more honest, others just too much for test audiences. But as a film fan, I kind of love that they exist — like hidden layers that shift how you see a story.