Uncover the Hidden Stories Behind Your Favorite Movies
8. Suicide Squad – Joker vs. Task Force X
David Ayer's vision for 2016's Suicide Squad was significantly altered by Warner Bros. In the original, darker version, The Joker threw Harley Quinn from the helicopter in a fit of rage. The chopper crashed, and the Clown Prince of Crime returned with a burnt face during the final act to destroy the team and take Harley back. But Harley chose her new teammates over their abusive relationship, and we never saw her broken out of Belle Reve by the villain. This alternate ending provides a better arc for both characters, leaving us to wonder what could have been.
It's clear that Ayer's cut had a lot of potential, but it's time to move on. Warner Bros. made their changes, and the movie we got is still a fan favorite. However, it's interesting to think about what could have been if they had stuck to Ayer's vision.
7. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – Richard Parker Lives
In both The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, several subplots ended up on the cutting room floor. In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, a scene featuring Norman Osborn's severed head being kept in storage by Oscorp was scrapped, as were plans for the movie to end with the return of Peter's father, Richard Parker. He was set to deliver Uncle Ben's "Great Power" line and encourage his son to continue his superheroics.
With The Amazing Spider-Man 3 focused on a concoction that could raise the dead, Richard was likely to play a pivotal role in Peter's battle with the Green Goblin and the resurrection of Gwen Stacy. It's a shame we never got to see this part of the franchise play out, as it could have added a whole new layer to the story.
6. Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania – Kang Escapes
In an earlier cut of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne were set to don new, hi-tech costumes for the final battle with Kang the Conqueror. Just like in the theatrical cut, Janet, Hank, Cassie, and Hope all returned to Earth, only to be confronted by a vengeful, battle-damaged Kang. They fought, but the villain escaped even with The Wasp's help.
Cassie then ran countless simulations across multiple computers, her eyes widening as she seemingly tracked Scott and Hope down. This ending was clearly meant to set the stage for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, leaving us to wonder what could have happened if Kang had been captured.
5. The Wolverine – Wolverine's Classic Suit
The Wolverine ends with Logan returning to the U.S. alongside Yukio, but an alternate ending saw her hand him a suitcase containing his classic brown and yellow comic book costume. Filmmaker James Mangold cut this scene to avoid forcing a sequel to include the suit.
Ironically, he ended up directing the sequel, Logan, but there was no sign of the suit in either X-Men: Days of Future Past or X-Men: Apocalypse. This would have been a great tease for fans, setting the stage for Wolverine to embrace his comic book roots. Thankfully, Deadpool & Wolverine made up for it this year.
4. Iron Man 3 – Trevor Slattery Dies
Marvel Studios disappointed many fans with Iron Man 3 by revealing The Mandarin as an actor named Trevor Slattery. In a deleted scene, Slattery was set to inject himself with "Extremis" and explode, providing a definitive end for the character. However, this ending was left on the cutting room floor.
By not going down this route, Marvel Studios was able to bring Trevor back in the "All Hail the King" one-shot and even in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He will also take on a supporting role in Disney+'s Wonder Man, showing that sometimes a character's story can take unexpected turns.
3. The Marvels – The Heroes Team Up To Save The Day
The Marvels failed to impress fans, but its ending left a lot to discuss. In the Captain Marvel sequel's closing moments, Monica Rambeau used her powers to close a tear in reality, stranding herself in a parallel universe inhabited by the X-Men. However, an earlier version of the movie saw Photon receive help from Carol Danvers and Ms. Marvel.
We don't know if Monica was always going to head to another reality or if there was originally no Multiversal element to the sequel. It's possible that the three heroes were meant to unite and save the universe without laying the groundwork for a future story.
2. Avengers: Age Of Ultron – Captain Marvel's Debut
Avengers: Age of Ultron was always going to end with Captain America and Black Widow assembling a new team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Joss Whedon hoped to introduce Captain Marvel in this sequence, but Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige had other ideas and replaced her with the Scarlet Witch.
It would have been strange to see Captain Marvel debut here without an explanation or origin story. But we can't help but wonder how different the MCU would be if she had made her appearance in this movie. It's one of the many "what ifs" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
1. The Flash – Crisis On Infinite Earths
The Flash got caught up in various changes at Warner Bros., leading to its ending changing multiple times. The first idea was for Michael Keaton's Batman and Sasha Calle's Supergirl to show up, confronting a shocked Barry Allen. After a post-credits scene with Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne pleading for help, Henry Cavill was added to the scene.
When DC Studios got involved, everything changed, and the two Multiversal heroes died. We watched as Barry met George Clooney's Caped Crusader in a world we may never visit again. It was a chaotic and unpredictable ending that left fans wondering what the future holds for the DC Universe.