Hugh Jackman starred in Denis Villeneuve’s 2013 crime thriller Prisoners, and as much as fans loved (or hated) the ambiguous ending, it was originally filmed with a backup alternate one in case they decided to change things up in the editing room.
However, had they chosen the second ending, it would have undermined the entire mission of the film, let alone ruined its overall vibe. It was supposed to make the viewers scratch their heads until the last scene, and providing a concrete explanation at the end would have spoiled the fun.
Prisoners Writer Revealed Alternate Conclusion That Ended In The Trash
During a Buzzfeed interview with Prisoners screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski, he explained the real deal why they filmed two endings for Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman’s movie. The Oscar-nominated title ended on a cliffhanger which was the original plan for it, but they still decided to film an alternate, just in case they changed their minds.
“When we were shooting, we did shoot a version where it goes a little beyond where the fade out is. There’s a version where he moves the car and sees Hugh down there, and so on. None of us really wanted to do that version, but we wanted to make sure we had it in case once the film was put together it seemed like it really needed it.”
What was the alternate ending that didn’t make the cut? Guzikowski noted that attention to detail and the viewers’ interpretation were crucial to the decision not to go for the second option.
“They move the car. They see he’s down there. You know he’s going to be taken out of the hole. I like it much better being ambiguous. Even though you assume that’s what’s probably going to happen, I like that there’s a small chance that he’s not going to get him out of there for whatever reason.”
Even the writer was surprised that everyone wanted to go by the original script. He commended Alcon Entertainment for allowing them to stick to the plan despite its oblique ending that might have evoked mixed reactions from fans.
Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners was a critically acclaimed picture that landed an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography. Guzikowski based the story on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart and credited Mark Wahlberg for getting the project off the ground.
What Does Hugh Jackman Think Of Prisoners?
Even Hugh Jackman had the same confused feeling after perusing the script. The movie has a pretty dark story; it is about a father who placed justice in his own hands out of desperation after his daughter went missing. That is definitely something not for the faint-hearted. He said via Variety:
“I had a pit in my stomach reading it. In some ways, it’s a classic genre movie, but at the end of the movie, [it] keeps you thinking and talking.”
The twists and turns in the narrative were also an added value. Jackman admitted that the more he delved into the story, the more he felt the weight of responsibility to bring this character to life.
Prisoners is available to watch on Netflix.
