Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 28 Days Later Alternative Ending

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Posted by Paul Salley (Member # 740) on 07-16-2003, 07:34 PM:

This news was just released from FOX.

28 DAYS LATER Alternative Ending is Coming!

28 days after Fox Searchlight first exposed audiences to 28 DAYS LATER, an alternative ending will infect movie theatres nationwide. Beginning July 25, 2003, audiences who see 28 DAYS LATER in theatres will get a special treat, seeing director Danny Boyle’s alternative ending to the zombie horror film that has become a cult hit.

The alternative ending will arrive to all playdate theatres as an additional reel, which will be spliced to the end of the existing 28 DAYS LATER print. Audiences who view the film and the entire sequence of end credits will then see a title card that reads “…what if” before the alternative ending begins to play. The alternative ending runs approximately 4:24 and features a bleak alternative to the film’s current ending.

28 DAYS LATER is the story of a powerful virus, unleashed on the British public following a raid on a primate research facility by animal rights activists. Transmitted in a drop of blood and devastating within seconds, the virus locks those infected into a permanent state of murderous rage. Within 28 days the country is overwhelmed and a handful of survivors begin their attempts to salvage a future, little realizing that the deadly virus is not the only thing that threatens them.

Directed by Boyle (TRAINSPOTTING, THE BEACH), 28 DAYS LATER has become a true box office success in a crowded summer marketplace full of disappointing grosses.

Team Fox

Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 07-16-2003, 08:47 PM:

I have seen the ending on the British DVD. I am curious as to why it was changed in the first place. Has anyone read anything that would clue us in?

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-16-2003, 09:22 PM:

The Los Angeles Times has an article (free registration may be required to view) in today's edition about the two endings.

quote:
The ending now in theaters was actually the film's original scripted ending but was ditched by screenwriter Alex Garland and director Danny Boyle during production in favor of a darker coda. That grim ending was included in the first cut of the film and tested with preview audiences in theaters. But Boyle and his filmmaking team ultimately rejected the scene, set in a hospital, as simply too bleak.

"We felt we can't do this to people. Because it was such a tough journey anyway," Boyle said. The filmmakers went back and filmed the more upbeat ending they had originally written, which tested much better and is now the film's final scene.

Posted by Nicholas Roznovsky (Member # 861) on 07-17-2003, 06:27 PM:

Hmm, this will be in sub-run in both of our major markets by then. Any idea if they'd bother sending the new reels out to sub-run houses or just leave the print how it is?

Posted by Paul Salley (Member # 740) on 07-17-2003, 07:00 PM:

From what I hear anyone playing the feature will get the add-on.

Posted by Nicholas Roznovsky (Member # 861) on 07-18-2003, 12:30 AM:

Yeah, now that I think of it that does make sense. Bob the handy depot guy doesn't really care where the prints are showing. He'll just see a print number, a location, and send the extra reel to them. Sometimes I don't think these things through.

Good work Bob! [thumbsup]

NOTICE: "Bob" is a fictional character and is not based on, nor meant to resemble, any actual person living or deceased. The theoretical actions of "Bob" represented herein are also not meant to imply that people at the depot ever really pay attention and ship things where they are actually supposed to go.

Posted by Jonathan Worthing (Member # 803) on 07-18-2003, 06:48 AM:

The only alternative ending on the DVD was Crap. It suggested that there was one less person at the end.

Edited not to give the end away OK Joe

[ 07-19-2003, 06:43 PM: Message edited by: Jonathan Worthing ]

Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 07-18-2003, 08:36 AM:

Although I agree with you Jonathan, I thought it might be nice to not give the other ending away. I thought that perhaps some people, that have either seen the movie and want to see it again or people that have not seen it and will after the alternative conclusion is tacked on, might actually want to see it not knowing what happens.

Posted by Jonathan Worthing (Member # 803) on 07-19-2003, 06:36 PM:

Joe.

If I decided to go to the cinema to see an alternate ending I feel that I should be entertained by that ending. Not wondering what the hell I have forked out my money for.

If a film has merit I would watch it again. Yes if I had the time I would see this film on the big screen as i have only seen it on DVD

Yes I would tell everybody if the alternative ending is [bs]

in fact I would stand outside the theater telling people not to through away there money.