Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Considering how the central conflict of the X-Men franchise has always been between Xavier and Magneto, the final ending ofX-Men: Dark Phoenixpresented a unified conclusion. With James McAvoy’s Professor X reluctantly accepting a chess game with Michael Fassbender’s Magento, the finale showed Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey reentering the atmosphere, after being presumed dead.
However, this resolution stands in contrast to the film’s original plan, which envisioned a much more solitary conclusion. Initially, director Simon Kinberg had intended for the film to end with Professor Charles Xavier alone in the X-Mansion. Thankfully, Kinberg chose to revise this approach which would have otherwise left Marvel fans deeply dissatisfied with the already low-rated movie.
The Original Plans for a More Isolated Ending ofX-Men: Dark Phoenix
The X-Men franchise has long been defined by the tension between Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. Eventually, this dynamic was put to the test inX-Men: Dark Phoenix, wherein James McAvoy’s Charles andMichael Fassbender’s Magento concluded their run with a moment of reconciliation. But sorry to disappoint, because director Simon Kinberg originally had a much darker and more isolating ending on the table for the 2019 installment.
How ‘Dark Phoenix’ Differs From ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’
According toyoung Cyclops actorTye Sheridan’s interview with theReelblendpodcast,X-Men: Dark Phoenixoriginally ended with the mutants going up against the villainous Skrulls in the finale, leading to an empty X-Mansion. The proposed ending would have seen James McAvoy’s Professor X left alone in the school for mutants, embodying a profound sense of isolation and abandonment.
It’s really hard for me to remember what the ending of this movie is. [laughs] Originally, it was scripted that Charles and Scott go to the U.N. because – man, I’m totally going to mess this up – they go to the U.N. because they’re going to try to tell the President that, ‘Hey, we’re under attack by aliens, and they’ve now captured Jean Grey.’ Or, you know, whatever it is that we’re going to tell him.
And then Jean comes down in the front of the U.N., and causes… there is this huge battle between the guards at the U.N. and Jean Grey, and all the guards turn out to be Skrulls. And then Jean and Scott are – Scott is fighting Skrulls in the fountain. He gets thrown into the fountain in front of the U.N. And then Jean comes down and basically fights all of the Skrulls off, and then blasts back off into space. [She] basically says goodbye to Scott and Charles. And then it’s all over, I guess.
Later on, even directorSimon Kinbergcorroborated Tye Sheridan’s revelation and explained why he eventually planned to revise the ending viai09. As James McAvoy had toldYahoo Movies UK, the ending had to be changed since it overlapped and paralleled another superhero movie of that time, namelyCaptain Marvel. However, as per Kinberg, he changed the ending since he felt it was more likeCaptain America: Civil War.
My original ending didn’t have the entire X-Family together the way they are in the film now. More than Captain Marvel, you could see a lot of Civil War in that ending. Usually, these big, huge action movies have the climactic moment in the third act. I loved the way that Civil War had its big action set piece where everyone’s facing off more towards the end of the second act rather than in the third so that after that huge battle, you’re left with Winter Soldier, Captain America, and Iron Man.
Thankfully, Simon Kinberg decided to revise this approach, leading to a more inclusive and unified conclusion for the X-Men family. This shift in the ending ofX-Men: Dark Phoenixmarked a significant change from the originally envisioned solitary note and provided a more collective resolution for the characters.
Marvel Fans Relieved as James McAvoy’s Film Avoided Depressing Ending
After the news hit social media, even Marvel fans expressed their relief over the change of original plans. Taking toX, fans and netizens admitted to feeling fortunate that the final version deviated from this somber alternative. Audiences noted how Simon Kinberg’s original ending could have left a negative impression with the solitary and melancholic finale, especially afterX-Men: Dark Phoenixalreadysuffered a catastrophic case of low rating.
As the ultimate conclusion forJames McAvoy‘s 2019 movie contrasted sharply with the film’s original resolution, it allowed audiences to have a glimmer of hope and unity. Ending the film with Professor X and Magneto engaging in a chess game symbolizing a tentative peace between them, followed by the dramatic return of Jean Grey, this ending provides a sense of closure and reconciliation.
the alternative ending of x-men dark phoenix is the saddest shit ever the school shut down and empty and charles leaving all alone i’d kms at the cinema if we got this endingpic.twitter.com/2u6liiukjK
thank GOD they didn’t go with this wtf this would have actually ended me
Wow I’m no longer complaining about this movie. It could have been DEPRESSING as well as bad
I never seen this alternate ending and I didn’t realize it’s very depressing 😭
OMG IM SO THANKFUL FOR PARIS
dark phoenix already sucks ass this would’ve made it WORSEhttps://t.co/Nrne896yVb
Therefore, considering how fans are relieved by this revised ending, it is believed that Simon Kinberg’s alternate conclusion, focused on Xavier’s isolation, might have left audiences with a lingering sense of dissatisfaction. Given how the film already received mixed reviews, the depressing end would have left fans in dismay. People, therefore, expressed their concerns over how the downbeat conclusion would have overshadowed the film’s achievements.
X-Men: Dark Phoenixis available on Disney+ as of 2019.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
