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This blockbuster film’s disappointing ending undercuts the idea that audiences will want to leave the theater on a high note.
At least for these five hits, audiences have proven capable of handling some harsh consequences.
In fact, some of the biggest hits in movie history have some of the saddest endings.
5 — Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
One of our favorite Star Wars movies ends with the word “hope” spoken by one of the most beloved characters in the entire galaxy. But before we get to that moment, we see a bleak picture.
This prequel Star Wars: A New Hope It grossed over $1 billion at the global box office, the fourth highest grossing of any Star Wars film. It also ranked 51st in total worldwide gross.
The Bummer ending (spoilers): log one It follows a ragtag team as they work together to obtain a plan that will reveal a major flaw in the Empire’s final weapon, the Death Star. The entire team dies for the mission. almost at the last moment log oneJyn Erso (Felicity Jones) heroically delivers the plan to the rebels, but moments later she and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) evaporate on the beach in a tragic embrace. To be honest, it’s not the worst way.
4 — Spider-Man: No Way Home
There’s no way to go home It will see the present-day Spidey, played by Tom Holland, team up with former Spider-Men Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire to take on all-out war against villains including the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx), the Lizard (Rhys Ifans) and the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church). It’s a Spidey fan’s dream.
The film grossed $1.9 billion at the global box office, the second-highest grossing of any Spider-Man film. (The latest film in this series, Spider-Man: Brand New DayWe won with $2.5 billion.) Still, There’s no way to go home It ranks 9th in box office worldwide.
Bummer Ending: first big shock There’s no way to go home It comes with the death of his beloved Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). But that tragedy is made worse by a different kind of heartbreak. To return all the characters to their respective places in the multiverse, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casts a spell that makes Mary Jane (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) also forget Peter. This leaves him adrift without his aunt, girlfriend, or best friend to rely on.
3 — Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War We find all of the Avengers (Spider-Man, Black Panther, etc.) teaming up to fight Thanos as the Mad Titan attempts to assemble the five Infinity Stones that seem to make him unstoppable.
Seeing all the heroes in one place helped attract a large audience; infinity war It earned $2.1 billion at the worldwide box office. This is the highest amount paid for all but one Avengers movie. infinity war It ranks 8th in box office worldwide.
Bummer Ending: After a standoff between the good guys and the bad guys, Thanos snaps his fingers and eliminates half of everyone on Earth and even some Earthlings from the universe. Many of our favorite characters, including Spider-Man, simply turn to dust. And that’s it. That’s the ending.
however
We’re compiling all box office numbers for this story from Box Office Mojo, a highly recommended site for Hollywood finances. Additionally, these figures are not adjusted for inflation. If you’re interested in that, I recommend this list.
I think whether something is sad or not is somewhat subjective.
So we’re talking about how we and our friends felt walking out of the theater and the general sense we got from the audience.
2 — Titanic
Everyone knew that the love story of Jack and Rose (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) aboard the famous ship of doom would not end well for everyone. The big question was whether our hapless lovers would survive.
For a while, huge It was the highest-grossing film of all time. In the end, it lost its place to other films. But it may be comforting to know that Titanic director James Cameron directed two of them. avatar and Avatar: Path of Water. Titanic currently remains the sixth-highest-grossing film at the global box office, with $2.3 billion.
Bummer Ending: Rose is alive. Jack dies. Could she have made room for him in that door? Audiences have been debating it ever since. However, keep in mind that weight is also an issue and the door may sink if you carry a second body.
1 — Avengers: Endgame
It is (mostly) set five years later. infinity war, endgame The surviving Avengers find themselves banding together to undo Thanos’ snap through the magic of time travel.
Thanks in part to the huge cliffhanger. infinity war —And other movies are set over 10 years later— endgame It was a must-see film that tied up almost every thread in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It grossed $2.9 billion at the global box office, the largest worldwide box office haul for a film of all time.
Bummer Ending: maybe you think Avengers: Endgame It’s a happy ending, considering most of the friends come back to life and the good guys win. But victory still comes at a steep price. Half of all humanity has disappeared in the past five years, so many lives have been destroyed or greatly complicated. And defeating Thanos means the death of both Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).
Learn more about Bummer endings Avengers: Endgame
Of course, we know that in superhero movies, dead people tend not to stay dead. However, both Black Widow and Iron Man remain dead. It’s been seven years now, which seems like an eternity in franchise time. Robert Downey Jr. will return this December. Avengers: DoomsdayBut it’s a different role: Doctor Doom.
And it looks like Johansson’s Black Widow is indeed gone. endgame). It seems the new Black Widow (Florence Pugh) is now the Black Widow of record.
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