Interstellar‘s original ending was not only significantly less complex but also risky because it could have potentially ruined Christopher Nolan’s film. Christopher Nolan’s space opera, Interstellar, takes audiences on a gripping journey through the cosmos where Matthew McConaughey’s Cooper and his team of scientists set out to save humanity from its imminent doom. This, on the surface, makes Interstellar a survival movie, in which, as Matt Damon’s Dr. Mann quotes, the characters’ “survival instinct is the single greatest source” of their inspiration.
However, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar transcends the confines of the survival genre by exploring the nature of human existence. At the same time, it also boldly dabbles with complicated scientific concepts like wormholes, time dilation, and the theory of relativity. It is the balance of these elements that makes Interstellar the perfect combination of scientific speculation and emotionally stirring human narratives. The film would not have been the same, though, if Christopher Nolan had stuck to its original ending.
Interstellar’s Hidden Parallel With A 1500-Year-Old Story Makes Its Ending Even Better
Interstellar shares some fascinating parallels with a 1500-year-old fable that makes its ending even better by revealing its true hidden meaning.
Cooper Never Makes It Back In Interstellar’s Original Ending
Jonathan Nolan, who co-wrote Interstellar, once revealed (via Nerdist) that the movie’s original ending “had the Einstien-Rosen bridge [colloquially, a wormhole] collapse when Cooper tries to send the data back.” Although he did not delve into the details of what happened next, the wormhole’s collapse in the film would have led to dire consequences for Cooper. Instead of surviving as a hero and ultimately making it back to see his daughter, Cooper likely would have died after crossing the black hole’s event horizon.
Without the possibility of transmitting data crucial for humanity’s survival, Cooper’s sacrifice would have been in vain, and most humans would have eventually perished. Even if Cooper’s data had somehow reached Murph in the original ending, Interstellar‘s ending would have been far more tragic than the theatrical one because Cooper would have lost his life while saving humanity. With his demise, Anne Hathaway’s Amelia Brand would also have been left alone on the third planet despite finding the ideal environment for humanity’s survival.
Why It Is Good That Interstellar’s Ending Was Changed
Interstellar’s original ending has its own dark charm because it perfectly captures the insignificance of humanity in the vastness of the universe while still being a little hopeful. However, in the original ending, Cooper would not have reunited with Murph, which would not have underscored the film’s overarching theme of the power of love and familial relationships. Amelia Brand’s story arc also would have been wasted.
By changing the original ending, Interstellar was able to portray the enduring bond between a father and a daughter, the triumph of love, and the human spirit’s ability to “rage against the dying of the light.” Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar would likely still have been a blockbuster with the original ending. However, the changed ending gives Interstellar a more memorable and satisfying closure that brings an emotional, heartwarming conclusion that affirms how “love is the one thing we’re capable of perceiving that transcends time and space.“
Sources: Nerdist
Interstellar
From Christopher Nolan, Interstellar imagines a future where the Earth is plagued by a life-threatening famine, and a small team of astronauts is sent out to find a new prospective home among the stars. Despite putting the mission first, Coop (Matthew McConaughey) races against time to return home to his family even as they work to save mankind back on Earth.
- Release Date
- November 7, 2014
- Director
- Christopher Nolan
- Cast
- Anne Hathaway , Matthew McConaughey , Jessica Chastain , Ellen Burstyn , Michael Caine , Bill Irwin
- Runtime
- 2h 49m
- Writers
- Christopher Nolan , Jonathan Nolan
- Budget
- 165 million
- Studio(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures , Paramount Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures , Warner Bros. Pictures
