Book-to-Movie Adaptations—with Different Endings
When a book gets made into a movie, there are undoubtably going to be some changes made. This varies from film to film.
Most times, significant changes happen at the end—creating a satisfying ending fit for the big screen. Some end up better, some are more questionable.
From Disney movies to horror movies, here’s 20 movies that changed the ending of the books they're based on.
Spoiler Alert: this article gives away endings.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Movie Synopsis: While vacationing, a girl and her parents are taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse.
Book It’s Based On: The Cabin at the End of the World
Universal, Knock at the Cabin (2023)
How it Changed
In the book, the two lead characters ride off without knowing if an accident involving the death of their young daughter will actually save the world.
In the movie, an act of sacrifice by a father saves the day, a little girl doesn’t pass, and the apocalypse is stopped.
Universal, Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Stephen King’s The Mist (2007)
Movie Synopsis: A freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.
Book It’s Based On: The Mist
How it Changed
In the book, the survivors escape and go on a long drive—that’s it. There is no climax.
In the movie, a father commits a horrific act, ending the lives of survivors and his own son to stop them from suffering. Moments later, the good guys show up—and the mist fades away.
Stephen King’s The Shining (1980)
Movie Synopsis: A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.
Book It’s Based On: The Shining
How it Changed
In the book, main character Jack has a moment of clarity and compassion, and convinces his son to run away. While still possessed, Jake goes to the boiler room and starts a fire that burns down the hotel with him inside.
In the movie, the ending, Jack’s wife and son escape during a snowstorm, leaving Jack behind to freeze to death.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989)
Movie Synopsis: A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.
Book It’s Based On: The Little Mermaid by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen
Walt Disney, The Little Mermaid (1989)
How it Changed
The original book is written by a Danish author who is also known for writing the original stories for other popular children’s stories, such as: Thumbelina, The Ugly Duckling, and more.
Disney changed many things about The Little Mermaid, from the mermaid’s name to her red hair—but most importantly, the ending.
Walt Disney, The Little Mermaid (1989)
How the Ending Changed
In the original story, the mermaid fails to win the prince’s love and agrees to take his life. But when she tries to do it, she finds that she can’t, and takes her own life instead. Upon her passing she turns into sea foam.
In Disney’s rendition, the mermaid wins the love of the prince, she becomes human and they live happily ever after.
Walt Disney, The Little Mermaid (1989)
Rambo: First Blood (1982)
Movie Synopsis: A veteran Green Beret is forced by a cruel Sheriff and his deputies to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.
Book It’s Based On: First Blood, by David Morrell
How it Changed
Firstly, if the ending of the movie was the same as the book, there wouldn’t have been a franchise.
In the book, John Rambo tragically dies after failing to surrender.
In the movie, John Rambo turns himself into authorities. The Colonel still won, but the Rambo series was able to continue on.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Movie Synopsis: An unhinged American General orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.
Book It’s Based On: Red Alert, by Peter George
Columbia, Dr. Strangelove (1964)
How it Changed
In the book, our planet is about to be exterminated, but someone manages to stop it. Human kind lives on, happily ever after.
In the movie, a nuclear catastrophe takes place and several events lead to human kinds annihilation.
Columbia, Dr. Strangelove (1964)
The Thing (1982)
Movie Synopsis: A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
Book It’s Based On: Who Goes There by John W. Campbell Jr.
How it Changed
In the book, human kind wins. The Aliens are defeated moments before they can achieve victory.
In the movie, two survivors sit hopeless in the snowy night. But are they human? They can’t trust each other and they will be suspicious until they freeze to death.
I Am Legend (2007)
Movie Synopsis: Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.
Book It’s Based On: I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
Warner Bros., I Am Legend (2007)
How it Changed
In the book, main character Robert Neville dies with the realization that he has become the new monster of nightmare and legend. His last words are, “I Am Legend.”
The movie has two alternate endings, an original ending and an Alternate Theatrical Version. The original ending has Neville sacrifice himself to save the newly discovered survivors.
Warner Bros. I Am Legend (2007)
The Alternate Theatrical Version
In the alternate ending, Neville discovers that the hemocytes actually came for the female he captured earlier in the movie. He gives her up, takes the cure, and returns to Vermont with the two other survivors.
Warner Bros., I Am Legend (2007)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Movie Synopsis: A pragmatic paleontologist touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park's cloned dinosaurs to run loose.
Book It’s Based On: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Universal, Jurassic Park (1993)
How it Changed
In the book, a lot more characters lose their lives, leaving less survivors in the end. As well, government agencies blow up the island with napalm and the dinosaurs become extinct once again.
In the movie, the Tyrannosaurus attacks the two remaining raptors while the survivors escape the island on a helicopter.
Universal, Jurassic Park (1993)
Contact (1997)
Movie Synopsis: Dr. Ellie Arroway, after years of searching, finds conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.
Book It’s Based On: Contact, by Carl Sagan
How it Changed
The book ends with Dr. Arroway, along with four other people being allowed on the spaceship—all of whom return with similar encounters. The government accuses them of conspiracy and forces silence upon them.
In the movie, no one believes Dr. Arroway that she traveled to Vega. Then we get the big reveal that her audio devices actually did record many hours of static, proving she went somewhere, even if we couldn't hear anything on the recording.
Stephen King’s Cujo (1983)
Movie Synopsis: Cujo, a friendly St. Bernard, contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on a small American town.
Book It’s Based On: Cujo, by Stephen King
How it Changed
In the book, main character Donna realizes her son Tad is losing his life, she fights the rabid dog with a baseball bat, ending its life. Sadly, she was too late, and her son had passed already from dehydration.
In the movie, Donna fights the dog and wins. Her son is okay and they live happily ever after.
Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Movie Synopsis: A deformed bell-ringer must assert his independence from a vicious government minister in order to help his friend, a gypsy dancer.
Book It’s Based On: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo
Walt Disney, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
How the Book Ended
In the book, Frollo attacks Phoebus out of jealousy, and Esmeralda falsely confesses to trying to end his life and to practicing witchcraft. Quasimodo is unable to save her and she is hanged in the streets. Quasimodo then avenges her demise and ends the life of Frollo. A final image portrays the skeletons of Quasimodo and Esmeralda in an embrace, while Phoebus remarries someone else.
Walt Disney, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
How the Movie Ended
We can’t exactly blame Disney for changing this one. Quasimodo saves the day by defeating the nefarious Claude Frollo, and actually accepts Esmeralda's love for another man Captain Phoebus. He's a Paris hero.
Walt Disney, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
My Sister’s Keeper (2009)
Movie Synopsis: Anna Fitzgerald looks to earn medical emancipation from her parents who until now have relied on their youngest child to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate remain alive.
Book It’s Based On: My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
Warner Bros., My Sister's Keeper (2009)
How it Changed
For this one, it’s all about who dies in the end.
In the book, Anna ends up losing her life in a car accident and Kate receives her organs after all, going on to live a full life.
In the movie, Kate ends up losing her battle with leukemia and Anna works on rebuilding her relationship with her family.
Warner Bros., My Sister's Keeper (2009)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Movie Synopsis: In the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.
Book It’s Based On: A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
Warner Bros., A Clockwork Orange (1971)
How it Changed
The book ends with main character Alex surrendering to a normal life in civilized society, implying that he has changed his violent ways.
The movie ends with Alex being offered an open-ended government job, implying he remains a sociopath at heart.
Warner Bros., A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep (2019)
Movie Synopsis: Years following the events of The Shining (1980), a now-adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.
Book It’s Based On: Doctor Sleep, by Stephen King
Warner Bros., Doctor Sleep (2019)
How it Changed
For this one, there were many changes to both the plot and the setting.
In the book, the final showdown is in a campground that sits where the Overlook Hotel previously existed before it burned down.
In the movie, the Overlook Hotel is still standing, and comes alive at night.
Warner Bros., Doctor Sleep (2019)
Fight Club (1993)
Movie Synopsis: An insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.
Book It’s Based On: Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk
Twentieth Century, Fight Club (1999)
How it Changed
In the book, the narrator wakes up in a mental hospital after shooting himself and believes he is in heaven.
In the movie, there's a reconciliation with Marla and both stand and see the world blow up as they hold hands after having defeated Durden.
Twentieth Century, Fight Club (1999)
Hannibal (2001)
Movie Synopsis: Living in exile, Dr. Hannibal Lecter tries to reconnect with now disgraced F.B.I. Agent Clarice Starling, and finds himself a target for revenge from a powerful victim.
Book It’s Based On: Hannibal, by Thomas Harris
How it Changed
In the book, Hannibal Lecter actually drugs Clarice and takes her with him. They live "happily" in love for the rest of their lives in some other country.
In the movie, Clarice fights Hannibal after making Paul Krendler eat his own brains. But she outsmarts the doctor and handcuffs him, leaving him with no choice but to chop off his hand and ride into the sunset.
Stephen King’s Apt Pupil (1998)
Movie Synopsis: A boy blackmails his neighbor after suspecting him to be a Nazi war criminal.
Book It’s Based On: Apt Pupil, by Stephen King
How it Changed
In the book, the body count is much higher. Many more people are targets, including someone who discovers their heinous acts. A final clash with police ends the boy’s life, and the Nazi is hospitalized after a heart attack.
In the movie, the Nazi passes away in the hospital, and the boy talks his way out of things.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Movie Synopsis: A boy blackmails his neighbor after suspecting him to be a Nazi war criminal.
Book It’s Based On: Planet of the Apes, by Pierre Boulle
Twentieth Century, Planet of the Apes (1968)
How it Changed
In the book, the hero escapes and goes back to Earth, he discovers that hundreds of years have passed and now apes are the dominating species at home.
In the movie, the hero kneels at the edge of the water in front of a half-buried State of Liberty, only to discover that he had been on Earth all along.
Twentieth Century, Planet of the Apes (1968)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Movie Synopsis: The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.
Book It’s Based On: Forrest Gump, by Winston Groom
Paramount Pictures, Forrest Gump (1994)
How it Changed
In the book, Forrest discovers Jenny has remarried and is raising Forrest's son. That's when Forrest decides to leave with Dan and Sue, the orangutan—with no intention of knowing his son.
In the movie, Forrest comes back to take care of Jenny during her final days. He then takes care of his son after Jenny passes, and is a happy father.
