Sandra Bullock and George Clooney’s one of the most appreciated films is Gravity. In the film, the two actors played the role of astronauts who attempt to return to Earth, after their shuttle gets damaged in space. At the 86th Academy Awards, the film received 10 nominations and won seven awards, comprising Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
Reportedly the studios wanted a different ending for the movie than the one shown in Alfonso Cuarón’s film, which led to several back and forths. Ultimately the director maintained his viewpoint and rejected the pleas of the studio.
Warner Bros. Pictures wanted a different ending for Sandra Bullock’s Gravity
Gravity is one of the classics in cinematic history comprising stunning visuals and sci-fi effects. Guillermo del Toro shared on social media that the studios were pressuring Cuarón to change the end of the film. But the director did not pay heed to notes given by the studios.
The science fiction thriller film concludes with Sandra Bullock’s character, Dr. Ryan Stone, crash landing in a lake as she returned to Earth. Dr. Ryan removed her spacesuit and swam to the surface. She struggled a bit in picking herself up and walking on her feet, but eventually, she found her inner strength to stand tall. Her character is seen standing on the shore from the ground up, making Dr. Ryan appear like a brave hero who expressed her resilience and strength.
According to del Toro,
“The studio was pressuring Alfonso to ‘show’ helicopters in the sky coming to rescue Sandra Bullock’s character. He said ‘no.’ Emerging from the water was the triumph, touching the earth, standing.”
Cuarón rejected the idea of showing helicopters arriving to rescue the character. Then the studio pushed back, asking if the director would consider adding the audio of helicopters flying, which would tell the viewers that help was on the way for her. But the director again declined.
The studio pushed back again and suggested Cuarón add a radio to the scene, where people can hear Dr. Ryan give coordinates for a rescue pickup. But, the director simply declined.
Why Alfonso Cuarón didn’t change the ending of Sandra Bullock’s Gravity?
Alfonso Cuarón is among the most talented directors in the industry, who has been associated with films like Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Roma, Great Expectations, Children of Men, and more. His work has been critically acclaimed and has been the recipient of several accolades. Hence, when the director was not ready to budge from his decision, there was a solid reason behind it.
The impact of the final scene in Gravity rests on how Bullock’s character finds the inner strength to pick herself up. She stands tall in the end with strength, which she did not feel at the start of film.
As per the studio’s suggestions, showing helicopters or adding noises would imply the actress was rescued. Hence, the scene would be more about keeping the story going, instead of focusing on Dr. Ryan’s journey to find inner strength.
The movie grossed over $723 million worldwide, and Sandra Bullock was nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress.
Gravity is available for streaming on HBO Max and Amazon Prime.
Source-Indie Wire
