Making movies is a tricky business, requiring dozens if not hundreds of people to come together and work towards a common goal. It's typically the director of the film that has the final say on creative decisions, however, this is not always the case.
Now more so than ever before, audiences are able to learn about the turbulent behind the scenes drama of a movie. One story that never seems to get old is movie studios meddling in the production of a film, for better or worse. With this in mind, here are five films that were improved by studio meddling, along with five changes that made movies better.
10 HURT: 10 Cloverfield Lane
While there's no doubt that 10 Cloverfield Lane is a great movie and one of the best of 2016, it gets a mention on this list because of its ending. While it's not the worst ending ever seen, when stacked against the rest of the film, it comes up short.
The action-heavy finale was completely at odds with the rest of the film, making the protagonist do things that didn't fit her character. This climax was added on to the original script by the film's producers, and it showed.
9 IMPROVED: The Santa Clause
The Santa Clause remains one of Tim Allen's best films and an undeniable Christmas classic. However, the kid-friendly festive film featured a scene in which Tim Allen's character Scott Calvin joked about a phone number claiming that it was 1-800-SPANK-ME.
The scene can be easily found online and it is hard to believe the filmmakers thought this would be okay. Upon the film's release, some children actually called the number only to find it was an actual sex talk line. Thankfully, the scene was removed for the DVD release.
8 HURT: Blade Runner
Blade Runner had a difficult production, the ambitious sci-fi epic was ahead of its time and is now recognized as a classic. However, director Ridley Scott's vision was compromised and the theatrical cut suffered as he was forced to add in narration, which didn't mesh at all with the movie.
Top that off with a new and happier ending and the results are underwhelming. Thankfully, the director's cut of Blade Runner removed these elements, making for a far better film.
7 IMPROVED: The Wizard of Oz
In the book, The Wizard of Oz has a completely different ending to the film adaptation, with the land of Oz being depicted as a real place. In the 1939 movie, Dorothy's adventure is revealed to have been all a dream, and the fantastical world of Oz was not real all along.
This change was made by producers overseeing the film who believed that the audience would not accept that Oz was a real place; therefore, it was depicted as a dream. While some might argue that this change did not improve the film, the ending also did not hinder The Wizard of Oz's success.
6 HURT: Spider-Man 3
In contrast to its predecessor, Spider-Man 3 is notorious for being one of the worst superhero movies and killed the popular series. The film suffers from a lack of focus and too many villains.
One such bad guy who doesn't get the screen time he needs is fan-favorite Venom. He was forced into the film by a studio mandate and director Sam Raimi didn't have an affinity for the character. The final film suffered and left many fans outraged.
5 IMPROVED: Get Out
Get Out was praised by both audiences and critics alike and is arguably one of the best horror movies of the decade. However, the ending was originally different and much darker.
Reportedly, this ending did not test well, with many members of the audience disliking it. It was then mandated that the ending be changed into a more optimistic less bleak one. The final results were undeniable and the film became a smash hit.
4 HURT: Hancock
2008's Hancock should have been one of the best superhero movies of all time, instead, it didn't leave much of a (positive) impression on anyone. It's a shame too, as the film had all the right ingredients to make something great.
Hancock was watered down from the original concept, making Hancock more likable and the overall tone less dark, with many more adult elements removed. The final film was bogged down by its story's convoluted mythology and a widely inconsistent tone.
3 IMPROVED: Dredd
One of the best action movies of 2012, Dredd featured some of the coolest and most innovative action sequences of the 2010s, primarily due to its use of slow motion.
However, it may be a surprise to learn that the original cut of the film lacked action but was director Pete Travis' vision. At this point, studio executives stepped in and handed the task of editing to the screenwriter Alex Garland who added more action scenes to beef up the movie. The end result was a fantastic movie.
2 HURT: Fantastic 4
One of the most notorious productions ever, the reboot of the Fantastic Four resulted in one of the worst superhero movies of all time. Director Josh Trank clashed with Fox regarding the tone of Fantastic Four, with Trank wanting to tell a more serious story and the studio wanting a more traditional superhero movie.
The final film is a strange compromise of both versions, resulting in a jumbled mess that pleased no one. It's uncertain if Josh Trank's version would have been better, but it would have been more interesting.
1 IMPROVED: Good Will Hunting
The original vision for the classic drama Good Will Hunting was actually quite different, with Matt Damon's original script more closely resembling a thriller. The story focused less on Will's relationships and more on action set pieces and evading the government. Rob Reiner suggested that they move away from the action genre.
A greater focus was given to the relationship between Will and his therapist, which resulted in one of Robin Williams's best performances. Also, those elements would have required a larger budget, making Good Will Hunting harder to produce.
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