27 Shocking Movies Endings People Didn't See Coming From A Mile Away

"I still remember that soul-crushing feeling of seeing our favorite heroes turn to dust after they fought so hard to keep Thanos from snapping."

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share the movie endings that legitimately left them feeling shocked! They had soo many great picks, and here are the top 27 responses:

🚨WARNING: There are MAJORRRRR spoilers ahead!!!🚨

1. Scream (1996)

Dimension FIlms

"I thought for sure Billy was the killer and then was so shocked when he was ‘killed.' Then the reveal that it was fake and there are multiple killers. I love that movie."

—ashleyamanl

Watch the ending here:

Dimension FIlms

2. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

Lionsgate

"Shit went super sideways, then just spiraled into an entirely new movie in the best way. And then when you think you’ve caught up to this entire new plot development, the very last minute takes another colossal (literally) turn."

—jamiehhhhh

Watch the ending here:

youtube.com

3. Frozen (2013)

Walt Disney Pictures

"I mean, this is kind of childish, but Frozen. I can't be the only one who was 8 years old and shocked that Hans would just leave Anna to die like that."

—intense_theatre_nerd

Watch the ending here:

Walt Disney Pictures

4. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

20th Century Fox

"The Empire Strikes Back is the original shock ending. I was 9, and I remember the audible gasp in the crowd when he said he was his father. Stunning. People left the theater stunned. My father didn’t speak on the ride home. No internet. No spoilers. Pure shock. It’s hard to do that nowadays."

—jamesbrichardsonjr

Watch the ending here:

20th Century Fox

5. Fight Club (1999)

20th Century Fox

"The guy at the video store told me that it was the only movie he’d ever watched and then immediately watched again. Damned if I didn’t do the same thing, some of it frame by frame."

—jodylynnamos

"I thought this movie was just going to be a bunch of men fighting in a basement, but the twist shook me so much! I’ve literally never experienced a twist like that, and I haven’t since. I had no idea it was coming; I love rewatching it and noticing all the subtle clues they drop."

—allylaino1

Watch the ending scene here:

20th Century Fox

6. The Break-Up (2006)

Universal Pictures

"The only reason I was surprised is that most romance/drama/rom-coms try to bring estranged characters back together. It was refreshing to see movies embrace the fact that sometimes relationships end, and that's OK."

—brentus86

"Yes, the title of the movie should have given it away, but I thought they would get back together in the end, and they didn’t."

—kandidlykristen

Watch the ending here:

Universal Pictures

7. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part One (2014)

Lionsgate Films

"One of my college friends didn’t read the Hunger Games books, so when Peeta tried to choke Katniss to death at the end of Mockingjay — Part 1, she sat there with her mouth literally hanging open."

—jillannk3

Watch the ending here:

Lionsgate Films

8. Primal Fear (1996)

Paramount Pictures

"Spoiler alert, you really don't expect Norton's character to be faking it the whole time! Definitely worth a watch. Excellent performances from the whole cast!"

—megb2411

Watch the ending here:

Paramount Pictures

9. It Chapter Two (2019)

Warner Bros. Pics

"Look, I'm not saying it was good, but they bully Pennywise to death. I gotta say, that was a surprise."

—lallcharlie

Watch the ending here:

Warner Bros. Pictures

10. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"When I heard that they were calling the movie 'Endgame,' I joked that Cap and Peggy must end up together because they are the 'endgame' of the MCU. I never imagined they’d actually do it!"

—popculturemama

Whenever I hear people talk about movie endings that TRULY shocked them, the scene where Iron Man dies in Endgame is always mentioned!

Watch the ending here:

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

11. Gone Girl (2014)

20th Century Fox

"Both my husband’s and my jaw dropped with what happened with Desi. We were not expecting any of that to happen."

—erinkate

Watch the ending here:

20th Century Fox

12. Malignant (2021)

Warner Bros. Pictures

"I don't care what your opinion on the film is; you did not see that ending coming, don't even pretend you did."

—constanvee

Watch the ending here:

youtube.com

13. Black Widow (2021)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"I'd made my peace with never getting the funeral and never getting that closure. So when that post-credit scene gave us not only Yelena at the grave but the toys and letters from the kids, It meant a lot to me. But it also made me sob uncontrollably because I finally got real closure on my favorite hero's story. It was special, but I didn't expect it."

—constanvee

Watch the ending here:

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

14. Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Mirror Releasing/ Universal Pictures

"I don't think enough people have seen it, so I don't want to say what happens, but Sorry to Bother You. I don't believe you if you say you saw it coming!"

—grannyshirt

Watch the ending here:

Mirror Releasing/ Universal Pictures

15. The Mist (2007)

Dimension Films

"Hands down, The Mist. It's been years, and I'm still not over it. I never wanted the 'it was all a dream cliche' so bad."

—emazinggrace12

Watch the ending here:

Dimension Films

16. Midsommar (2019)

A24

"That last shot of her smiling — finally giving in to her entrapment within the cult, but not realizing it because they made her think she’s purged her life of toxicity and grief when she’s only stuck further down the rabbit hole — so goddamn poetic, and unfairly snubbed performance from queen Florence Pugh. That whole movie kept me on my toes, and there was no way I could’ve predicted that ending. I am always floored by it no matter how many times I rewatch it."

—vsoldf

Watch the ending here:

A24

17. Now You See Me (2013)

Lionsgate

"The movie as a whole was just so-so, but having Mark Ruffalo (the FBI agent chasing them) be the mastermind behind the whole thing threw me for a loop."

—sondheimgeek

Watch the ending here:

Lionsgate

18. My Sister's Keeper (2009)

Warner Bros. Pictures

"Solely because they completely changed the ending and *spoiler alert* the wrong sister dies."

—sharrisf

Watch the ending here:

Warner Bros. Pictures

19. One Day (2011)

Focus Features

"I didn't read the novel, so before watching the movie, I thought it was a story about friends who realized they were in love and would live happily ever after. I was in shock. Like my mouth was literally open for like two minutes after I saw that she died. What an absolute shocker."

—s4bb472acb

"That movie LEGIT pissed me right the fuck off, lmao. I remember sitting through it for over an hour just for her to get hit by a BUS?!?! I actually exclaimed out loud in the theater, 'WHAT THE FUCK!'"

—sbaleswestern

Watch the ending here:

Focus Features

I wasn't able to find this clip in English, but you get this gist. 

20. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Walt Disney Pictures

"It’s kind of a quick moment, but the ending always gets me. Jack getting eaten was wild, but the real shock was when Barbossa walked down the stairs and ended the movie. I was in middle school when I saw it in theaters for the first time. It’s truly the greatest twist/cliffhanger I’ve ever seen. I was genuinely shocked and so excited for the next installment!"

—abbeyparty

Watch the ending here:

Walt Disney Pictures

21. The Others (2001)

StudioCancal

"I love a good twist in a horror movie because they sometimes tend to be formulaic and predictable. So the ending of this movie has always stood out to me; it was truly unexpected."

—cogsworthmacintosh

Watch the ending here:

StudioCanal

22. A Simple Favor (2018)

Lionsgate

"You spend the whole movie thinking one thing, and then something completely different happens. It's wild!"

—rmadu13

Watch the ending here:

youtube.com

23. The Departed (2006)

Warner Bros. Pictures

"When the elevator doors opened and 'BAM!' I did not see that death coming nor the resultant revenge. I have purposefully kept this vague, so those who haven't seen this amazing movie still have the opportunity to be as shocked as I was."

—jmcv

"The first time I finished, my mouth was just literally hanging open. Holy hell, that’s one way to end a movie!"

—qpatti2

Watch the ending here:

Warner Bros. Pictures

24. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"No way did I expect so many characters to die, especially not knowing if they were coming back or not. The whole theater when I saw it was just in shock."

—ahsoka401

"I still remember that soul-crushing feeling of seeing our favorite heroes turn to dust after they fought so hard to keep Thanos from snapping away half the universe. You expect most superhero movies to end with the good guys winning. Walking out of that movie theater was so depressing."

—smokeyandvv

Watch the ending here:

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

25. Knives Out (2019)

Lionsgate

"The ending really surprised me. I'm usually pretty good at guessing movie endings, but I did not see that one coming. It was a great movie, though, and I'm so excited for the sequel!!!"

—buckbeak04

Watch the ending here:

Lionsgate

26. Promising Young Woman (2020)

Focus Features/ Universal Pictures

"Without spoiling anything, the last 30 minutes of that movie was an emotional roller coaster that absolutely wrecked me. When the credits started to roll, I just sat in the theater for a moment, trying to process what just happened. I was STILL thinking about it days later."

—theformermrsbutterworth

Watch the ending here:

Focus Features/ Universal Pictures

27. And finally,The Sixth Sense (1999)

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

"It's obvious, but it really is The Sixth Sense. I remember leaving the cinema overwhelmed and thinking about all the missed clues."

—sarad4850d5c99

This clip is only viewable on YouTube, but you can watch the wild ending here.

Well, there you have it, folks! What movie endings left you utterly shocked that weren't on this list? Let me know in the comments below.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.