These days, we are so used to seeing comic book adaptations on the big screen that we forget how difficult it is to get it right. There are so many elements from any comic book turned into a movie that have to get left out. More often than not, it’s due to there simply not being enough time in a two-hour runtime to fit in everything from the pages. That means character arcs get tossed to the side, action sequences are cut short, and elements are drastically changed to come across better in a film. This is true of even the best comic book movie adaptations, including ones that still manage to mostly remain true to what was on the page. 16 years ago, one of the best and most popular films based on a comic book arrived, and while it initially flopped at the box office, it has become a cult classic.
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That movie is Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and for all the things the adaptation got right, it did have to make some glaring changes to crucial things. One of them was the film’s ending, which plays out quite differently from what was on the page.
The Scott Pilgrim Movie Ending Is Totally Different From The Comics
Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series ran from 2004 through the summer of 2010. However, the big-screen adaptation went into production in 2009 and had its premiere at San Diego Comic-Con just days after the final issue was released. That means the movie was written and completed before they got to know the ending, which is part of why there are some drastic alterations made to the conclusion of the story.
In the film, Scott, played by Michael Cera, defeats Gideon with the help of Ramona and Knives. He then befriends Nega-Scott before leaving for a happily ever after-style ending with Ramona. In the comics, Gideon kills Ramona before Scott and Gideon fight in Ramona’s mind. Ramona sacrifices her subspace bag to return them all to the real world, where she and Scott team up to defeat Gideon. Scott also makes up with Envy Adams in the comics, which doesn’t happen in the film. Other elements, like Gideon’s own exes and the psychic weapon known as the Glow, are absent.
There Are Several Other Changes From The Scott Pilgrim Comic Book
While the ending saw some major changes due to the film being done before the comics, it was far from the only element of the story that changed. The Nega-Scott storyline is significantly longer in the comics, rather than just being used as a throwaway gag in the movie. There’s also a notable difference in the amount of time that passes, as over a year goes by in the comics, while only a few weeks cover the movie. That’s one of the reasons why Scott and Ramona’s relationship works better on the page.
Stephen Stills comes out as gay at the end of the books, yet that doesn’t happen in the movie. Also in the comics, the Katayanagi Twins have more interactions with Scott (including tormenting him), there’s a subplot where Sex Bob-Omb records an album, Scott has a job as a dishwasher, and Ramona isn’t as closed off when it comes to communicating with Scott and showing him affection. Again, most of these changes were made to ensure the runtime was more focused on the exes and stories that were deemed more important.
The Two Alternate Scott Pilgrim Endings Weren’t Good
Along with the finished film having a different ending from the comics, there are also alternate endings that change things up. The movie’s original planned ending saw Scott end up with Knives. He and Ramona share a quick look where they come to an understanding before Scott kisses Knives and they go off together. Test audiences weren’t too fond of it, and since the final issue saw Scott stay with Ramona, the ending was changed to align with that.
The other alternate ending was too wacky to likely ever come to fruition. It was never shot, and it gets revealed that Scott made up the video game-style theatrics in his head. In actuality, a news report reveals that a young man went on a killing spree of seven people who were all Ramona’s exes. He would’ve scattered coins around the bodies and been dubbed the “Coin Killer.” It’s a wild, out-of-left-field concept that director Edgar Wright came up. It’s a good thing that it was never used.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World can be rented or purchased on Prime Video, allowing you to see the ending the filmmakers went with.
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