When the World has Changed Forever

We talk a lot about Franchises here because those have been the big, widely known movies/stories in the culture in recent years.

But it's not all about Franchises - one thing that a standalone story can do, and occasionally does, is have an ending that changes the world forever.

I rewatched "Field of Dreams" recently and find it as moving as ever. The series of events are completely unexplainable, but the emotional power in that story can't be denied. It also has some of the most likable characters in any movie, played by Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan and James Earl Jones. In the end, the personal story aside, the world has been completely changed.

(spoiler alert):


At the end of the movie, an endless line of cars are driving toward Ray's baseball field, presumably to watch beloved baseball teams from the past playing games that will give the baseball-loving public a sense of peace and satisfaction (and will happily pay Ray and Annie, saving them from bankruptcy).

But the dead can now return to life, and interact with people! And throngs of people are going to see it! This clearly will change everything about how people understand life and death.


A much more bleak ending can be seen in "Cabin in the Woods", where (spoiler alert again) -


The ritual that appeases the horrific ancient Gods is not completed, and the Gods rise from below the Earth to kill everyone on the planet!

It's pretty hard to imagine a sequel to these stories!


Or maybe not…


There could easily be another "Field of Dreams", a magical story with completely different people, in another part of the country (or world), that has similar magical, heartwarming things going on and maybe a newspaper or something in the background that references the magical baseball field in Iowa. Or we could return to Ray and Annie, and see how life has gone for them. Maybe the success of the field screwed up their personalities and relationship, and there's another magical experience that brings them back to the people they're supposed to be.

Maybe people come to see the games, and get a sense of satisfaction, but then forget about it when they leave? So only a few people remember what happens on that field.

Don't get me wrong - I doubt that I'd want to see that (as appealing as the idea would be to see those characters again), and it would be very hard to make it any good. Their story has been told!

And a dystopian sequel set in the Gods-ravaged Earth after Cabin in the Woods could focus on a few survivors, and maybe some magical mcguffin that can put the Gods back to sleep. Could be interesting and different - but it would have very little in common with the original Cabin in the Woods, and I'd be shocked if this was ever made. A comic or something, sure. Fanfiction, absolutely (maybe it already exists).


I read that Return of the Jedi originally ended with Obi Wan Kenobi returning to life! This was changed of course, but that would have radically changed the rules of the Star Wars universe. They still could have made prequels and sequels and everything, but if death was made meaningless (at least for the Jedi), that would have meant some tough work for the writers in my opinion.

Anyway, those were some thoughts for this week. Hope you're all doing well.

See you next time!


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