An alternate ending for Bloodshot changes how Sam Heughan's Jimmy Dalton died. Based on the Valiant comics series, Sony hoped they had another franchise in its possession with Vin Diesel starring in Bloodshot. However, the film has been one of many to be affected by the changes to the movie industry caused by COVID-19, or the coronavirus. Just a few weeks after being released in theaters, Bloodshot is now available for purchase digitally so that people around the world can continue to check out the film. One perk of this rollout is the release of special features, which have revealed Bloodshot's alternate ending.
In the final cut of Bloodshot, the movie builds towards Diesel's Ray Garrison returning to the headquarters of RST (the organization responsible for his powers and that also manipulated his memory). Ray has some help, but he must face off against some other people whom RST enhanced, including Jimmy Dalton, and he puts on a robotic vest with mechanical arms for the rematch. Their fight leads them to RST's massive elevator shafts as Dalton and Tibbs (Alex Hernandez) try to defeat Bloodshot. It's a big, action-packed finale for Bloodshot that ends with Ray pummeling Dalton into the ground below. Bloodshot is then able to take down all of RST and Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce), but this was not always how the film was going to end.
An alternate ending is one of the special features included in Bloodshot's VOD release. Instead of a giant set piece, the original ending for Bloodshot is smaller and a bit darker. It takes place in the training area of RST as Ray and Dalton's battle leads them to the pool, with Tibbs dying in the fall. Dalton initially appears to have the upper hand and strikes Ray repeatedly, but this was all part of Bloodshot's plan. The injuries he sustains allow some his nanites to fall into the pool's water, and Bloodshot commands the nanites to destroy Dalton's robotic implants, which includes his legs. Without the ability to swim, Dalton drowns when Bloodshot pushes him into the deep end.
With such a different ending in terms of the scale originally planned for Bloodshot, some may be left wondering why it was changed. Thankfully, another part of the bonus features includes commentary by director Dave Wilson and producer Dinesh Shamdasani about the alternate ending. Shamdasani revealed that the change came at the request of Sony as they wanted a bigger ending for the superhero film. Even though the studio liked the original ending, it's understandable why they'd want a bit more action. Wilson went on to say that Sony gave them both the time and money to complete the revamped ending so the elevator fight could deliver on the spectacle.
Bloodshot's ending is more traditional with the superhero and action genre, which is why the original ending stands out. The alternate take gives Heughan the opportunity to carry a scene and gets fairly dark as Bloodshot pushes Dalton into the deep end of the pool to make sure he drowns. It might have even pushed Bloodshot to be R-rated thanks to Dalton's language. It certainly isn't the type of scene that could be used throughout the marketing campaign as was the case for the elevator fight, but it could've helped set Bloodshot further apart from the superhero competition.