Potential Spoilers For Rampage Ahead.
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Rampage star Dwayne Johnson fought to change the original ending to the film. Johnson has come a long way in his acting career since his debut in The Mummy Returns. The actor was sold as the next big movie star, but after initial star vehicles like Doom failed to make much impact, he found himself starring in kid's films and comedies for a number of years. His fortunes changed for the better when he signed on for Fast Five, playing the role of relentless federal agent Hobbs. The character was an instant fan favorite, and he's since become a major part of the series.
The success of the movie also lead to Johnson being offered more action movies, and he's gone from strength to strength with hits like San Andreas and Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. His tireless work ethic has also seen him crop up in multiple movies every year, which has also led to him becoming one of the highest paid actors in the world. His next film will be Rampage, based on the famous arcade game.
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Rampage finds Johnson as a primatologist trying to stop giant, mutated creatures smashing through Chicago - with one of the animals being George, a silverback gorilla Johnson's character looked after prior to his mutation. Johnson wants audiences to feel good when walking out of his movies, and he reveals in a new Rolling Stone profile that when he read the original ending where George dies, he fought the studio to change it:
I don't like a sad ending. Life brings that s*** – I don't want it in my movies. When the credits roll, I want to feel great. We had a big meeting where they gave me all the reasons they thought George should die. He sacrifices himself saving the world. Killing these animals who had ill intentions to harm mankind. He sacrifices himself like a brave soldier. OK. But this is a movie! There's a crocodile the size of a football stadium – we're not making Saving Private Ryan.
Johnson didn't reveal what Rampage's new ending is, but he reached a suitable compromise with the studio that made both sides happy. The actor has become a brand unto himself in recent years, and he knows best what his fans like to see. It sounds like Rampage's scripted ending was designed to jerk a few tears from viewers, but since it's being sold as a dumb monster movie, a happier ending is probably the better choice.
Rampage also marks the second video game-based movie Johnson has starred in, following Doom. Movies based on video games are notoriously tricky to pull off, and the genre is littered with awful duds. Rampage actually stands a better chance than most at recapturing the spirit of the game, however, since it was essentially a plotless exercise in monsters smashing through cities. It's unlikely to earn stellar reviews, but the trailers at least make it look like a fun blockbuster.
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Source: Rolling Stone
