Glass Onion Almost Had A Different Ending With A Post-Credit Scene

Netflix has given us a host of movies throughout the years that have gone on to become some of the biggest of our time. Now, it's the turn of the whodunit crime movies, with 'Glass Onion' quickly becoming one of the most successful in recent months. However, 'Glass Onion' almost had a different ending with a post-credit scene.

The - quite literally - explosive ending of the film left plenty of art lovers heartbroken but was a satisfying conclusion to the crime movie, so what if it was entirely different? That was almost the case if director Rian Johnson decided to go with his alternate idea.

Rian Johnson revealed the Mona Lisa almost wasn't destroyed

Fans of 'Glass Onion' might be surprised to learn that the explosive ending almost didn't have the same impact that it does, thanks to one post-credit scene. In the shot, we would have seen detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig) talking on the phone before muttering a few things in French. Only then would it be revealed that Blanc was actually talking to the Louvre and would eventually pan out to show that the Mona Lisa hadn't been destroyed after all - it was safely tucked away where it was supposed to be this entire time.

The team shot the scene for Glass Onion but never used it

It turns out the alternate post-credit scene for 'Glass Onion' was far more than an idea; Rian Johnson actually shot the scene with Daniel Craig and merely decided it wouldn't make sense to add it to the final cut. The filmmaker admitted as much to the Empire Spoiler Specials podcast that this was the case and how he had a tough time deciding what he should do with the footage. Ultimately, it was left on the cutting room floor, but there was a long time that the post-credit scene was set to tie the entire movie together.

The post-credit scene would have lessened the ending of Glass Onion

What made Rian Johnson change his mind about the post-credit scene? Easy: the fact it would have changed the entire meaning of the ending of 'Glass Onion.' Of course, even though it's fictional, most people would appreciate how much of a tragedy it would be to lose the real Mona Lisa. Rian knew this was the case, stating it would have taken away from the impact of the movie's ending. Even though Miles Bron (played by Edward Norton) doesn't end up behind bars for taking someone's life, he does get to see his entire life go up in flames when his new fuel is the thing responsible for burning the Mona Lisa to the ground. Not losing the painting would have merely had fewer consequences and potentially changed the entire feel of 'Glass Onion.'

Glass Onion's real ending leaves room for future projects

While 'Glass Onion' is its own standalone movie, it's not the first time that Daniel Craig has brought Benoit Blanc to life. That moment first came in the 2019 mystery movie 'Knives Out,' which was just as much of a success as its sequel. So what does this mean for the franchise moving forward? In 2021, Deadline announced Netflix had already signed the filmmaker for two more movies, meaning a third 'Knives Out' 'Glass Onion' film could already be in the works. It's thought it will hit our screens in 2024, with Daniel Craig back at the helm, who now has to navigate life in a Mona Lisa-free world.

'Glass Onion' could have had a very different ending with a post-credit scene, and plenty are glad it got the chop before changing the entire feel of the crime movie. While it could have been very different, there is plenty of time to explore more twists and turns when the next sequel finally hits our screens - hopefully very soon.