Certain movies are full of mystery, adventure, and thrill, but they do not necessarily wrap everything up. Rather, they end by leaving us with enormous questions to question what comes next. This type of ending is referred to as a cliffhanger.
A cliffhanger suspends the story, and the audience is left in suspense. Occasionally, the story gets resolved in a sequel, but sometimes the answers never arrive.
This can be annoying for viewers, but it also makes the film more memorable because it continues to haunt us long after the credits.
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List of movies with cliffhanger endings
1. Inception (2010)
What Happens:
In Inception, Cobb, a professional dream thief, employs a spinning top to determine whether he’s dreaming or not. If it drops, he’s in the real world; if it continues to spin, he’s still dreaming.
Cliffhanger Ending:
The top spins but doesn’t drop, and the film ends with the screen going to black.
Why It’s Important:
This ending leaves us in suspense: is Cobb still dreaming or has he returned to reality? The fans still argue about the answer.
2. No Smoking (2007 )
What Happens:
K, a man addicted to smoking, checks into a mysterious rehab center run by a strict and spiritual leader who uses bizarre and terrifying methods.
Cliffhanger Ending:
By the end, K seems to be trapped in a strange, alternate reality, unsure if he escaped, was punished, or is still in a dreamlike loop.
Why It’s Important:
The surreal ending sparked considerable debate about whether it was, to him at least, all a creation of his mind.
The open-endedness would leave audiences puzzled and curious for years.
3. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
What Happens:
Peter Parker aka Spider-Man, loses his love, Gwen, and battles new villains.
Cliffhanger Ending:
A new villain, Rhino, shows up, and Spider-Man leaps in to save the day, but the film ends before the battle starts.
Why It’s Important:
The film establishes the next chapter in Spider-Man’s saga, but a sequel was scrapped. Fans were left waiting for the saga to resume.
4. The Golden Compass (2007)
What Happens:
A young girl, Lyra, embarks on a quest to discover secrets and finds a method to travel to a new world.
Cliffhanger Ending:
The film concludes just as Lyra is ready to enter the new world.
Why It’s Important:
The film was intended as the first half of a three-part series, but no sequels were produced, and the story went unfinished.
5. Eternals (2021)
What Happens:
The Eternals, immortals created to defend the Earth, are forced to bring out ancient secrets and confront setbacks that threaten to destroy Earth.
Cliffhanger Ending:
Some of the Eternals are abducted by Arishem, a high-ranking celestial being, and it is unclear if the group can survive.
Why It’s Important:
The conclusion of the story opens up a larger story, although as yet no sequel has been confirmed. Readers want to see what comes next.
6. Talvar (2015)
What Happens:
Based upon a real double murder case, the film explores various perspectives on the possible happenings.
Cliffhanger Ending:
It ends without giving a clarification on who must be the culprit, reflecting the actual muddy mystery of the case.
Importance:
The end of the film leaves the audience in a hazy state, making them question the actual truth, and points out that even this personification of justice is denied.
7. Andhadhun (2018):
What Happens:
A visually impaired pianist finds himself entangled in a bizarre series of events consisting of murder, deceit, and survival.
Cliffhanger Ending:
In the final scene, now seemingly blind, the protagonist kicks away a can—is he really blind, or faking it again?
Importance:
The ending toys with the audience’s perception—was everything postulated by the illusion, or were we tricked too?
Final Thoughts
Cliffhanger endings are meant to have us on edge and wanting more.
They’re left with a question, full of suspense, making our minds wonder long after the film is over. Sadly, when a sequel is not forthcoming, we are left with unanswered enigmas.
These films impressed us, but for the meantime, their tale is unfinished. Perhaps someday, we’ll see answers—but in the meantime, the enigma persists.
Would you like a part 2 with more such films?