Every now and again, a movie will hit theaters and go on to completely define a generation. This films are incredibly rare, but once the fans get to see it for the first time, nothing is ever the same again. Sure, people love huge franchises like the MCU, DC, and Star Wars, but generational flicks are the ones that etch a unique place in film history.
When looking back at the 80s, few films capture the youth of the era like The Breakfast Club. The movie is simple in premise and in execution, but there is no denying that it is still as relevant and impactful as ever. Before hitting theaters, this movie was almost a lot darker.
Let’s look at how The Breakfast Club lightened things up.
The Original Ending Gave A Dark Glimpse Into The Future
The Breakfast Club is a day-in-the-life movie that focuses on the here and now and not necessarily what is going to happen down the line. It allows fans to draw their own conclusions and write their own ending to things, and the world of possibilities makes the film so unique.
During original drafts of the film, there was a scene involved that was going to paint a picture of what happens to some of our favorite characters. Instead of keeping things simple, John Hughes was going to bring down the hammer and write their endings in a dark way.
John Kapelos, who played Carl the janitor in the film, revealed that John Hughes once had a scene involved that showed what happened to some of the characters.
Kapelos stated that, “I told Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) that he’s gonna be a big stockbroker, die of a heart attack at age 35. Claire’s gonna drive a Suburban and be a housewife. John Bender, if and when they let you out of prison...”
This ending would have changed so many things with this movie, and really, people might not have been as inclined to stick around and watch it again.
The Actual Ending Kept Things Light
One of the primary reasons why The Breakfast Club works so well as a movie is because of the hope that can be found in its ending. Yes, these high school kids have all been defined by who they are now or where they come from, but as we see in the end, there is a lot of growth that takes place during that fateful detention, meaning that there is optimism that they can all take hold of their future.
Revealing that these characters just wound up exactly as their current stations in life would have suggested robs the viewer of hope and lessens that growth that can be found during the movie.
Thankfully, John Hughes decided to keep the ending much lighter in tone. Each character involved in the movie is able to leave Shermer High School that Saturday with the confidence that they can change for the better and that they don’t need to let social class or societal norms dictate who they are.
Because Hughes kept things lighter and more hopeful, the fans have been coming back for years. These characters are ingrained in film history, and they continue to be discovered by young audiences with each passing generation. As much as people do want to write their own stories about the future of these characters, there have been calls for a sequel and even a remake for years now.
Will There Be A Sequel Or A Remake?
It’s interesting that people have always been so compelled to see a sequel to this movie, and because of the interest, it seems like there is always some sort of talk about a potential sequel, much like other 80s hits like The Goonies.
At this point, a sequel is unlikely, but a remake could be on the table at some point. Writer John Hughes is no longer with us, but Hollywood will do what it does best, which is recycle successful ideas with a modern spin on things.
Actor Judd Nelson, who played John Bender in the original, does not feel that a remake should take place, and really, we can’t blame him. The film is fine as is and there is absolutely no reason to tamper with it.
Even Molly Ringwald spoke out against a remake, saying, "I don’t think you could remake it now, they would all just be on their phones and no one would speak to each other.”
The Breakfast Club was almost a whole lot darker, and if the movie ends up being remade, let’s hope the new writer keeps the hopeful ending together.