Reshoots often get a bad rap in Hollywood, but sometimes they're exactly what a movie needs to land its emotional punch. That was certainly the case for Ridley Scott's The Martian, which originally ended on a much quieter note than the version audiences came to love.
During Collider's Producers on Producing panel at San Diego Comic-Con, producer Simon Kinberg shared an exclusive behind-the-scenes story about the film's final scene. According to Kinberg, the original ending of the sci-fi survival epic didn't include Mark Watney's now-iconic speech to a new class of astronaut candidates. Instead, the film concluded with Watney noticing a small leaf on the ground before heading into his classroom — a subtle, poetic moment that Scott preferred.
But test audiences wanted more. After spending two hours watching Matt Damon's character fight for his life on Mars, viewers craved a sense of closure. They wanted to understand why they had gone on this journey with Watney. Kinberg explained that the original ending left them feeling unsatisfied, so the team decided to reshoot a new conclusion.
That's where the trouble began. Scott, a director known for his strong vision and legendary filmography, had "no interest" in filming the new scene. As Kinberg put it, the director saw the original ending as more poetic — a graceful note to end on. The proposed reshoot, featuring Watney teaching aspiring astronauts about problem-solving, felt less artistic to Scott.
Kinberg acknowledged the challenge of convincing a filmmaker of Scott's stature to change his mind. "A big part of our job as producers is sometimes to convince really formidable filmmakers to do things against their will for the benefit of the movie," he said. Despite Scott having final-cut authority, the producer argued that the new ending would serve the story better.
The reshoot paid off. Kinberg revealed that the movie tested "significantly better" with the revised ending. In the final version, Watney delivers an inspiring lesson about survival: when faced with overwhelming odds, you solve one problem at a time. It gave his ordeal a broader meaning and showed how his Mars experience shaped his future.
When asked if Scott ever admitted Kinberg was right, the producer offered a diplomatic response: "He kept it in the movie." For Kinberg, that was acknowledgment enough. The scene remains a highlight of the film, proving that sometimes the right ending is worth fighting for — even against a director as formidable as Ridley Scott.
This story is a reminder that reshoots aren't always a sign of trouble. As Kinberg noted, they can be the difference between a good movie and a great one. For fans of The Martian, it's hard to imagine the film without that final speech — a testament to the power of listening to your audience.
For more on Ridley Scott's work, check out our coverage of his Napoleon film and Matchstick Men.
