Did You Know The Shape Of Water Almost Had A Different Ending?

The Shape of Water is a rare flick that sticks with you—romantic, weird, and gorgeous. But here’s the twist: the movie you saw? It almost had a different ending. The whole thing ends with a fairy tale moment, right? But what if it’s all just a dream? A beautiful, tragic dream crafted by Giles, the narrator, who’s got some serious fantasy vibes.

Let’s break it down: in the movie, Elisa takes a bullet to the chest. She’s down for the count. Then, the Amphibian Man (let’s call him the fish guy) goes full revenge mode, takes her body to the water, and poof—a magical kiss brings her back to life. Or does it? Here’s the kicker: that ending you saw? It’s all Giles’ spin on what really happened. In reality, Elisa’s dead, and Giles decides to tell us a fairy tale because it’s what he wants to believe.

Now, let’s talk about the film’s visuals. The opening scene? Total fantasy. We’re underwater, watching Elisa’s apartment float around like gravity vacationed. Objects drift by—coffee pots, shoes, lamps—like the world is melting into a watery dream. Fast forward to the end, and what do we see? A literal mirror of that opening: more floating debris, fish darting, and even an alarm clock.

But here’s the twist: we’re not leaving reality when the Amphibian Man dives into the water with Elisa. We’re diving into Giles’ fantasy. He’s the one who wants this to end with them swimming off into the sunset, even though that’s not what’s going down.