The Power Of The Dog Shot A More Obvious Ending
Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Power of the Dog ending.
Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog ends on an ominous note, but it nearly had a much more obvious ending. Netflix is once more courting Oscars gold with its original movies, and it's The Power of the Dog that stands the best chance of bringing home some major awards for the streamer. The Western is an adaptation of Thomas Savage's 1967 novel and centers on brutal rancher Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch). Prone to terrorizing everyone around him, Phil sets his eyes on the fragile Rose (Kirsten Dunst) when she marries his brother George (Jesse Plemons). However, it's Rose's gentle son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who soon captures Phil's attention in more ways than one.
Upon its premiere at the Venice Film Festival last year, The Power of the Dog swiftly became one of the best-reviewed movies of 2021. Campion cemented herself as a best director frontrunner, and the entire ensemble stirred up buzz themselves. In addition to its performances and technical aspects, The Power of the Dog has received praise of its gripping story and shocking ending, which sees Phil die suddenly from anthrax poisoning. Campion keeps the circumstances of his death somewhat vague, only hinting that it's innocent Peter who is behind it.
Related: The Power Of The Dog Title Meaning & Final Bible Verse Explained
However, that wasn't always the case, as editor Peter Sciberras revealed to The Wrap. Sciberras revealed how Campion actually shot an additional moment for the Power of the Dog ending, which would've made it abundantly clear that Peter was in fact the one who killed Phil. In the final cut, the last shot is of Peter watching Rose and George embrace from afar. The unused shot,
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