Divergent’s final film almost landed on Netflix.
Divergent, since its 2014 film inception, offers a distinctive narrative arc within the cinematic universe of Young Adult adaptations. While YA tales have traditionally entranced viewers, luring them into an immersive visual experience, Divergent made the audacious choice to not be tethered solely to Veronica Roth's original plot.
The Divergent series initiated with immense promise, quickly finding its place in the string of YA blockbusters. However, the intrigue grew when the third film, Allegiant, didn't quite make the splash everyone expected at the box office. This unexpected turn had a ripple effect on the franchise's future. While it's been widely circulated that Lionsgate mulled over transitioning the final chapter into a TV movie for Starz, recent insights from The Hollywood Reporter spill an even more intriguing twist: Netflix was, at one juncture, interested in producing Ascendant, the intended grand finale.
But why did the finale need rescuing in the first place? Producer Erik Feig sheds some light. While film series like Twilight and The Hunger Games chose to bifurcate their final books purely from a creative standpoint, the decision to split Divergent’s concluding book was influenced by other reasons. Feig ponders, "I don't know that it served the creative quite as well as it could have."
The big question then is: what would Ascendant have entailed? This awaited conclusion was designed to weave the tales of Tris (portrayed by Shailene Woodley) and the ensemble of characters around her, embodying the latter part of the Allegiant book. Roth, when quizzed about her sentiments on the film trajectory differing from her books, expressed a sense of tranquility. "The movies were taking a different track than the books," Roth remarked in her chat with People. In her perspective, altering the buildup naturally leads to a transformed ending. "It feels complete to me," she said of the third film.
While on the topic, a brief overview of Allegiant is warranted. Woodley, Theo James, Jeff Daniels, Zoe Kravitz, Octavia Spencer, and Naomi Watts were all part of the film's impressive lineup. It narrates the exhilarating escape of Tris Prior and her allies from their walled city in a dystopian Chicago. What awaited them outside were revelations that would challenge their very core beliefs and relationships.
Theo James, playing the role of Four, Tris's significant other, shared his two cents on the series’ unforeseen ending. In a heartfelt message during a 2016 TooFab interview, James said, "Thanks for the support." Reflecting on the franchise's future, he admitted, "I think it's evolving in a place where the actors that have been in the three movies probably won't be in whatever it evolves to."
The Divergent series provides an excellent case study for adaptations and their challenges, demonstrating that the cinematic universe can sometimes diverge sharply from its literary counterpart. While the final chapter on the screen might differ from the pages, its essence remains, providing a testament to the power of storytelling, be it in books or films.
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Ali is a news writer at Movieweb. She has a degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Advertising Arts. She pursued writing as a career after a stint working on digital marketing and advertising. When not writing, you may find her at rock music gigs or probably traveling to cities across the world.
Aside from the notorious departure of the director, we’ll look at the other reasons why the last Divergent film became destined for obscurity.
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