Frodo (Elijah Wood) holds the ring on a chain in Lord of the Rings Return of the King Image via New Line Cinema By Ryan Heffernan Published Jul 1, 2026, 11:03 PM EDT Ryan Heffernan is a Senior Writer at Collider . Storytelling has been one of his interests since an early age, with his appreciation for film and television becoming a particular interest of his during his teenage years. This passion saw Ryan graduate from the University of Canberra in 2020 with an Honours Degree in Film Production. In the years since, he has found freelance work as a videographer and editor in the Canberra region while also becoming entrenched in the city's film-making community. In addition to cinema and writing, Ryan's other major interest is sport, with him having a particular love for Australian Rules football, Formula 1, and cricket. He also has casual interests in reading, gaming, and history. Sign in to your Collider account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Embracing a sense of wonder and imaginative awe, fantasy has long been an essential pillar of cinema, one that has used the innate visual allure of film and the excitement of otherworldly ideas to present some of the greatest stories the medium has ever seen. Every great story needs a great ending, a grand climax that weaves everything that came before it together in an impactful conclusion that caps off the narrative beautifully and embeds itself in the minds of viewers.
Ranging from defining masterpieces of the 21st century to enduring classics released many decades ago, from infectious and lively adventures to twisted fairy tales, these fantasy movies execute their endings to perfection . Whether they are happy and triumphant, sorrowful, or something in between, these fantastic finales are among the greatest cinema at large has ever seen.
Ralph Ineson in The Green Knight Image via A24 Presenting a dark spin on Arthurian legend , The Green Knight subverts traditional fantasy notions of heroism, valor, and courage to instead function as a character study of cowardice and vanity. King Arthur’s ( Sean Harris ) nephew, Sir Gawain ( Dev Patel ), sets out to claim glory by slaying the Green Knight ( Ralph Ineson ), but his mettle is tested as he must face ghosts, thieves, and giants on his conquest.
The ending is a fascinating examination of consequence, honor, and mortality , with Gawain escaping the Green Knight’s lair and returning to Camelot, where he fathers a son with Essel ( Alicia Vikander ), marries a noblewoman, and becomes king after Arthur’s death. Then it cuts back to the Green Knight’s chapel, revealing the life he embarked on was merely a fabrication as Gawain accepts his fate, showing bravery and acceptance in the process. Given the ambiguity of what truly becomes of Gawain, the conclusion highlights his spiritual growth rather than his literal end , and it’s more compelling because of it.
Image via RKO Radio Pictures From the 1930s and '40s right up until the modern day, animated cinema has been a source of many of film’s defining fantasy masterpieces across the decades. Few movies capture the warm allure and wonder of both the storytelling form and the genre as 1940’s Pinocchio , a fun-loving and fantastical gem of family entertainment . It follows the titular wooden puppet as he aspires to prove himsel…