History ForegoneConclusion / Film

* ''Film/{{Pompeii}}'': [[ChekhovsVolcano Vesuvius]] explodes, Pompeii is destroyed and EveryoneDies.

* ''Film/{{Zodiac|2007}}'' Anybody who knows anything about the Zodiac killings knows the killer was never caught.

* ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'' Anybody who knows anything about the Zodiac killings knows the killer was never caught.

* ''Film/CitizenKane'' starts with the main character dying, and the rest is told in flashback. So you know he's going to die.

* ''Film/FantasticBeasts'' take place chronologically before the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' saga, and from there we already know that no matter what happens, [[BigBad Gellert Grindelwald]] [[SavedByCanon will live in the end]], as he's still alive (though locked up) by the time of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows''. Though he'll eventually be brought down.

** Since Bilbo is narrating the story, you know that he will survive this journey. Same with Gandalf and Legolas, who both make appearances in the sequel ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''.

** The filmmakers are really playing with this, going as far as creating a new character as love interest for Kili.

* The official [[{{Interquel}} midquel]] ''WesternAnimation/BambiII'' also has one. [[spoiler:During the climax Bambi falls off a cliff and seemingly dies. The scene exists solely to galvanise the bond between him and his father from this near loss, since everyone in the audience knows Bambi has to live past half of the original film's chronology.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/BambiMeetsGodzilla'': you can pretty much imagine by yourself how [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin something titled as such]] could [[CurbStompBattle possibly end]]... [[spoiler:[[MoodWhiplash SPLAT]]]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfTheTitanic'' [[ArtisticLicenseHistory zig-zags this trope]]. Yes, the ''Titanic'' sinks, but the sinking is the result of a gang of talking sharks, in cahoots with an [[GreenAesop evil whaler]], tricking an octopus into ''throwing the iceberg into the ship's path'', and ''[[spoiler:EverybodyLives]].''
* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch2StitchHasAGlitch'': Near the end of the film, Stitch [[spoiler:dies shortly after being put in the fusion chamber made to fix him]]. However, since this film takes place before the events of ''WesternAnimation/StitchTheMovie'', which was released two years earlier as the PilotMovie of ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries'', then those watching ''Lilo & Stitch 2'' who are aware of the existence of ''The Series'' will know that [[spoiler:[[DisneyDeath Stitch's death doesn't take]]]].
* The beginning of ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'' opens with the title character currently plummeting to his death, which means you know by the end of the movie he's going to wind up in this position. [[spoiler: Of course, after the movie reaches that point, he manages to save himself at the last second.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity'', despite initially being antagonistic towards each other, the audience knows that Mike and Sulley will be the best of friends. [[spoiler: Subverted because while most knew that Sulley would become a Scarer and Mike his assistant, it wasn't easy to guess that they would be expelled from the university and have to work their way up WesternAnimation/MonstersInc the hard way.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'', the GreekChorus of a band of owls starts off the film by remarking that the story will center on his life and death, and remind the audience of this fact fairly regularly. [[spoiler: This is then subverted when Rango ends the story very much alive, and the leader of the band notes that Rango will still die before his time... probably in a housing accident, which is the cause of 65% of all premature deaths]].

** The movie opens with the narration "This is the story of how I died." And [[spoiler:he ''does'' die at the end. [[DisneyDeath It just doesn't take]]. Although the fact that he is ''narrating'' the story makes it easy to guess that he doesn't stay dead]].

* ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'' manages to wring surprising amounts of tension and suspense out of the story, even though you should know the ending already. [[spoiler: They don't get to the moon, but they do survive.]]

* ''Film/BoysDontCry'' is based on the last days of a famous murder victim, so the climax of the film is [[spoiler:a very carefully choreographed MexicanStandoff]], SubvertedTrope when the inevitable happens.

* ''Film/{{Casino}}'' subverts this, where [[spoiler:Joe Pesci's character, Nicky Santoro]], has his narration cut off in mid sentence by the vicious beating that leads to his death.

* ''Film/CloudAtlas'': In the film, Frobisher's suicide.
** Subverted with Ewing. When Frobisher mentions he's reading his diary entries, he calls him a "dying man," leading the viewer to believe he will die on the journey. He ''is'' dying [[spoiler:but only because he's being poisoned by Goose. Autua saves him and he's nursed back to health properly.]]

* ''Confidence'' begins with the main character, Jake Vig, lying dead from a gunshot wound, his opening line of narration "... So I'm dead." [[spoiler:InvertedTrope somewhat in that it turns out Jake's death is faked; his assertion that he is "dead" is only accurate in a sense that he is considered to be dead by the people who wanted him dead.]]

* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'' is a movie advertised as "Hitler's last days", so you'd have a hard time finding someone who doesn't know how it ends. (''spoiler alert:'' [[spoiler:Hitler dies.]])

* ''Film/TheEagleHasLanded'': A team of Nazis land in [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII wartime]] Britain to assassinate UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill. [[spoiler: And they succeed! [[DoubleSubversion Except he's not really Churchill, but a double]].]]

* ''Film/{{Fallen}}'' begins with a voiceover from the main character: "I wanna tell you about the time I ''almost'' died." [[spoiler:{{Subverted|Trope}}]] [[TomatoSurprise in that it's]] [[spoiler: the demon Azazel who's ''really'' saying it. Denzel's character ''does'' die]].

** Likewise, anyone who paid close attention to ''The Fellowship of The Ring'' will know that [[spoiler: Balin can't die in ''this'' trilogy, because he's the one entombed in the crypt at Moria, having fallen to the invading orcs]].

* ''Film/DesHommesEtDesDieux'' is based on a true story. [[spoiler:Seven of the monks were kidnapped and killed.]]

* ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' mostly concerns two independent plots to kill Hitler and the rest of Nazi high command in a movie theater in France, in 1944. Since everyone knows how Hitler really died, there's only one way this can possibly end. [[spoiler: Surprisingly, they succeed: [[AlternateHistory Eli Roth shoots Hitler dead]].]]

** ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'': It's clear that James doesn't die after being shot [[spoiler:by Miss Moneypenny]] in Turkey, as it happens about 15 minutes into a nearly 2.5-hour long film.
** ''Film/{{Spectre}}'': What, you ''didn't'' expect Blofeld to appear in a Bond film named after his terrorist organisation?

* ''Film/KickAss'' references this; since Dave has been narrating all the way through, when seen tied to a chair and being tortured by {{Mooks}}, it seems reasonable to think he will survive. He promptly calls the audience on it, reminding them that PosthumousNarration is always an option; "if you're reassuring yourself that I'm going to make it through this since I'm talking to you now, quit being such a smart-ass! Hell dude, you never seen ''ComicBook/SinCity''? ''Film/SunsetBoulevard''? ''Film/AmericanBeauty''?" [[spoiler:He survives despite pointing out that he might not.]]
* ''Film/KillBill'': The scenes in the first film are not shown in chronological order. Although Vernita is actually the second name on the Bride's list, the scene where she confronts her is shown before the far-more climatic confrontation with her first victim, O-Ren Ishii. [[spoiler:After killing Vernita, the Bride crosses her name off the list, and the viewer's can see that the name "O-Ren Ishii" has already been crossed out, making it obvious that O-Ren didn't survive in the yet-to-be-seen confrontation.]]

* ''Film/LettersFromIwoJima'': Even the Japanese realize that their situation is basically {{Unwinnable}}. Really, the only question is whether Saigo will survive the battle or not. [[spoiler:He does, and is actually better off, as he is sent to a internment camp, internment camps were actually just boring holding camps, and he gets a free life in the US, and may still be friends with his American friend.]]

** Even after the death of [[spoiler: Spider-Man and most of the Guardians of the Galaxy]] in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', [[spoiler: sequels to ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' and ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' have already been announced prior to ''Infinity War'''s release]], so we already know [[DeathIsCheap their deaths aren't going to stick]].

*** We know that [[spoiler:the Tesseract]] will end up in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody by the time ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' rolls around. [[spoiler:It just takes Goose a while to cough the thing up.]]
*** Obviously, [[spoiler:the Kree aren't going to successfully carpet bomb Earth]] in the climax.

* ''Film/{{Memento}}'' starts with Leonard shooting a man dead. The rest of the movie is spent finding out why [[spoiler:he thinks]] he did it. An interesting variation on the trope, as the chronology of the movie mostly runs ''backwards'' and so it's natural to have the conclusion at the start. The chronology alternates between going forward and backwards, and [[spoiler:meets in the middle in the climax]].

* ''Film/{{Milk}}'' actually comes right out and says that Harvey Milk is killed within the first few minutes of the movie. Interestingly, though, [[spoiler: the movie even continues after he dies]].

* ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'': [[spoiler: Theodora]] is "[[TheDarkSide turned evil]]" in a situation sympathetic enough that in a different movie, you would probably be hoping that the effects of eating the apple will be undone and she'll return to her good self; just as Oz, not having seen [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the movies]], offers her a LastSecondChance when sending her into exile. But of course, in 'later' works she is [[spoiler: the Wicked Witch of the West]] and therefore nothing like that will happen.

* ''Film/RomeoIsBleeding'' starts with a bartender telling a story about one of his regulars (Creator/GaryOldman), and why that man is such a mess. There's a bit of a twist, though, when it's revealed at the end that [[spoiler: both of them are the same man]].

* ''Film/SevenPounds'' starts with [[spoiler: the main character calling in his own suicide to 911]].
* ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'' gives us a really good view of a waterfall during the establishing shot of the castle in which the climax of the film takes place. Those familiar with Holmes mythology could tell where the movie was headed from there. [[spoiler:Subverted in that it's shown that Holmes survived.]] Those who weren't sure knew how it was going to end when Mycroft mentioned that the peace summit was taking place at Reichenbach.

** ''Film/StarTrek2009'' is an alternate continuity and takes liberties such as [[spoiler:killing Kirk's dad and destroying Vulcan]], but still, you know everyone will get over the conflicts to become TrueCompanions as the ''Enterprise'' crew.

** The prequels, unless you were living under a pop culture rock since the '70s. Even the ''posters'' admitted this one was a given -- the most famous poster for ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' shows young Anakin walking by a building... [[TheShadowKnows casting Darth Vader's shadow]].

* ''Film/TheStrangers'' begins with saying that the two protagonists left a wedding reception in 2005 and nobody knows exactly what happened next, all but saying that they died. Then they show some parts of the ending. Though the movie cheats at the end by [[spoiler: having the female lead ''impossibly'' survive]]. Though [[spoiler: she]] may be better off dead, as [[spoiler: she was terrorized by a group of serial killers, saw her husband blow a friend's head off, and was stuck in a chair while he and her husband were stabbed repeatedly]]. Even if the survivor... well, survives, they won't be getting out of a psych ward for awhile. In [[spoiler:her case]], "death" [[ProphecyTwist may have been meant metaphorically.]]
* ''Film/StrangerThanFiction'': "Little did he know that this simple seemingly innocuous act would result in his imminent death." "What? What? Hey!" [[spoiler: Subverted, though: he lives at the end.]]

** May also qualify as ProphecyTwist - viewers paying attention to Rose's backstory at the beginning will know immediately which man she ends up with, as her last name is given as [[spoiler: Dawson. However, at the end of the movie it's revealed the circumstances surrounding this were not marriage]].
* ''Film/ToraToraTora!'': Most of this film is about the Japanese planning to attack Pearl Harbor and the Americans fretting over their attempts to discover what Japan is up to. [[spoiler: The Japanese achieve complete surprise.]]
* ''Film/{{Transcendence}}'': [[spoiler:As Max narrates at the start of the film, reminiscing about Will and Evelyn, it's clear that both of them are dead by this time]].

** Troy falls in...this film. 'Twas ever thus.

* ''Two Came Back'': This 1997 made-for-TV movie depicted five young people left adrift in an emergency raft after their yacht sinks. Guess how many of the characters survived the ordeal and returned to land safely? [[spoiler: If you need to, take another look at the title.]]

* ''Film/Vagabond1985'': The film opens with the still image of a decrepid body, then goes into the two related storylines of the police trying to work out what happened and a woman becoming more uncivilized in every scene. Guess what happens to the woman.

** The movie begins with a scene of a human and an orc fighting in a ruined land around the Portal, then jumps back in time, restricting possible outcomes to BittersweetEnding and DownerEnding. [[spoiler:It's the former.]]

*** Averted with the ''First Class'' sequel ''Days of Future Past'' which revealed that the ''First Class'' series of films actually take place in an alternate timeline and has dramatically different outcomes for a lot of the characters that appeared in the original trilogy ([[spoiler: specifically Mystique in ''Dark Phoenix'']]).

** ''Film/BlackWidow2021'': Natasha Romanoff is going to survive the events of the film since she is present in ''Avengers: Infinity War'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame''.

* ''Midway'': [[Film/Midway1976 both]] [[Film/Midway2019 versions]] cover the pivotal Battle of Midway, the moment that is widely credited as turning the tide of the war in the Pacific. Everyone knows the US Navy inflicted a devastating defeat against the Japanese. The tension comes from ''how'' the battle unfolds, and in some cases who makes it out alive.

*** Obviously, [[spoiler:the Kree aren't going to successfully carpet bomb Earth]] in the climax.

* Both {{averted|Trope}} and [[PlayingWithATrope played straight]] in ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''. The movie opens with the narration "This is the story of how I died." And [[spoiler:he ''does'' die at the end. [[DisneyDeath It just doesn't take]]. Although the fact that he is ''narrating'' the story makes it easy to guess that he doesn't stay dead]].

* ''Film/{{Coalition}}'' is a dramatisation of the real life events immediately following the 2010 UK General Election. The story centres on the question of who will form a new government, and whether the Liberal Democrats will be in it. It was first broadcast in March 2015, just in time for the ''following'' election, when a Tory/LibDem coalition has been in power for five years. Also doubles as a {{Late Arrival Spoiler}}.

* ''Film/IntoTheStorm2009'': Obviously the audience knows how the second world war (and Churchill's career) turns out, the interesting part is witnessing Churchill's struggle firsthand.

* ''Film/{{Kagemusha}}'': Anyone familiar with the history of Sengoku era Japan can tell you that Oda Nobunaga will utterly crush the Takeda clan in the Battle of Nagashino.

* During ''Film/Joker2019'', Gotham City descends into rioting, during which Thomas Wayne guides his wife and son out of a theatre and down an alleyway. Anyone who has seen a Batman film or ''Series/{{Gotham}}'' knows what will happen next.

* ''Film/ElAlameinTheLineOfFire'' is about a group of Italian soldiers during the Second Battle of El-Alamein in Trope/SecondWorldWar, which was a disastrous defeat for the Italian army.

* Both {{averted|Trope}} and [[PlayingWithATrope played straight]] in ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''. The movie opens with the narration "This is the story of how I died." And [[spoiler:he ''does'' die at the end. [[DisneyDeath It just doesn't take]]. Although the fact that he is ''narrating'' the makes it easy to guess that]].

* Both {{averted|Trope}} and [[PlayingWithATrope played straight]] in ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''. The movie opens with the narration "This is the story of how I died." And [[spoiler:he ''does'' die at the end. [[DisneyDeath It just doesn't take]]]].

* The 2010 version of ''[[Film/TrueGrit True Grit]]'' has the adult Mattie Ross narrate the death of her father at the hands of Tom Chaney. Right from the get-go, she is pretty going to survive the events of the movie albeit as a disabled, middle-aged woman.