History SparedByTheAdaptation / Film

* Esmeralda in the Creator/LonChaney, Creator/CharlesLaughton, and most other versions of ''Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame''.

* Both the novella ''Literature/TheCircusOfDoctorLao'' and its film adaptation, ''Film/TheSevenFacesOfDrLao'', feature shrewish Kate Lindquist TakenForGranite when she [[TooDumbToLive dares to look at the Medusa head-on]]. Only in the film does she get better and becomes nicer after the experience. The original novella leaves her stoned, much to the relief of her HenpeckedHusband.

* The fourth kidnapped cardinal in ''Film/AngelsAndDemons''.

* Cantor Rabinowitz in ''Film/TheJazzSinger''. In the 1927 original he passed away after [[WellDoneSonGuy listening to his son Jack sing the Kol Nidre so beautifully]] and telling his wife Sara, "we have our son again" ([[OurGhostsAreDifferent his ghost is then shown at Jack's side in the synagogue]]). In the 1980 Neil Diamond remake, however, when Cantor Rabinowitz sees his son Jess sing the Kol Nidre in his father's place (since said father can't sing due to high blood pressure), he becomes surprised, and after some conversation, the father forgives his son and gives a [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments heartwarming embrace]]. He even hears the performance of Diamond's "SugarWiki/{{A|wesomeMusic}}merica" at the end.

** The Boyscouts in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', in the original comic they were poisoned to death by the cotton candy The Joker gave them, in the film Batman is able to stop them from eating it, this was because the crew thought it would've been in bad taste because of the recent Sandy Hook school shooting. Dr. Ruth Weisenheimer is mentioned on Dave Endocrine's show, but doesn't appear. This spares her from The Joker's TV studio massacre, in which she was the first victim in the comic.

** Neither the [[Film/It1990 1990 miniseries]] or ''Film/ItChapterTwo'' has Tom Rogan follow Beverly to Derry, like he did in the novel, where he gets possessed and [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness killed by It]]. Both films also keep the town of Derry intact, when, in the novel, it gets destroyed in a flood after It's death. The Neibolt Street house is the only casualty of It's demise in ''Chapter Two''.

* Matt Hooper from ''Film/{{Jaws}}''; granted in the film he is a much more likeable character.

* John Hammond in ''Film/JurassicPark''. Ian Malcolm as well, which may have led Micael Crichton to make him NotQuiteDead in the [[Literature/TheLostWorld1995 book sequel]], though it's clearly implied that he dies in [[Literature/JurassicPark the first one]].
** It's actually an ''inversion'' (not counting the Malcom issue): In the book, Gennaro and Muldoon survive with Grant, Sattler, and the kids while Hammond and Malcolm are killed; in the film, Muldoon and Gennaro are eaten by rampaging dinosaurs and the survivors are Hammond and Malcolm.

** The Boyscouts in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', in the original comic they were poisoned to death by the cotton candy The Joker gave them, in the film Batman is able to stop them from eating it, this was because the crew thought it would've been in bad taste because of the recent Sandy Hook school shooting.

** Neither the [[Film/It1990 1990 miniseries]] or ''Film/ItChapterTwo'' has Tom Rogan follow Beverly to Derry, where he gets possessed and [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness killed by It]]. Both films also keep the town of Derry intact, when, in the novel, it gets destroyed in a flood after It's death. The Neibolt Street house is the only casualty of It's demise in ''Chapter Two''.

* ''Film/AptPupil'': The film adaptation spares the lives of both Todd himself and his guidance counsellor. In the novella, Todd kills him before going on a shooting spree that ultimately ends with Todd being taken down by the police.

%%* Judy in ''Film/TheCrazies2010''.

** Neither the [[Film/It1990 1990 miniseries]] or ''Film/ItChapterTwo'' has Tom Rogan follow Beverly to Derry, where he gets possessed and [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness killed by It]]. Both films also keep the town of Derry intact, when it gets destroyed in a flood after It's death. The Neibolt Street house is the only casualty of It's demise in ''Chapter Two''.

* Gwen Stacy and Captain Stacy in ''Film/SpiderMan3'' probably due in no small part to being {{demoted to extra}}s.
** Not to mention the bridge scene in ''Film/SpiderMan'' not only has Gwen replaced with Mary Jane, but Mary Jane also survives the ordeal, unlike poor Gwen.

* The original novel ''Literature/MySistersKeeper'' [[spoiler:has a TwistEnding in which ''Anna'', the healthy sister, is killed in a freak car accident, and her one of her kidneys is given to Kate, allowing the latter to survive.]] The book [[NotHisSled flips this around]] to the more expected ending, [[spoiler:where Kate dies and Anna does not]].

* The original novel ''Literature/MySistersKeeper'' [[spoiler:has a TwistEnding in which ''Anna'', the healthy sister, is killed in a freak car accident, and her one of her kidneys is given to Kate, allowing the latter to survive.]] The book [[NotHisSled flips this around]] to the more expected ending, [[spoiler:Kate dies and Anna does not]].

* In the film version of ''Literature/MySistersKeeper'', Kate dies and Anna lives. In the book, Anna sues her parents for medical emancipation so she won't have to give her kidney to Kate, who has leukemia. Then, she is hit by a car and her kidney is given anyway. In the movie, Kate agrees with the lawsuit, knowing that she will die.

** Mariko Yashida, who was killed in the comics, but survives till the very end of ''Film/TheWolverine''. This is also the case for her fiancé Noburo.

* Film/MnosterVerse:

** Not only does Godzilla survive his debut in the 2014 film, ''King of the Monsters'' sees him survive the Oxygen Destroyer and his Burning Godzilla mode, things that killed [[Film/{{Gojira}} the original Godzilla]] and [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoryoah the Heisen Godzilla]] respectively.

* Although not quite the same character, Serizawa’s previous incarnation in the Godzilla series died ''preventing'' Godzilla from wreaking more havoc. While in ''Film/Godzilla2014'' Serizawa is trying to convince the military the importance of Godzilla and comes out of the film with very little scrapes and bruises.

* Both Nancy and Harry survive in the 1993 remake of ''Film/AttackOfTheFiftyFootWoman''. (Although Harry's not exactly better off. Nancy and two other giant women are keeping him and two other abusive husbands in a jar and forcing them to take endless "sensitivity classes" as they fly off in a spaceship.)

** In ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe, Comicbook/{{Hawkeye}} had a wife named Laura and three kids, all of whom were killed by Comicbook/BlackWidow during ''ComicBook/TheUltimates 2''. Laura and the kids appear alive and well in ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', with Black Widow (who isn't a traitor in this continuity) serving as the children's [[HonoraryUncle Honorary Aunt]].
** ComicBook/BlackPanther's father T'Chaka is still alive in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', [[spoiler:[[Main/ZigZaggedTrope until the end of Act 1]]]]. This is in contrast to the comics and most other adaptations, where T'Chaka was murdered long before T'Challa ever became the Black Panther. Also true of T'Challa's mom, as Ramonda was his stepmother in the comics; presumably, having T'Challa's biological mother succumb to DeathByChildbirth as per his original backstory would be inconsistent with Wakanda's far-better-than-2018 medical technology.

* Oscar de Jarjayes lives through the Storming of the Bastille in ''Lady Oscar'', whereas in ''Manga/RoseOfVersailles'' she's killed in the siege.

** ComicBook/BlackPanther's father T'Chaka is still alive in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', [[spoiler:until the end of Act 1]]. This is in contrast to the comics and most other adaptations, where T'Chaka was murdered long before T'Challa ever became the Black Panther. Also true of T'Challa's mom, as Ramonda was his stepmother in the comics; presumably, having T'Challa's biological mother succumb to DeathByChildbirth as per his original backstory would be inconsistent with Wakanda's far-better-than-2018 medical technology.

** And [[spoiler: every single character]] in ''Disney/TheFoxAndTheHound''. In Chief's case [[DeathByAdaptation Not]] in the [[RecursiveAdaptation Disney books adapted from the film]], though. Chief [[WhatCouldHaveBeen originally]] ''was'' going to die in the animated adaptation after being hit by the train, but someone in the Disney higher-ups wasn't willing to pull the trigger on a character who ''wasn't'' explicitly evil (this is before [[Disney/TheLionKing Mufasa's death]] convinced them it can be done effectively) - so he opens his eyes in what was meant to be his death scene, and ends up with ''only'' a broken leg for the rest of the film. This is definitely a case of it ''not'' being the best choice: killing him off would have explained Copper's ferocious grudge against Todd in the second half of the movie, while the final product makes him look a lot more spiteful (and it would have made their final reconciliation [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming more]] [[{{Forgiveness}} potent]]).

** In the original ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'' storyline, [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Coast City]] is obliterated by Mongul and the Cyborg Superman. In ''WesternAnimation/ReignOfTheSuperman, as Mongul is AdaptedOut, Coast City is spared its grisly fate. As well, as Coast City is spared, so is the Eradicator, who, in the original, is killed shielding Superman from a torrent of Kryptonite fuel, repowering Superman by accident.

* In ''Film/Aquaman2018'', Arthur's father Thomas is still alive in the present day, and serves as part of the supporting cast. In Aquaman's original [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] origin story from ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (1941) and his [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] origin from ''Adventure Comics'' #260 (1959), Thomas died when Arthur was still a young man. In the Comicbook/{{New 52}} ''Aquaman'' run (which the movie is mostly based on), Thomas Curry's death is a ''very'' significant part of Arthur's backstory, as the one who accidentally caused Thomas to have a heart attack was David Hyde, the man who would later become Black Manta.

* In the ''Film/Aquaman2018'' movie, Arthur's father Thomas is still alive in the present day, and serves as part of the supporting cast. In Aquaman's original [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] origin story from ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (1941) and his [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] origin from ''Adventure Comics'' #260 (1959), Thomas died when Arthur was still a young man. In the Comicbook/{{New 52}} ''Aquaman'' run (which the movie is mostly based on), Thomas Curry's death is a ''very'' significant part of Arthur's backstory, as the one who accidentally caused Thomas to have a heart attack was David Hyde, the man who would later become Black Manta.

* In the ''Film/{{Aquaman}}'' movie, Arthur's father Thomas is still alive in the present day, and serves as part of the supporting cast. In Aquaman's original [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] origin story from ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (1941) and his [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] origin from ''Adventure Comics'' #260 (1959), Thomas died when Arthur was still a young man. In the Comicbook/{{New 52}} ''Aquaman'' run (which the movie is mostly based on), Thomas Curry's death is a ''very'' significant part of Arthur's backstory, as the one who accidentally caused Thomas to have a heart attack was David Hyde, the man who would later become Black Manta.

** In contrast to the book, Medusa doesn’t destroy most of London when it malfunctions, meaning all of London’s residents are left alive by the film's end.