When Clue opened on December 13, 1985, solving the mystery depended partly on where you bought your ticket. The comedy reached theaters with three different endings, meaning audiences at different cinemas could watch the same setup but leave with different answers about who committed the murders.
According to the American Film Institute’s production history, the film opened on 1,000 screens. Instead of presenting every possible solution together, its original theatrical release distributed alternative conclusions among theaters. These weren’t simply alternate scenes saved for a later bonus feature: they were part of the release strategy from the beginning.
Some advertisements identified the versions as Ending A, B, or C. That gave curious moviegoers a way to seek out another solution rather than accidentally watching the same version twice. Imagine comparing notes with a friend afterward, only to discover that neither of you had misunderstood the reveal—you had genuinely seen different conclusions.
The idea had a commercial purpose. As Turner Classic Movies explains, John Landis hoped the alternative endings would encourage repeat visits. It also suited a story adapted from a murder-mystery board game: the familiar suspects could support more than one solution. The theater itself effectively became another variable in the puzzle.
The strategy did not deliver the hoped-for box-office success. Before December ended, Paramount was reportedly planning to show all three endings at every theater engagement, according to AFI’s account of contemporary reporting.
Home-video editions brought the endings together, letting viewers compare the competing explanations without buying another cinema ticket. What began as a theatrical experiment became part of the film’s distinctive viewing experience.
For another unexpected mystery-movie backstory, explore how The Usual Suspects began with a poster. Clue, meanwhile, offered an unusual possibility: two people could disagree about the ending and both be right.