Hancock
‘s ending may have left some viewers yearning for the story to continue, and it seems like that could be the case after Will Smith teased an update for Hancock 2. Hancock was released in 2008, alongside some major superhero films such as Iron Man, and The Dark Knight, which potentially overshadowed the smaller project. However, that didn’t stop the movie from having an incredibly successful run of its own, racking up an impressive $629 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
However, while all three films left the door open for more stories to be told, and Iron Man launched the most expansive franchise in film history, Hancock’s story has yet to be continued after more than 17 years later. Despite this, there appears to be some degree of movement on a Hancock 2 project after Will Smith teased information about the pre-production (via Deadline). So, in order to get back up to date on the story, and dive into what happens at the end of Hancock, these are the biggest questions left at the end of the film answered.
Hancock’s Decision Explained: Why Did Hancock Fly Away From The Hospital?
Hancock Had Good Reasons To Make A Quick Exit
In the final scenes of the movie, Hancock faces off against his arch-nemesis, Parker, played by the talented Eddie Marsan. Despite having superpowers, the battle is a real challenge for Hancock, and he barely survives Parker’s attacks, but just before a potentially fatal attack, his friend Ray steps in and kills Parker.
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With nearly 20 years gone since the first movie came out, Will Smith recently revealed that he’s once again working on Hancock 2, and that Zendaya’s been approached for a role in the film. While I’m taking the latter update with a grain of salt, the overall nature of the sequel once again trying to happen has me feeling like now is either the best, or worst, timing for the movie. The superhero genre is currently dealing with fatigue, with even the seemingly invulnerable Marvel Cinematic Universe starting to show some cracks. However, with there still being genre-bending standouts like The Boys and Invincible, and Smith finding continued success with the most recent Bad Boys sequels, if the creative team behind the sequel try to learn the right lessons from these hits, it could work.
With serious injuries to both Hancock and Mary, Hancock began creating distance between the two. He leaps away, trying hard to fly, but his powers are limited. However, as he gets further away from Mary, his powers begin to increase, and Mary’s own powers begin the healing process. Hancock literally ran away to save Mary’s life, and ensure that she would be able to have a future with Ray.
Why Hancock Puts The Suit Back On
Hancock Embraces His Status As A Hero
Hancock struggled to embrace his responsibilities as a hero throughout the film. While he recognized he could do a lot to stop crime and help those in need, his anger at the world, and lack of any memories before waking up alone in a hospital 80 years earlier made him a less-than-stellar superhero. He spent most of his time drinking, and recklessly saving people with no regard for other damage he caused.
However, Ray’s whole object of working with Hancock was an effort to help him increase his rapport with the public, and actually become a hero people loved and adored. Through their friendship, Hancock began to have hope, he began to love the city of Los Angeles, and he believed in himself. As a result, he was willing to wear the supersuit, and embrace his new-found purpose as a hero.
Why Hancock And Mary Go Their Separate Ways
Hancock & Mary Were Soulmates For 3,000 Years
The complicated relationship between John Hancock and Mary Embrey, the wife of his new friend Ray, actually went back a long time. 3,000 years to be precise. As it turns out, Mary and Hancock are both members of the same species, and they have lived for a very long time. And at this time, the pair were together, because they were soulmates who were previously married.
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However, their kind have a significant weakness that occurs when they are near one another; they lose their superpowers. The rest of their kind paired up and died long ago, leaving Mary and Hancock as the last of their kind. However, Mary has built a new life with Ray, and, despite sharing a connection, they both have more to live for, which means they need to live apart. However, since both are immortal at a distance, it’s likely their paths will cross again in the future.
How Hancock Changed Ray’s Life At The End
Hancock Wanted To Say Thank You To His New Friend
Although Hancock and Ray developed a genuine friendship, and that friendship was made somewhat more complex by both being married to the same woman, there was no ill will towards each other. Ray is the man who helped Hancock get back on his feet, and embrace his opportunity to help others and be a hero. And in an effort to repay his kindness, Hancock made a grand gesture of his own.
Ray likely got a lot more attention after Hancock became such a powerful case study.
Hancock engraved Ray’s company logo on the face of the moon. Allheart Marketing is the agency that Ray runs, and before meeting Hancock, he was struggling to keep his head above water. As the rep for Hancock, and the person who transformed him from slacker to super, Ray likely got a lot more attention after Hancock became such a powerful case study. However, putting his logo on the moon may have been an extreme step that caused others to be less impressed, but Ray loved it.
What Hancock’s Ending Really Means
Hancock’s Ending Covers A Lot Of Ground
The entire movie is a story of growth, hope, and transformation. Hancock was a deadbeat superman, who chose to spend all of his time drinking and zooming around, causing chaos. But by the end of the movie, Hancock is a genuine hero. This is displayed in the mid-credits scene, when Hancock flies into the middle of a fray between a criminal and the police. Hancock encourages the police to lower their weapons, and trusting the hero standing in front of them, they do exactly that.
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However, when the criminal begins insulting Hancock, he gets a wry smile on his face, which hints that not everything has changed for Hancock. He may be a hero who cleaned up his act, but he’s likely going to have a good time, making this the worst day for the brazen thief. This shows Hancock has changed and grown, but at the heart of it all, he’s still the same person at his core.
How The Hancock Ending Was Received
The Final Moments Were Inconsequential As Far As Most Reviews Were Concerned
Hancock is something of an underrated gem in Will Smith’s filmography. The movie currently sits with a 42% Tomatometer (critical score) and 59% Popcornmeter (audience score) on Rotten Tomatoes. However, even this doesn’t really give a true picture of how divisive Hancock can be, as many who enjoyed the film absolutely loved it, while many who didn’t took significant chagrin (rather than simply walking away feeling that it simply wasn’t a movie for them). Still, while there’s plenty to dissect with how Hancock was received as a movie overall, the ending doesn’t factor into things too much.
Even those who praised Hancock didn’t seem to focus on the ending.
The main issues with Hancock in the negative reviews are much broader than a single element like the ending, although the wider narrative is cited in several. The second half of Hancock is generally seen as disappointing, though this extends far beyond the ending specifically. Rather, many felt that Hancock was simply trying to cover too many ideas in its narratives. What could have been a solid superhero satire (according to the detractors) ended up being a convoluted story that couldn’t figure out if it was trying to be a comedy movie, an action flick, or a fantasy romance. The ending was a part of this but, for those who didn’t like Hancock, the damage was already done long before the credits rolled.
Even those who praised Hancock didn’t seem to focus on the ending. Will Smith’s performance, the intriguing premise of Hancock’s world and character, and co-stars Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron were all consistently highlighted as strengths. The tone of the film also seemed to win over just as many as it put off, with plenty of critics and viewers appreciating Hancock‘s ability to flirt with both tongue-in-cheek comedy and serious dramatic moments in equal measure. However, no reviews hinged on the final moments of Hancock – those who enjoyed the movie felt the ending was a fitting finale, those who didn’t saw it as yet more infuriating scene in an equally infuriating viewing experience.
How Hancock’s Ending Sets Up A Sequel
Hancock Has More Story To Tell
Hancock does several things to set up a sequel, with multiple mysteries left unanswered. Hancock does not have all of his memories back, which means that, despite being 3,000 years old, his entire recollection is just 80 years. There is also the fallout over his stunt with the moon, and the possibility of a future where he reconnects with his soulmate, Mary.
While Hancock glimpsed a turning point in Hancock’s career as a hero, it left a lot on the table for what comes next. And with Will Smith’s suggesting that there will be a future for the series, there are plenty of ways to go with the story. Mary and Hancock thought they were the only ones of their kind remaining, but they could meet more. Hancock could face a threat that is bigger than just LA, or the story could be set in a completely different time period. All of these possibilities could stem from Hancock’s ending.
Hancock
7/10
- Release Date
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July 2, 2008
- Runtime
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102minutes
- Director
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Peter Berg
- Writers
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Vince Gilligan