Top 10 Movie Kisses That Almost Never Happened

“The Last Song” (2010)
This one kiss may have helped to spark a real-life affair between Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth that even led to an engagement. But did you know that this kiss was completely unscripted? When seventeen-year-old Ronnie meets Will, sparks fly. But Will’s dating history proves to be an issue. During their argument, Will spontaneously kisses Ronnie as proof of his love. As it turns out, this kissing scene was the first one Cyrus and Hemsworth filmed together. To test their chemistry, director Julie Anne Robinson yelled at them to kiss halfway through. The real-life spontaneity only makes their deep, passionate kiss even better.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2" (2015)

Fans of “The Hunger Games” knew that this unlikely pair didn’t exactly have romance written in the stars for them– but their actors felt otherwise! Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket are at odds for a majority of the series, with their opposing personalities often causing them to clash. And in the books, these characters never had any sparks between them! But while filming this emotional scene, Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks went rogue and improvised a sweet goodbye kiss. Luckily for audiences who grew to love the two’s on-screen chemistry, the kiss was kept in the final cut of the film! Now, we’re waiting for their epilogue series!

“A Room with a View” (1986)
E. M. Forster’s classic novel gets a classic adaptation, with Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands in the lead roles. This beloved romance follows Lucy Honeychurch’s connection with George Emerson while on holiday in Italy. The scene where George sees Lucy in a field and kisses her has proved to be an iconic one. It was also completely improvised. Director James Ivory suggested a kiss at the very last minute to the surprised actors. Carter found it particularly difficult even to walk through the fields. Fortunately, it came out splendidly, and “A Room with a View” became an acclaimed British classic.

“Jurassic World” (2015)
You wouldn’t think that a sci-fi action film would have any kisses or even much romance at all. And you’d be right. In the original script, Owen and Claire, played by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard respectively, did not kiss at all. Both Pratt and Howard initially performed the chaotic scene of the dinosaur attacks as written. But on the last day of shooting, director Colin Trevorrow suggested that Pratt kiss Howard as a surprise. The results were stunning, a naturally spontaneous moment, and this shot was kept in the final cut - thank goodness.

“Edge of Tomorrow” (2014)
Now this kiss was something different. According to scriptwriter Christopher McQuarrie, this sci-fi action film was always going to have a kiss between Tom Cruise’s William Cage and Emily Blunt’s Rita Vrataski. But fitting in the kiss naturally proved very difficult, especially amid the chaos of the action and the time loop drama. The filmmakers had finally given up on it when they shot the attack scene at the end of the film. During the characters’ parting words, Emily Blunt finally went for it. This passionate kiss turned out spectacularly, all thanks to Blunt’s initiative.

“Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” (2019)
Reylo shippers, rejoice. Granted, the mysterious connection between talented orphan Rey and Kylo Ren-turned-Ben has been one of the most controversial of the whole series. In this scene, Ben uses the Force to bring Rey back from the dead. In the aftermath, the two unexpectedly kiss…platonically? Actor Daisy Ridley affirms she played the kiss as a farewell, director J.J. Abrams claimed it was mere brother-sister affection, and the film’s novelization contextualized it as one of gratitude. Whatever it was, we could have had no kiss at all with Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly’s original version of the film.

“Challengers” (2024)
This kiss turned out to be one of the best parts of this film which looks at a three-way relationship. The movie follows the relationships of a tennis coach, played by Zendaya, with her husband and her ex-boyfriend. This love triangle turns into a love circle with the inclusion of a kiss, with all three participating. It’s great, it’s wild…and it’s not originally in the script. Director Luca Guadagnino discussed the possibility of a true love triangle with scriptwriter Justin Kuritzkes, which prompted changes into the script. It turned out beautifully, so all’s well that ends well.

“American Hustle” (2013)
A kiss between the wife of a con artist husband and his mistress? We’re sold already. In this scene, Jennifer Lawrence’s Rosalyn jealously confronts Amy Adams’ Sydney in a bathroom. At the end, she kisses her in warning and walks away with a cruel laugh. It’s an inspired choice that makes this confrontation scene unique and memorable. And, as you may have guessed, it was not at all written in the script. Funnily enough, it was Adams herself who came up with the idea, while Lawrence executed it with cannily brilliant actor panache. It came out beautifully regardless.

“Spider-Man” (2002)
This is arguably one of the most iconic movie kisses in recent years. When Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man saves Mary Jane from thugs in an alleyway, she gives him an indelible kiss in the rain for his act of valor. Unfortunately, this kiss almost didn’t happen because it was that difficult to pull off. It turns out that removing someone’s mask and kissing them in the freezing rain is not the easiest thing to do. Also, Tobey Maguire was almost suffocating while rain seeped into his nostrils, so it was nigh torture. Fortunately, they were able to get through the scene in one piece, which came out fantastically.

“Lost in Translation” (2003)
Even decades later, this tender farewell scene still prompts discourse. We have known that Bill Murray’s mysterious whisper in Scarlett Johansson’s ear was improvised in this Sofia Coppola film. Coppola said that Murray would often improvise on set, so much so that not even Coppola knew what Murray had whispered. But as it turns out, the kiss itself was also improvised. Although it’s brief, the scene is beautifully shot, and Murray’s and Johansson’s chemistry is evident. It is a tender moment as ambiguous as the whisper and is considered one of the greatest movie endings for good reason.

Which other great movie kiss do you know could have easily been cut in the editing room? Let us know the comments down below!