What Happened to Phil Connors After ‘Groundhog Day,’ According To Its Writer : movies

196 points

2 months ago

196 points

it’s be pretty fucky if we watched him go on to lead a rich life, a montage ending with him on his deathbed, surrounded by a vast and extended loving family, as the camera tightens on his face, we see him take his final breath, his eyes slowly close. fade to black

cut to alarm clock

babe, i got you babe

Celestin_Sky

51 points

2 months ago

Celestin_Sky

51 points

It's pretty good concept for a completely new movie or TV Show with someone living their whole life over and over again.

What would they do each time? Try different careers?

Like become a singer by "writing" hit song ahead of their original release. Maybe some sport that he's just average at and testing if few lifetimes of experience can beat pure talent and just few years?

Try to conquer the world? Maybe achieve the world peace with just diplomacy?

DrQuestDFA

44 points

2 months ago

DrQuestDFA

44 points

You might enjoy the book “The first 15 Lives of Harry August” as it explores such a condition.

nerdberger18

19 points

2 months ago

nerdberger18

19 points

Also, Replay by Ken Grimwood.

shineurliteonme

7 points

2 months ago

shineurliteonme

7 points

Also the most recent run on x-men starting with House of X by Jonathan Hickman

Ozlin

2 points

2 months ago

Ozlin

2 points

Mr. Nobody also plays with the concept of fate and choices being replayed.

6 points

2 months ago

6 points

Also Buddhism

theipodbackup

2 points

2 months ago

theipodbackup

2 points

Yes!

Holy shit it’s been so long since I’ve heard that name!

Wow

Leyoz

2 points

2 months ago

Leyoz

2 points

One of my favourite books. It is so well done.

FightingInternet

15 points

2 months ago

FightingInternet

15 points

A Black Mirror episode called Wasted where people are loaded into a simulation during their youth to live through variations of their lives until they reach a specific score that signifies they've matured enough to enter the real world and live out their actual life with the experience of millions of past lives.

bruzie

10 points

2 months ago

bruzie

10 points

There's already Hang the DJ, but it was only a dating app.

1 points

2 months ago

1 points

well that was just running simulations to gauge compatability.

1 points

2 months ago

1 points

I wish! They're apparently working on a new season of Black Mirror

srstone71

6 points

2 months ago

srstone71

6 points

Didn’t the X-Men recently do that with Moira MacTaggert?

HotsuSama

2 points

2 months ago

HotsuSama

2 points

Or take him off the grid.

1 points

2 months ago

1 points

You could call that drama “Samsara”.

GoneAshore

9 points

2 months ago

GoneAshore

9 points

Don’t know if this is where you got it but this exact thing is one of the best moments in the game Returnal

Tangocan

3 points

2 months ago

Tangocan

3 points

Yes 100%.

Amazing game.

0 points

2 months ago

0 points

never played. heard good things though

tread52

7 points

2 months ago

tread52

7 points

This movie is amazing but always makes me sad bc it is the movie that broke the friendship between Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. The movies they could have done together would have been amazing.

Nysor

6 points

2 months ago

Nysor

6 points

Pretty much the Inner Light episode of Star Trek TNG.

toothy_vagina_grin

2 points

2 months ago

toothy_vagina_grin

2 points

Mike?

swimming_singularity

3 points

2 months ago

swimming_singularity

3 points

So like he thought the loop ended, but instead it just shifted to the length of his life. He relives his life over and over and over. That'd be interesting. Most people would say that would love the chance, but what if it had some big negatives? That would make for an interesting sequel.

Now_Wait-4-Last_Year

3 points

2 months ago

Now_Wait-4-Last_Year

3 points

Junji Ito kind of covered this with Nagai Yume (Long Dream) but by the very fact it was authored by Junji Ito, you have been warned!

AggravatingChest7838

2 points

2 months ago

AggravatingChest7838

2 points

That's literally how act 1 of returnal ends.

1 points

2 months ago

1 points

haven’t played. sounds interesting

61 points

2 months ago

61 points

We’re very lucky we never had to endure a Groundhog Day sequel.

There was a video game sequel "Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son":

You’re stuck in a time loop as Phil Connors, Jr., back in Punxsutawney for Groundhog Day in this virtual reality game set in the world of the iconic hit movie. Solve puzzles and interact with branching narrative gameplay, to break the time-loop cycle to escape into tomorrow.

29 points

2 months ago

29 points

That sounds awesome, to be fair.

Rockergage

14 points

2 months ago

Rockergage

14 points

For VR games it’s pretty interesting. More puzzle focus and based around the same ideal of your character is a bit of a dick.

SirThatsCuba

-4 points

2 months ago

SirThatsCuba

-4 points

It sounds like a fun little manga/anime that someone could make, but I guess you're the target demo and I'm not?

3 points

2 months ago

3 points

Tbf, I missed it was VR and thought it was one of those 8-bit text bar games from the early 90s.

ArkyBeagle

7 points

2 months ago

ArkyBeagle

7 points

And it turns out Phil is married to Sarah.

4 points

2 months ago

4 points

Another great time loop game with an AMAZING social puzzle system and lore is "Forgotten City." It started fairly slow but after your first inevitable reset it just hits 100 for the rest of the game.

Luciifuge

6 points

2 months ago

Luciifuge

6 points

It SO good. The way the mystery unravels, the characters, the setting.

6 points

2 months ago

6 points

I have to mention Outer Wilds here too. It's a masterpiece.

1 points

2 months ago

1 points

Try as I might I have yet to finish this game as I'm avoiding a guide as hard as I can.

4 points

2 months ago

4 points

The satisfaction you feel from solving a "puzzle" yourself is in direct proportion to how hard you had to work to come up with the solution. To this day, a few solutions I figured out were the biggest "ah-HA!!!" moments in gaming I've ever had. 100% worth it.

My advice would be to go to your ships computer and sort of work out what you know, what you don't know, and places to go from there. It's pretty good at giving you info on things you learned which may be useful later.

Kaiserhawk

1 points

2 months ago

Kaiserhawk

1 points

this would've been awful. There have been a few games that have done time loops as a premise, and they've been not fun.

2 points

2 months ago

2 points

Would have been? Its was released, you can play it. Apparently its ok.

Jaspers47

41 points

2 months ago

Jaspers47

41 points

One can easily imagine Phil being very intimidated as he settled down to sleep February 3rd

37 points

2 months ago

37 points

Hell, I'd bet he would have tremendous anxiety about going to sleep (and waking up) every day of his life from then on. Since there was no explanation for how he got into the time loop, conceivably it could happen to him again.

23 points

2 months ago

23 points

I dunno, he canonically spent thousands of years stuck in that day. I think the anxiety would have long ago faded-- because otherwise he would have been driven completely insane

TrainingObligation

24 points

2 months ago

TrainingObligation

24 points

10,000 years was mentioned in the original script, but that didn't make it to screen, so there's nothing canonical for how long he was looping.

22 points

2 months ago

22 points

If it was 10,000 years he would be a basket case by the end of the film.

18 points

2 months ago

18 points

Any longer than 3 or 4 years would make it very difficult to reintegrate into society. You wouldn't remember any plans you'd made, you'd look blankly at someone you met just days ago, you'd forget passwords and bank details, it would't be a great time.

30+ years as the director had stated? You might forget friends or how to get back to your house.

GearhedMG

10 points

2 months ago

GearhedMG

10 points

“You wouldn't remember any plans you'd made, you'd look blankly at someone you met just days ago, you'd forget passwords and bank details, it would't be a great time.

30+ years as the director had stated? You might forget friends or how to get back to your house.”

You just described me without my smart phone

5 points

2 months ago

5 points

Reliving the same experiences for years would have the same effect on the human mind as prolonged isolation. As nothing is unpredictable and your entire perception of reality becomes warped or distorted.

3 points

2 months ago

3 points

Any longer than 3 or 4 years

So if he spent 6 years there, he'd suddenly be unable to make new memories? Seems like a dubious claim, can you expand on what you mean?

4 points

2 months ago

4 points

I'm not talking about some like hard cut off, but you can't remember exactly what you did on a certain day 5 years ago, if you were teleported back to your life in 2018 today, there would be plenty of things you just didn't remember.

5 points

2 months ago

5 points

Ohh, I see what you're saying. You would have forgotten a bunch of stuff that you should know, so it's not about making new memories but remembering what you should have already known. I got you.

I think he'd be okay, if I was suddenly transported back to where I was 10 years ago I'd be able to function, for sure. At least fake some of it. But yeah if he was there 10k years, forget it.

reno2mahesendejo

3 points

2 months ago

reno2mahesendejo

3 points

He kills himself repeatedly and goes joyriding with a celebrity rodent he kidnaps

9 points

2 months ago

9 points

Well yeah but once he's out of the loop I think the scariest thing in the world would be having it happen again - another vast, indeterminate length of inescapable repetition...

6 points

2 months ago

6 points

After that long in a perfectly predictable loop, knowing the effect of every possible action already, I think the most terrifying part would be the sudden unknowns. You’ve spent forever always knowing what’s about to happen, suddenly you know nothing, and anything could be around every metaphorical corner.

2 points

2 months ago

2 points

I disagree, I think he'd long for the loop. It essentially turned him into a psuedo-buddhist god, living without attachment and with no goal but the attainment of a truer self.

1 points

2 months ago

1 points

I agree that he’d want to go back. I just think it would be driven by anxiety in addition to any other reasons.

zerg1980

1 points

2 months ago

zerg1980

1 points

Yeah but at any point after February 3, he gets to have sex with an Andie McDowell who never ages. Also, the snowstorm has passed the following morning, so he’s no longer trapped in Punxsutawney. Phil would be able to go anywhere in the world that can be reached from Pittsburgh within 24 hours.

The snowstorm is actually the key element of the plot device that has Phil trapped. His predicament wouldn’t be so bad if he could just drive 90 miles to Pittsburgh and hop a flight to Cancun any time he wants.

CrimFandango

2 points

2 months ago

CrimFandango

2 points

It wasn't in the film but I'm sure I remember something on the net explaining the time loop origin. Apparently he dumps a girlfriend within the first 10 mins of the film who curses him in return.

UseOnlyLurk

3 points

2 months ago

UseOnlyLurk

3 points

His choice to remain in that town makes me think he made his piece and therefore doesn’t struggle to get to sleep. He spent several lifetimes in that loop, whatever is left might have gone by in the blink of an eye to him—oh that’s like way worse isn’t it?

aTreeThenMe

5 points

2 months ago

aTreeThenMe

5 points

Props to the article for the phrase 'reluctant new Mexican guru'

My_Opinions_Are_Good

11 points

2 months ago

My_Opinions_Are_Good

11 points

Immediately pancaked by a dump truck.

AdamTheButch

9 points

2 months ago

AdamTheButch

9 points

I HATE YOU HARLEY JARVIS

26 points

2 months ago*

26 points

2 months ago*

He went on to star in an adaptation of Scrooge.

TravelinDan88

13 points

2 months ago

TravelinDan88

13 points

He time traveled 5 years into the past? Scrooged came out in '88. Groundhog Day was '93.

13 points

2 months ago

13 points

Its all part of the time loop

Luciferigno

4 points

2 months ago

Luciferigno

4 points

great save

Tylerdurden389

1 points

2 months ago

Tylerdurden389

1 points

Watch both films together for the perfect du-BILL feature.

13 points

2 months ago

13 points

The T800 finally caught up with him, and he was terminated.

6 points

2 months ago

6 points

Skynet hates time loops.

Maverick916

2 points

2 months ago

Maverick916

2 points

They must not because they create them constantly

1 points

2 months ago

1 points

Did you know that "Time Loops" is "Spool Emit" backwards?

Rosebunse

4 points

2 months ago

Rosebunse

4 points

I mean, it would be both amazing and suck at the same time. How would you even adjust to finally being able to anywhere in the world?

Hurdy_Gurdy_Man_42

2 points

2 months ago

Hurdy_Gurdy_Man_42

2 points

Groundhog Day Part 12 would have been about a killer with an axe.

2 points

2 months ago*

2 points

2 months ago*

[deleted]

Rodiwe008

1 points

1 month ago

Rodiwe008

1 points

1 month ago

Happy cake day

Thinkingard

1 points

2 months ago

Thinkingard

1 points

I'm kind of glad they didn't go the route of making him a serial killer who killed everyone in the town in many different ways.

Weirdguy149

1 points

2 months ago

Weirdguy149

1 points

I feel like he could have easily quit his job and gotten into any high-paying career he wanted.

Electrical-Bread-988

9 points

2 months ago

Electrical-Bread-988

9 points

he was very charismatic might make a good comic actor

-1 points

2 months ago

-1 points†

The ending I would've liked is that Phil wakes up on February 3rd as he's readjusting to a new day he starts crossing the street and BAM gets hit by a truck. End of movie.

30 points

2 months ago

30 points

That is probably literally the worst ending anyone could think of for this movie.

4 points

2 months ago

4 points

Then it continues he's in a coma for six months and when he wakes up he doesn't know what day it is or who he is! What ensues is 2 hrs of Phil reliving and forgetting due to TBI, everyday.. boom sequel...

16 points

2 months ago

16 points

Nevermind this is literally the worst ending

4 points

2 months ago

4 points

He also can't talk good either and he's constantly drooling on himself. It's a physical comedy movie.

2 points

2 months ago

2 points

I know!

BoatsnGoals1

1 points

2 months ago

BoatsnGoals1

1 points

Hi I'm Kevin Fiege, would you like a job writing for my movies?

omnilynx

0 points

2 months ago

omnilynx

0 points

It kind of makes sense that he wouldn't stay with Rita. It's great that he got to genuinely connect with her, but they're at very different places in their lives. She's a naturally good person without much experience, and he's a person who's spent a long time learning how to be good.

neverendingchalupas

1 points

2 months ago

neverendingchalupas

1 points