While nowadays post-credits scenes are almost the norm rather than the exception, it was incredibly rare to see in films during the 1980s. Especially when it comes to horror films. But now we know that The Lost Boys, from director Joel Shumacher, almost had a post credits sequence.
It’s all explained in Paul Davis’ book Lost in the Shadows: The Story of The Lost Boys. Davis reveals that there was going to be a return to the main vampire lair after the credits. As the camera pans through the cave, it would stop at a mural on the wall. The mural would depict a version of head vampire Max during the early 1900s, talking to a young group of boys – presumably our titular Lost Boys.
The book also includes an excerpt of the scripted scene, as well as artist Gary Smart’s interpretation of the scene:
INT. LOBBY/CAVE – NIGHT
Deserted, the CAMERA PROWLS through the Rock ‘n’ Roll ruins.
Eventually the CAMERA pushes toward the old mural painted on the lobby wall. The mural depicts a typical day on the boardwalk in the year 1900.
CAMERA MOVES CLOVER AND CLOSER TO THE MURAL
And HOLD TIGHT on one painting figure in particular. A man in a straw hat. He’s grinning broadly…and he’s most definitely Max. He’s talking to a group of young men.
But because of the film’s budget and ending that was already perfect, it was decided by everyone not to shoot the post credits scene.
Whether or not the scene was necessary, it certainly would’ve given an eerie sense of power to Max, and makes one wonder just how long he’d been leading the vampires in Santa Carla.
But perhaps Grandpa said it best during the film’s actual ending, a conclusion rather fit for the movie.
“One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach: all the damn vampires.”
Source: io9