The World's End (film)

The World's End
Company type	Film
Industry	Motion pictures
Founded	2013; 13 years ago
Founder	Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Products	Science fiction action comedy film
Parent	Relativity Media, Big Talk Productions, Working Title Films

The World's End is a 2013 science fiction action comedy film helmed by director Edgar Wright and scripted by Wright alongside Simon Pegg. It serves as the concluding chapter of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, succeeding Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007). The cast features Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike, and Pierce Brosnan. The storyline follows a group of five friends who return to their hometown to attempt a pub crawl, only to uncover an extraterrestrial invasion.

Initially penned in 1995 under the title Crawl, the script was later revamped by Wright and Pegg in the early 2010s to explore themes related to adulthood and the passage of time. The production was handled by Relativity Media, Big Talk Productions, and Working Title Films, with principal filming taking place from September through December 2012. Shooting locations encompassed Elstree Studios, Letchworth Garden City, and Welwyn Garden City. Stunt sequences were coordinated with assistance from members of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. The movie is recognized within the social science fiction genre.

The World's End had its premiere at London's Leicester Square on 10 July 2013, followed by a UK release through Universal Pictures on 19 July and a US distribution by Focus Features on 23 August. Critics praised its script, acting ensemble, comedic elements, and direction. The film earned the Best British Film accolade at the 19th Empire Awards and received a nomination for Best Comedy at the 19th Critics' Choice Awards. It achieved a global box office total of $46.1 million against a production budget of $20 million.

Plot

Gary King, a 40-year-old with immature tendencies and struggling with alcoholism, attempts to relive his youth by inviting his childhood friends Oliver Chamberlain, Peter Page, Steven Prince, and Andrew Knightley to complete the "Golden Mile," a pub crawl involving twelve pubs in their hometown of Newton Haven. As teenagers in 1990, they never managed to finish this crawl, falling short of reaching the final pub known as The World's End. Andy, who has become a teetotaller following a previous drunk driving incident involving both himself and Gary, hesitantly agrees to join after Gary falsely claims his mother has passed away.

During their journey, they encounter Sam, Oliver's sister, whom Gary and Steven once competed for romantically during school days. At the fourth pub stop, Gary engages in a fight with a teenager who is then revealed to be an android. The group soon uncovers that numerous other androids—referred to as "Blanks"—have taken control over the town. To avoid raising suspicion, Gary insists they proceed with completing the pub crawl. They reunite with Sam and confront Blank versions of her childhood acquaintances known as the "twins." Sam becomes part of their group while Basil—a local conspiracy theorist still human—explains that the Blanks intend to establish a galactic empire by replacing resistant humans with synthetic replicas. Rejecting assimilation and discovering that Oliver along with their former teacher Mr. Shepherd have been replaced by Blanks, they engage in combat against a bar full of these androids.

Gary allows Sam to escape Newton Haven; Pete is captured after attacking his Blank childhood tormentor; when Andy and Steven attempt to flee, Gary abandons them in order to finish the Golden Mile on his own. Andy and Steven pursue him but Steven is apprehended.

At The World's End pub, Andy confronts Gary about his troubled marriage; Gary confesses to having recently attempted suicide. Andy tries to prevent Gary from drawing his final pint, but Gary clings to completing the Mile as his last hope.

When Gary pulls the lever for a drink, the floor descends into a hidden chamber where an alien entity known as the Network explains that the Blank invasion represents humanity’s induction into an intergalactic community. The Network offers Gary eternal youth in Blank form, but he refuses. Alongside Andy and Steven who survived capture, Gary challenges the Network’s intentions and demands freedom for humanity. Frustrated, the Network calls off its invasion. Sam rescues them amid destruction of the town but they are unable to escape an electromagnetic pulse triggered by the Network's withdrawal that disables Sam’s vehicle.

Subsequently, Andy reveals that this pulse caused a global blackout which eradicated all electrical power on Earth, plunging humanity back into the Dark Ages. Remaining Blanks reactivated weeks later but face distrust from survivors. Andy’s marriage improves; Steven begins dating Sam; simulant versions of Peter and Oliver continue living their predecessors’ lives. In devastated Newton Haven, now sober Gary enters a pub filled with Blank duplicates of his friends and orders water. When service is refused due to their Blank nature, Gary instigates a brawl declaring himself king.

Cast

Simon Pegg portrays Gary King, a childish alcoholic who brings together his childhood friends to revisit their past.
- Thomas Law plays Young Gary
Nick Frost appears as Andy Knightley, a corporate lawyer who abstains from alcohol.
- Zachary Bailess as Young Andy
Paddy Considine takes on the role of Steven Prince, an architect by profession.
- Jasper Levine as Young Steven
Martin Freeman is Oliver "O-Man" Chamberlain, a real estate agent known for a distinctive birthmark.
- Luke Bromley as Young Oliver
Eddie Marsan plays Peter Page, a car dealership salesman.
- James Tarpey as Young Peter
Rosamund Pike acts as Sam Chamberlain, Oliver’s sister and the object of Gary’s affection.
- Flora Slorach as Young Sam
Pierce Brosnan features as Guy Shepherd, Gary’s favorite teacher.
Bill Nighy provides the voice for The Network, the extraterrestrial invader.
David Bradley appears as "Mad" Basil, a local eccentric character.
Darren Boyd portrays Shane Hawkins, who used to bully Peter.
- Richard Hadfield as Young Shane
Michael Smiley is Trevor "The Reverend" Green, a drug dealer working for The Network.
Sophie Evans plays Becky Salt
Samantha White as Erika Leekes
Rose Reynolds acts as Tracy Benson
Steve Oram appears as Motorcycle Policeman
Nicholas Burns and Reece Shearsmith play local collaborators
Alice Lowe and Rafe Spall portray prospective house buyers
Mark Heap appears as Publican 7

Development

The World's End originated from Edgar Wright’s 1995 script Crawl, which centered on teenagers undertaking a pub crawl. Wright later reshaped the story to focus on adults, intending to capture the sensation of returning to one’s hometown only to feel like an outsider. His goal was to critique the "uniform branding" overtaking towns, comparing it to a virus erasing unique local identities in favor of standardized chains.

Simon Pegg noted that the narrative grew from themes of disconnection rather than a specific genre choice, naturally incorporating science fiction elements such as an alien invasion.

Wright and Pegg deliberately chose authentic pub names with symbolic meanings that subtly hinted at plot developments, treating them similarly to tarot cards. For instance, the pub named "Famous Cock" reflects Gary's exaggerated ego.

Filming

Principal photography for The World's End commenced on 28 September 2012. Shooting locations included Hertfordshire, with sessions at Elstree Studios, and on-site filming in Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City. Additional scenes were captured at High Wycombe railway station, located in Buckinghamshire.

All twelve pubs depicted in the movie display identical signage designed to mimic the "fake hand-written chalk" style typical of contemporary British pubs, according to Wright. Exterior shots were filmed at actual pubs in Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth Garden City with modified signs. The Letchworth Garden City railway station was converted into the setting for the "Hole in the Wall" pub.

Stunt coordination was led by Brad Allan, part of Jackie Chan's stunt team. Wright remarked that the characters’ combat skills appear to improve as they consume more alcohol, embodying the idea of Dutch courage.

The Mermaid pub was represented by the Broadway Cinema in Letchworth, a restored 1930s Art Deco independent cinema. This venue was also notable for being the first outside London to premiere the film, hosting over 800 attendees on opening night with a special introduction from Simon Pegg expressing gratitude to local residents for their support during filming.

Soundtrack

The movie's soundtrack showcases alternative rock and pop tracks reminiscent of the characters' teenage years. Wright mentioned that numerous songs strongly connected with both him and Simon Pegg during their youth, capturing the lead character Gary's perpetual party mentality.

Released on 5 August 2013 in the UK and 20 August 2013 in the US, the soundtrack accompanied the film's score composed by Steven Price. The album features not only the selected songs but also interspersed dialogue excerpts.

Interestingly, tracks such as "The Only One I Know", "Summer's Magic", and "The Only Rhyme That Bites" by the Charlatans, MC Tunes, and 808 State respectively, appear in the movie but are missing from the official soundtrack. The film's rendition of "20 Seconds to Comply" originates from Silver Bullet's album Bring Down the Walls No Limit Squad Returns, with dialogue samples removed for the movie version, while a distinct re-edited mix is used on the soundtrack. Additionally, the soundtrack pays homage to "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed" by Yes during a pivotal scene.

Release

The World's End had its premiere on 10 July 2013 at London's Leicester Square before its UK release on 19 July 2013. The film was subsequently released in the United States on 23 August 2013.

Box office

During its opening weekend in the UK, The World's End grossed £2.12 million, securing second place behind Monsters University. This debut surpassed Shaun of the Deads £1.6 million opening but did not reach the £5.4 million achieved by Hot Fuzz.

In the US market, the film debuted on 23 August with $3.5 million earned on its first day, outperforming titles such as The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and You're Next, while posting the highest per-theater average nationwide. Its total opening weekend revenue was $8.79 million, ranking fourth behind Lee Daniels' The Butler, We're the Millers, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. These figures exceeded projections of $7–8.5 million and marked the strongest launch within the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy.

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 89% based on 244 reviews, with an average rating of 7.40/10. The critical consensus describes it as a "madcap and heartfelt" apocalypse comedy that benefits from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s trademark humor, supported by a capable ensemble cast. On Metacritic, it has a weighted score of 81 out of 100 from 45 critics, signaling "universal acclaim." Audience members polled by CinemaScore assigned an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly rated it B+, calling it the finest collaboration among Wright, Pegg, and Frost to date, praising its mix of comedy and emotional depth despite a somewhat "shaggy and silly" ending. Mark Dinning from Empire awarded four out of five stars, emphasizing its surprising tonal shifts while retaining the trilogy’s essential charm.

Henry Barnes of The Guardian also gave it four stars, highlighting its more mature approach and satisfying finale. Keith Uhlich from Time Out New York placed The World's End ninth among his top films of 2013, applauding Pegg’s "hilarious and heartbreaking portrayal of an over-the-hill deadbeat."

Accolades

During the 19th Critics' Choice Awards held in January 2014, The World's End garnered two nominations: Best Actor in a Comedy for Simon Pegg and Best Comedy Film. However, both awards were claimed by Leonardo DiCaprio and American Hustle, respectively. Subsequently, in March 2014 at the 19th Empire Awards in London, the film was honored with the Best British Film award.

The movie also secured three nominations at the 40th Saturn Awards, including Best International Film, Best Writing, and Best Actor for Simon Pegg. Additionally, at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards, it received nods for Best Fight involving Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, and Eddie Marsan, as well as Best Comedic Performance for Pegg.

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