The Lost City Ending Explained (In Detail)

The Lost City ending finishes on a happy note for Loretta and Alan. Directed by Aaron and Adam Bee, the film stars Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe as they go in search of an ancient artifact. The Lost City follows Loretta Sage (Bullock), a best-selling romance novelist who is in the middle of a book tour when she is kidnapped by billionaire and criminal Abigail Fairfax (Radcliffe), who is in search of Calaman’s Tomb and the treasure within it — the Crown of Fire.

Fairfax believes Loretta is the only person who can help him find it because she wrote about this mysterious Lost City of D in her latest novel. Fairfax would have gotten away with it, too, if not for Alan (Tatum), the cover model for Loretta’s romance book series, who tries to rescue the author in a bid to rescue her from the greedy rich man. The Lost City ends with Loretta and Alan vacationing together. With Loretta having written a new book and happier than ever, the film brings her and Alan’s stories to a close.

Why Alan Really Wanted To Rescue Loretta

Alan Wanted Loretta To See How Important She Is

Alan may have expressed a part of the reason for his daring attempted rescue of Loretta, but it goes deeper than that. He was very invested in Loretta, and it wasn’t solely because he was her book’s cover model. Alan actually liked Loretta as a person and wanted her to see that her life could be more than what it currently was. She was barely holding on and, in many ways, so was he.

Just like Alan wanted to be seen as more than a cover model, he wanted Loretta to break through her own layers so that they could both fully see each other for who they really were on the inside. Knowing how embarrassed he was about modeling for a romance book series, Alan eventually grew to embrace it.

The same goes with Loretta, who studied archaeology and dead languages before becoming a writer. Alan wants her to accept how happy her books make people and to live life to its fullest despite everything. Alan’s heart was certainly in the right place, and he tried his best to be daring, inspired by his heroic book counterpart.

What Is The Well Of Endless Tears?

The Tomb Is Surrounded By Waterfalls

The Well of Endless Tears is a clue from the hieroglyph that Loretta was able to translate. She initially believed it to be some kind of metaphor, but it turned out to be an actual location. The Well of Endless Tears is the place where Calaman and his wife Taha were buried together. The location isn’t a tomb in the traditional sense — it’s not in an area that is easily found or that can be visited by many.

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Rather, the Well of Endless Tears is more of a literal reference. After Calaman’s death, Taha never stopped mourning her lover and the location of his tomb is not only surrounded by water but by several waterfalls as well, flowing downward like tears falling from Taha’s own eyes. It's also a direct parallel to Loretta's own story of grief and how much she loved her husband.

Are Calaman’s Tomb & The Crown Of Fire Real?

The Location Is Fictional For The Movie

Calaman’s Tomb and the Crown of Fire are not based on any real legends or history. The Lost City fashions itself like a modern-day Romancing the Stone or Indiana Jones with some Tomb Raider thrown in for good measure. But similar to Indiana Jones, the ancient artifacts and the legend of the Lost City of D are mythologies created specifically for the film.

Granted, something such as the Holy Grail is based on real-life lore, but The Lost City of D seems to have made up all of its own legends. That said, the Lost City of D itself might be fashioned after the Lost City of Atlantis, a fictional island that, as legend would have it, was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. In The Lost City of D, the titular city was never found because it was hidden beneath lava that had previously buried the city.

What’s Next For Loretta & Alan?

The Two Ended Up Happy With Their Lives

​​​​​​It might have taken them a while, but Loretta and Alan finally got together at the end of The Lost City. The film ends with them on a vacation after Loretta finished another book and, considering how long it took the pair to get to where they are at the end, it’s likely they’ll be together for quite some time. At this point, Loretta has accepted the fact that Alan is her cover model, and he’s okay knowing that he brings a lot of joy to readers in his job.

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Finally, on the same page and comfortable with each other, Loretta and Alan are primed to continue learning about themselves together and individually, perhaps on another archaeological adventure. What’s clear is that the pair is certainly smitten and, though it’s hard to say how long they’ll be together, one can expect this is no short-term romance.

Why Rafi Was Helping Fairfax Despite Heritage

Rafi Might Have Put Money Over Heritage

The Lost City sees Rafi, one of Abigail Fairfax’s primary henchmen, helping him find Calaman’s Tomb and the Crown of Fire. It’s revealed that Rafi is from the island and that his grandmother used to tell him stories about what would happen if the tomb is disturbed. But he continues working with Fairfax despite the warnings and unease he feels throughout, leaving his motivations rather unclear.

He eventually ditches Fairfax, but it’s possible Rafi was drawn to Fairfax’s money at the start of the expedition. He likely didn’t know how far Fairfax would go or how his own feelings and ties to his heritage would stand in his way from helping the billionaire achieve his large-scale theft. Once he realized, he changed his mind, though the film doesn't explore his headspace very much.

The Lost City’s Real Meaning Explained

The Movie Is About Loretta & Alan Finding Their Purpose In Life

The Lost City is all about chasing what seems impossible. For Alan, it’s attaining Loretta’s validation of him beyond being a dimwitted cover model; for Loretta, it’s choosing to write her own story and to continue living after the loss of her husband, as well as finding Calaman’s Tomb. Alan is driven yet terrified of finding Loretta on his own, but he does it anyway. Meanwhile, Loretta becomes adamant about finding Calaman’s Tomb because it’s an adventure she didn’t think she’d ever be on, and she has to see it through.

Both of these characters’ journeys seemed insurmountable at the start, but as they grow and acknowledge certain things, they become more vulnerable and open to being seen. This is especially true for Loretta, who has closed herself off from people and the world for five years. By the end of The Lost City, she's in a much better place and willing to believe in what's seemingly out of reach.

What Happens In The Lost City Mid-Credits Scene

Jack Somehow Survived His Death Scene

There is a mid-credit scene that brings a shocking moment for both Loretta and Alan as they continue to build their romance. Alan had recruited Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt), a former CIA operative with no flaws, to help rescue Loretta. This worked out well until Jack easily freed Loretta and prepared to escape with her when he was shot in the head by Fairfax's mercenaries , seemingly killing him. However, Jack shows up to Alan and Loretta in The Lost City mid-credit scene and is still alive.

Jack then explains to the two of them that he survived because humans only use 10% of their brains, so when he was shot in the head, he simply moved to a different 10% of his brain that was undamaged by the attack. It is based on the idea that 90% of a humans brain is often unused, and the joke is that Jack is so perfect, he can choose which part of his brain he needs to survive. Since Jack remains one of the movie's best characters, this joke showing him alive was a highlight to end The Lost City.

Originally titled The Lost City of D, The Lost City is a romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. Bullock stars as Loretta Sage, a novelist, as well as Dr. Angela Lovemore, the heroine of her successful romance series. Together they try to escape from a billionaire who is hell-bent on discovering an ancient burial chamber that is described in one of Sage's books.

Director Adam Nee , Aaron Nee

Release Date March 25, 2022

Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures

Runtime 112 Minutes