'The Next 365 Days' Book Vs. Movie Ending: How Different Is It?

Karolina Grabowska / Netflix

The ending chapter of the “365 Days” movie trilogy arrived on Netflix with the adaptation of Book 3 (aka “The Next 365 Days”), leading one to wonder. How different is the book’s ending from the movie? It has been a minute since the apparent finale of the steamy franchise, and the smoke has somewhat cleared in its surprising wake. So, let’s break it down.

First off, here is a *huge spoiler warning* for those that need that (and a cold shower) before reading more about “365 Days.” Now that you have done that, here is the answer to a potential burning question after watching the threequel. Is the film series over?

So far, there are only three books in author Blanka Lipinska’s series, presumably making “The Next 365 Days” the final movie. However, the way Lipinska ends Book 3 (“Kolejne 365 dni”) is so different from the film that it stands to reason that Netflix could theoretically produce another installment. The door is open, and “Game of Thrones” finished its run without published source material.

Is The Book Ending Different Than The Movie?

Yes! If you were thrown by the incredibly abrupt ending of the movie, you probably want to know if it is just following the book, “Kolejne 365 dni.”. Or if it went off on some self-dictated cliffhanger. The answer is the latter. The cockamamie closing minutes totally belong to the movie. 

Instead of having Laura definitively choose between Massimo and Nacho, Netflix’s adaptation ends with Laura remaining torn between them. So, does Laura end up with Massimo in Book 3? Or does she somehow end up in the clutches of his stealthy rival, Nacho, in the source material for “The Next 365 Days”?

Does Laura choose Nacho or Massimo?

In the book (“Kolejne 365 dni”), Laura chooses Nacho. If you do some quick digging on the books (via Republic World), you will find that the “365 Days” series gets pretty dark on the Laura/Massimo front. It gets so bleak that you could downright say there is a total solar eclipse. In the books, Massimo does unforgivable things that make this animal lover ready for him to live in a permanent cage.

When all is said and done, Laura decides to cut ties with the obsessed Massimo because we all need to face it. This “love” was doomed from the start. The guy freaking kidnapped her! (Christian Grey did not do that.) While Nacho took off with Laura under false pretenses in the “365 Days” sequel, it was far less creepy than anything Massimo pulled.

The Book Ending vs. Movie Ending, Explained

In Book 3 (“Kolejne 365 dni”), Laura and Massimo drift apart following the loss of their second child together. Both begin abusing substances in the process. Laura moves on with Nacho after realizing that Massimo has murdered her dog and tried to frame Nacho for the horrific crime. She summarily runs off with Nacho, and the couple ultimately has a baby.

It is not the happiest of endings as I would not expect Massimo to ever let Laura go completely. Nacho and Laura would probably have to look over their shoulder for the rest of their 365+ days. Personally, it is sickening and gallingly out-of-character for Massimo to harm a precious fur baby. Nevertheless, these are the cards -- author Blanka Lipinska --- dealt, and “365 Days” franchise viewers/readers have to live with them.

How The Movie’s Ending Changed Things

The presumably final “365 Days” movie’s ending softened things quite a bit and saved Massimo in the process. No one wants to see any animal harmed, and Massimo doing so would have been a death blow to the character. There is no coming back from that. The way that Netflix chose to end the adaptive trilogy is mind-boggling in its own way.

In the movie’s final moments, Laura seems dead set on running off to a new life with the obsessive Nacho. Before she can pull a Billie from “Sex/Life,” Laura listens to a plea of sorts from her estranged husband. If you love something, let it go, and if they truly love you, they will return. As Laura considers this profound thought, “365 Days” abruptly ends. 

The entire script for “The Next 365 Days” can literally fit on a post-it note with room to spare. Somehow, it ran out of space for a proper conclusion. After watching absolutely nothing happen except people carouse clubs, whine about their lives, (actually wine) and dine amid one music video after another – viewers deserved a proper ending.