War of the Worlds 2025 ending explained: Real reason aliens invaded the Earth

War of the Worlds is based on H.G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds, which came out in 1898. It was earlier adapted by Steven Spielberg in 2005. The revival adheres to the genres of science fiction and thriller but adds a screenlife twist. Directed by Rich Lee, the film's story is written by Kenneth A. Golde, who has also co-written the screenplay with Marc Hyman. Here is what the synopsis reads as per Letterboxd:

Will Radford is a top cyber-security analyst for Homeland Security who tracks potential threats to national security through a mass surveillance program, until one day an attack by an unknown entity leads him to question whether the government is hiding something from him… and from the rest of the world.

Let us explore its ending.

What is the plot of War of the Worlds?

A still from War of the Worlds | Image via ONE Media

War of the Worlds is about Will Radford (played by Ice Cube), who is working in the Department of Homeland Security in the capacity of a surveillance and threat assessment expert. His job is to keep an eye on any potential threats to the nation. One day, an unknown force attacks Earth, and it leads him into a spiral to question how the government is trying to hide information.

How does War of the Worlds end?

Towards the end of War of the Worlds, Mark Goodman (Devon Bostick) tells everyone that they should cannibalize the DNA of the aliens by reprogramming it. This would ensure that everything is put to rest. David reprograms it and sends it to Will inside the DHS tower through an Amazon drone. The virus is then put inside the Goliath server by Will. The aliens eventually eat the virus, and they quickly start malfunctioning. Will quickly destroy all the machines; the fighter jets that were assigned to bomb the building decide to return.

Will managed to save the entire planet from the alien attack. However, a lot of lives perished in the process. Will was fired from his job, but after this ordeal, Walter Crystal (Secretary of Defense) plans to rehire him. However, Will decides to let go of this offer, as he does not want to be a part of the government's program. He wants to work with his son with an eye on the higher-ups as they try to invade people's privacy.

While the film is essentially an alien invasion story, it also touches upon topics of government surveillance and citizens' data privacy. Towards the end, Will is a changed man, as he no longer wants to hack into his kids' phones for their safety. He finally became a good father and attended the baby shower of his daughter Faith. Being an overprotective father became his go-to mode after his wife passed away. He also managed to expose Homeland Security chief Donald Briggs by uploading a video of the whole operation.

The aliens were after our data, which was brought to their attention through a government operation where they planned to keep an eye on their citizens. However, the reason behind aliens going after our data remains unclear and is not answered in the film.

What are your thoughts on the ending?