'Fly Me to the Moon' Ending Explained: Did NASA fake the moon-landing?

The premise of 'Fly Me to the Moon' is based on the viral conspiracy theory that NASA faked its moon-landing in 1969

PUBLISHED JUL 12, 2024

'Fly Me to the Moon' is a rom-com film starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum (@appletv+)

Contains spoilers for 'Fly Me to the Moon'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Fly Me to the Moon' has finally arrived in cinemas, taking viewers to the bygone era of 1960s. The film takes inspiration from real historic events to deliver an engaging fictional tale.

At the center of the plot is Kelly Jones (played by Scarlett Johansson), a marketing specialist hired by the government to fix NASA's public image and prepare for an alternate plan in case Apollo 11 mission fails.

Channing Tatum plays the male lead as he appears as Cole Davis, NASA's launch director, and Kelly's love interest.

Kelly Jones has a change of heart in 'Fly Me to the Moon' climax

Scarlett Johansson starrer 'Fly Me to the Moon' arrives in theatres on July 12, 2024 (@appletv+) — Scarlett Johansson as Kelly Jones in 'Fly Me to the Moon' (@appletv+)

Kelly wants to quit her job as a publicist for NASA after being forced to broadcast the fake version of the moon landing.

But when Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson) threatens her, she decides to come clean to Cole. She takes him to the hangar where they have replicated the moon's surface to shoot the fake landing.

Though initially angry at Kelly, Cole eventually comes around, giving Kelly a chance at redemption. Kelly comes up with an idea that involves airing the real landing while tricking Moe into believing that the world saw a fake version. The other two engineers rewire the cameras on the set to execute the plan.

Does Kelly Jones broadcast the real footage of moon landing in 'Fly Me to the Moon'?

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in 'Fly Me to the Moon' (@appletv+)

As Apollo lands on the moon, the director instructs the actors as per the real footage with precision that there comes a moment when Kelly and Cole themselves can't differentiate between the real and fake footage.

As everything comes to a standstill due to a glitch, Cole asks Kelly to figure out if they have been broadcasting the actual footage. Their doubts are cleared when a black cat interrupts the set.

Luckily for Kelly, Moe doesn't take any action against her for disobeying his order. In fact, he is happy that they successfully beat Russia and the world witnessed America's historic victory in the field of science.

He tells Kelly that her name will be cleared from her past controversies and she won't have to run anymore.

Do Kelly Jones and Cole Davis end up together in 'Fly Me to the Moon'?

'Fly Me to the Moon' features Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in lead roles (@appletv+) — Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in 'Fly Me to the Moon' (@appletv+)

Cole initially told Kelly that he wouldn't want to see her face after cleaning up the mess she created.

However, after succeeding in the mission, and upon learning about Kelly's past, he forgives her and they both share a kiss.

'Fly Me to the Moon' has now arrived in cinemas near you