Summary
- Both the CIA and KGB believed Anna had died at the end of the 2019 cult spy movie, though this is due to Olga swapping Anna for a body double.
- Olga let Anna escape, though this was mainly because it also ensured Olga could become head of the KGB.
- Despite the
Anna
movie ending leaving the plot open for a sequel, the box office performance may mean it never happens.
The Anna movie ending is filled with twists and turns as the titular Russian assassin faces off against both the CIA and the KGB to secure her freedom. Anna Poliatova (Sasha Luss) pulls off several intelligent deceptions, including a final ruse to get out from under the thumbs of both the U.S. and Russia’s spy agencies with the help of Olga (Helen Mirren), her KGB supervisor. At the midpoint of 2019’s Anna, Olga sends her on a mission that turns out to be a trap set by CIA agent Leonard Miller (Cillian Murphy).
Since she has no options in the cult spy movie, Anna agrees to become a double agent for the CIA. Anna and Miller begin a relationship, and he learns her true goal: to escape from the KGB and create a new life for herself in Hawaii. Miller promises he can make Anna’s dream come true if she assassinates Vassiliev (Eric Godon), the head of the KGB. Unfortunately, Anna’s mission to kill Vassiliev happens under the nose of Alex Tchenkov (Luke Evans), Anna’s KBG handler and former lover — making everything up until the tense Anna movie ending a nailbiting ride.
Anna
is available to stream on Netflix.
Anna Movie Cast & Character Guide
The 2019 Luc Besson film Anna features an exciting cast of newcomers and seasoned stars, all coming together to check all the boxes for great action.
Anna’s Failed Mission Explained
Anna Became A Double-Agent For The U.S. & Russia
When Anna assassinates Vassiliev, Alex is in the room; she drugs him as she makes her escape but the toxin she uses isn’t strong enough and Alex hits the alarm, placing the building on red alert. Taking on scores of soldiers and guards, Anna has to fight her way out through the bowels of the KGB building but Miller, who is supposed to be her transport out of Moscow, has to leave her. Later, back in New York, Miller receives a text from Anna to rendezvous in a Paris park.
Alex and Miller (and their respective agencies) find themselves face-to-face when Anna appears with a deal for both lovers.
However, Anna also contacts Alex and tells him to meet her at that same park. Alex and Miller (and their respective agencies) find themselves face-to-face when Anna appears with a deal for both lovers: Anna gives back all the CIA information she stole from Miller and offers all the KGB data she took from Vassiliev to Alex for her freedom. Since neither the CIA nor KGB want the meeting to escalate to violence, Alex and Miller let Anna walk away. However, Olga shoots Anna dead as she leaves the park — or so it appears.
Anna Faked Her Death
Anna Became A Triple Agent For Olga
In the Anna ending, Olga and Anna fake Anna’s death. Olga kills Anna’s double, whom she then switches places with the real Anna. Olga has always known Anna worked for the CIA because she sees marks on her wrists from when the Americans handcuffed Anna as Miller brokered their deal for her to turn. Anna, who is now a triple agent working exclusively for Olga, reports Miller’s plan to assassinate Vassiliev to her — and Olga agrees to let it happen because it means she will replace him as head of the KGB.
So, when Anna cuts her deal with Alex and Miller, Olga feigns revenge for Anna’s betrayal and “murders” the blonde-gone-rogue. In reality, Anna switches with her dead double, changes outfits in the sewers (revealing she shaved her head bald), and slips away in Paris.
Olga Let Anna Escape
Olga Understands Anna’s Desire To Be A Free Woman
However, Anna springs one final surprise for Olga when she takes over as the new head of the KGB: Anna leaves a video asking Olga to erase her file from the KGB database. Olga could have betrayed Anna and sent the full force of the KGB after her, but instead, she does as Anna asked and wipes Anna Poliatova’s records completely. Because even though Olga was hard on Anna throughout her career, Anna had earned her respect.
Now that she’s the head of the KBG, Olga can run it as she wishes, which is her version of the freedom Anna won by escaping her life as a government assassin.
Helen Mirren’s Olga understands Anna no longer wants a life where she is subject to “slavery” under powerful men in the government, which is something Olga (whom Vassiliev mocked for being “ugly”) can relate to. Now that she’s the head of the KBG, Olga can run it as she wishes, which is her version of the freedom Anna won by escaping her life as a government assassin.
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The Ending Leaves The Door Open For A Sequel That Likely Won’t Happen
The Box Office Numbers Didn’t Warrant Anna 2
When Anna ends, the hero Anna is now a free woman. She has broken free from both the KGB and CIA, and everyone thinks that she is dead. Olga gives her even more freedom, as the only person who knows Anna is alive agrees to let her go. This opens up a myriad of directions for a hypothetical Anna 2, and director Luc Besson makes sure to leave it slightly open-ended in case the studios want a sequel.
While the KGB agrees to wipe Anna’s information from its systems, the CIA could still hunt her down if they realize she is still alive, which Miller believes. Anna also knows the KGB might have killed her parents, who also might have been double agents. With Anna now walking free, she could seek revenge against those responsible for her parent’s deaths. Finally, there is also a chance that Olga could need help and reach out to Anna, especially Olga said she can’t trust anyone in the Russian government.
However, don’t expect a sequel of any form. Anna had a $30 million budget, yet it only made $32 million at the box office worldwide, with only $7.7 million coming in its North American release. Those numbers didn’t get much better for its home market performance, either (via The Numbers). It is doing very well on Netflix and Anna has been sitting in the top 10 during its release on the streaming giant in 2024, with an 81% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but that likely won’t help Anna receive financial backing for a sequel.