The best movies of all time are rich with complex characters, thriller moments, and riveting scenes that make these films easy to re-watch time and time again. But sadly, not everything can make it to the final print. Often, exposition, pivotal plot points, and necessary supporting characters find their way to the editing room floor.
Here are a few times when much needed scenes, moments, and story arc were cut out of beloved films.
For the sake of this list, entries will not include scenes that were added or inserted into recent director’s cuts, restored versions, or are considered canon (not DVD/Blu-ray extras). So, for example, the scene in which Ripley discovers her daughter passed away during her hypersleep, or the French plantation scene from Apocalypse Now are available on restored cuts, and don’t make this list.
And with that, away we go…
1. It (2017): The full scope of Henry Bowers’ madness is explained
1. It (2017): The full scope of Henry Bowers’ madness is explained
Bully Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton) was never one to play with a full deck to begin with, but the full extent of his insanity was left on the cutting room floor in 2017's It. Though audiences knew him as a racist sociopath with a penchant for disturbing violence, it wasn't until Pennywise unlocked his full potential that Henry became a maniac.
After receiving the gift of a switchblade from Pennywise, Henry makes use of his new toy on his alcoholic, abusive father, murdering him in his sleep. But what the audience doesn't see is how he uses his new plaything on his friends, Belch Huggins and Patrick Hockstetter (Jake Sim and Owen Teague).
In a deleted scene in which Henry is watching the Losers Club enter the Neibolt House from afar, Belch and Patrick are passengers in his car who listen to his plans for the kids. As the camera pans out, it is revealed he is talking to their mutilated corpses.
At this point, Pennywise has a strong hold on Henry and his sanity is long gone. This is how the evil clown is able to regain control of Henry as an adult so easily. He’s been waiting patiently for Pennywise’s return.
2. Terminator 2: An alternate ending would have ended the franchise on a happy note
2. Terminator 2: An alternate ending would have ended the franchise on a happy note
“August 29th, 1997 came and went. Nothing much happened. Michael Jackson turned 40. There was no judgment day. People went to work as they always do. Laughed. Complained. Watched TV Made love. I wanted to run through the street yelling, to grab them all and say, ‘Every day from this day on is a gift! Use it well!’ Instead, I got drunk. That was 30 years ago. But that was the dark future that never came. John fights the war differently than it was foretold. Here, on the senate, his weapons are common sense, and hope. The luxury of hope was given to me by the terminator, because if a machine can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too.”
This is the voiceover from an aged Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), while an adult John Connor pushes his child on a not-destroyed swing set in a clean, beautiful future. John was a senator, and Sarah was no doubt a curmudgeon grandmother who scares kids on Halloween. A blissful 2027.
Had the film opted to keep the ending, the convoluted mess that became the Terminator franchise would have been no more, and the entirety of the catalog would have been these two films. Let’s be honest: Though there are a handful of good moments and a few bright spots in the franchise as a whole, ending the Terminator story on this note would have been lovely.
MORE INFO
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Harry Potter and Dudley make amends
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Harry Potter and Dudley make amends
In a scene taken straight from the books, after Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) saved Dudley's (Harry Melling) life from the Dementors, the former bully changed his mind about his wizard cousin. He no longer saw him as a target or a rival, but instead, started harboring feelings of care for the boy. In the book, he began leaving cups of tea for him outside his cupboard, though Harry mistook it as mischievous pranks.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as the Dursleys are about to leave their house on Privet Drive, Dudley realizes they are leaving Harry behind. Shocked that this might be the last time he will see his cousin, he uses the time to make amends. Extending his hand, he states the only nice statement he ever uttered to Harry: "I don't think you're a waste of space."
It was a sweet moment that sets up the cousins as having friendly relations in the future, allowing their children to get to know each other, with none of the animosity or hostility that existed in their childhood.
4. Major League: The original ending reveals owner Rachel Phelps was never the villain
4. Major League: The original ending reveals owner Rachel Phelps was never the villain
In the original ending of 1980s baseball comedy classic Major League, Cleveland Indians Manager Lou Brown (James Gammon) attempts to resign to team owner Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton), only to be laughed at.
Throughout the film, the former Las Vegas showgirl was depicted as the villain. She concocted an evil plan to fill the Cleveland Indians team line-up with "terrible" players in hopes of coming in dead last for the season, thereby exploiting a clause in their contract that will allow the team to move from Cleveland to sunny Miami.
But as it turns out, she was a good guy all along.
Rachel explains that her former husband was bankrupt, and she didn't want to sell the team he loved so dearly. Broke and unable to win with the players they had, Rachel got new players for cheap and gave them "proper motivation," i.e. an evil owner to bond against. In fact, there never was an offer from Miami. She made it all up.
Lou has a hard time swallowing this story until Rachel points out the obvious: If she really wanted to destroy the team, she could have gutted the roster at any point. She was the owner, after all. She personally scouted each member of the team (except Willie Mays Hayes, of course), seeing them as diamonds in the rough. In the end, she shakes hands with Brown, and the two develop a respect for each other.
Sadly, audiences of the time loved to hate Whitton as Rachel, a credit to her acting skills. So the twist was removed, and Whitton remained a villain.
5. The Crow (1994): Eric Draven originally learned about his powers from the Skull Cowboy
5. The Crow (1994): Eric Draven originally learned about his powers from the Skull Cowboy
In 1994's The Crow, a recently resurrected Eric Draven (the late, great Brandon Lee) is able to figure out everything he needs to know while listening to The Cure and making a "Get Ready With Me" tutorial in the remains of his destroyed loft.
In the original script, however, he had a helping hand to figure out his powers. That helping hand was a deleted character called the Skull Cowboy, played by character actor Michael Barryman. The Skull Cowboy is a spirit guide who explains the guidelines of immortality and his new powers, including the most important rule of all: Do not deviate from the path of revenge.
Apparently, Eric was brought back for one purpose only: revenge. To detour from that goal would defeat the purpose of his resurrection, no matter the reason. For example, after Eric removes the morphine from Darla's (Anna Thomson) body, there was a cut scene that showed him unable to heal as punishment for veering off his given path and using his gift to help, rather than vengeance.
When Eric saves Sarah at the church, the Skull Cowboy tells him there will be dire consequences for his actions, including the loss of his powers and the possibility of becoming the walking dead. When he discovers that Top Dollar (Michael Wincott) had a direct hand in his demise and Shelley’s assault, his path is righted, and he regains his powers. After he defeats Top Dollar, he chooses to return to Shelley instead of remaining as The Crow.
The purpose of the character was to show Eric that he wasn’t the first to be chosen with this power, and there are consequences for making the wrong decision. However, the scenes with Skull Cowboy were cut after the tragic death of Lee on set, as not all of the scenes were filmed and there was no work-around without him. The story was changed so The Crow's powers were linked to his raven.
See also:This interview with the film's co-screenwriter, David J. Schow.
Where to Watch
The Crow
Stream
Rent
Buy
Ads
MORE INFO
1994 ● 1h 42min ● R
Tagline
Believe in angels.
Rating
75%
Genres
Fantasy, Action
Studio(s)
Entertainment Media Investment Corporation, Jeff Most Productions
6. The Batman: There is a longer, more revealing Joker scene
6. The Batman: There is a longer, more revealing Joker scene
At the end of The Batman, the Riddler makes a friend in his new Arkham digs with another inmate at a nearby cell, who audiences immediately recognize as the Joker. Though none of his facial features are visible, his tell-tale laugh, mannerisms, and profile give him away.
However, in a deleted scene with the Batman (Robert Pattinson), the inmate is given far more of the spotlight and is slightly more visible -- as his white skin, green hair, and Glasgow smile are on display for the audience.
The Caped Crusader turns to the unnamed inmate -- played by Barry Keoghan, of Saltburn fame -- for help on finding the mass murderer terrorizing Gotham. Initially thought to be trolling the detective, the inmate gives Batman the answers; the scowl in the cowl just doesn't realize it.
"I know who he is... He's a nobody who wants to be somebody." He even tells Batman that the Riddler is possibly a fan. "You two have so much in common..."
Matt Reeves decided to cut the scene because it didn't progress the plot, even though he thought Keoghan's performance was fantastic. In the end, Reeves preferred the ending in the final cut – which, while it alludes to the Joker, carries the larger implication that Gotham is overflowing with villains at every turn.
Where to Watch
The Batman
Rent
Buy
Stream
MORE INFO
2022 ● 2h 57min ● PG-13
Tagline
Unmask the truth.
Rating
77%
Genres
Crime, Mystery
Studio(s)
6th & Idaho Motion Picture Company, Dylan Clark Productions
7. The Avengers:: The waitress interviewed at the end had an entire action sequence
7. The Avengers:: The waitress interviewed at the end had an entire action sequence
At the end of The Avengers, a news crew is interviewing witnesses after the Battle of New York when they chat with a waitress named Beth (Ashley Johnson), who tells the crew not to blame the heroes for the destruction of the city.
"What? That this was somehow their fault? Captain America saved my life. Wherever he is, wherever any of them are, I just wanna say thank you."
Prior to her thanks, there was a larger scene that was cut, in which the audience got to see Captain America (Chris Evans) save Beth's life among the rubble of the Big Apple. Hiding with other survivors, Beth is held captive by the Chitauri army when Captain America attacks the aliens, allowing the hostages a chance to escape.
The scene, along with most of Beth's scenes (including her meet-cute with Steve Rogers), were removed, as it didn’t help the movie’s runtime.
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Aunt Petunia and Harry Potter talk about Harry’s mother
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Aunt Petunia and Harry Potter talk about Harry’s mother
There was a lot of healthy family healing that occurred in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that was left on the cutting room floor. One such scene was a talk between Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) just before the Dursleys left No. 4 Privet Drive.
Standing in an empty living room, Petunia is lamenting having to leave her home because of Harry. During their brief conversation -- and really, the only true conversation in the entire series between the woman and her nephew -- Petunia talks of her sister in a non-derogatory manner.
"You didn't just lose a mother that night in Godric's Hollow, you know. I lost a sister."
The scene humanizes Petunia, beyond just a mean-spirited woman who was prejudiced against her sister and her nephew for being magical folk. It shows her in a light fans haven't seen before: a loving sister with perhaps a touch of sympathy.
This scene, along with the affecting scene with Dudley (mentioned above), show that there is hope for the Durselys yet, and that perhaps it is Vernon who is the bad apple of the bunch, influencing his family in a negative way.
9. Mean Girls (2004): Regina and Cady have a heart-to-heart in the bathroom
9. Mean Girls (2004): Regina and Cady have a heart-to-heart in the bathroom
After Cady's redemption arc at the Spring Fling, she has a little run in with Regina in the bathroom. Fresh from the hospital complete with spinal halo, Regina is high on medication, allowing her to speak her truth to Cady. Even as Cady attempts to apologize, the real Regina shines through.
"Stop making this about you. I'm the one who got hit by the bus!" She then goes on to forgive the former mean girl and explain that she was jealous of her because of Aaron. "Okay. I'm going to forgive you. Because I'm a very Zen person. And I'm also on a lot of pain medication right now. You know, Aaron really does like you. He's always talking about how unusual you are. It really pissed me off."
She then tells a story about how she destroyed a dollhouse she didn't want just so her cousin couldn't have it, allowing audiences a glimpse into her sociopathy. Then they both giggle.
10. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Boromir and Faramir’s family dynamic is explained
10. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Boromir and Faramir’s family dynamic is explained
In an extended scene from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Boromir (Sean Bean) takes back Osgiliath from an orc invasion and rejoices with his brother Faramir just before his father Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, arrives to ruin the joyous mood. Clearly the Golden Child, Boromir does not approve of how his father favors him, especially when his brother is present.
As predicted, Denethor praises Boromir and scolds Faramir for failings that were not under his control. "Always you cast a poor reflection on me."
After berating his younger son, Denethor tells Boromir that Elrond of Rivendell has called a mysterious meeting, but he surmises that it is because "the weapon of the enemy has been found." Boromir guesses that it is the One Ring, and he orders his son to Rivendell to claim the Ring for Gondor, for the good of their people. Denethor convinces his son that the Ring will not corrupt him because of his decent nature, and that bringing home the ring is what is best for his people, who are dying without it.
The extended scene is important for a few reasons. First, it shows that Boromir strongly disapproves of how Denethor mistreats Faramir, and stands up for his brother, whom he clearly loves. More importantly, it humanizes Boromir and shows a strong motive behind his actions, allowing him to seem less impulsive when he attacks Frodo and attempts to take the Ring.
Where to Watch
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Stream
Buy
Rent
MORE INFO
2002 ● 2h 59min ● PG-13
Tagline
The fellowship is broken. The power of darkness grows...