10 Deleted Scenes That Should Have Made the Final Cut
Making a film is hard work, and one of the toughest tasks a director has is editing.
Taking all the footage he or she shot, the filmmaker must piece together a coherent film
that entertains and thrills audiences.
And sometimes, that means sacrificing a great scene that may have made the final product
even more rewarding if the running time didn’t dictate otherwise.
Here are Screen Rant’s 10 Deleted Scenes That Should Have Made the Final Cut
Star Wars
Luke Skywalker spends the first act of Star Wars wishing to reunite with his good friend
Biggs, and ultimately the two pals join forces as Rebel allies in the Battle of Yavin.
Unfortunately, Biggs is killed in the fight, but audiences originally didn’t feel the
full impact of the loss.
George Lucas had deleted a scene – which is now available in the special editions – that
showed Luke and Biggs reconnecting before the Death Star trench run, which established
their relationship and made Luke’s sadness a bit more sympathetic.
Short enough to not disrupt the film’s pacing, it should have been in the initial 1977 cut.
Terminator 2
One of the reasons why T2 is so beloved is the relationship between the T-800 and John
Connor.
Their bond is what gives the action-packed sequel some heart and elevates it to the next
level.
But some have wondered why a programmed 'killing machine' can learn the basics of human emotion.
In a deleted scene - available in the special edition -, it's revealed that the Terminator
has a CPU setting that shuts off its 'read only' function and allows Arnold to understand
why humans act the way they do.
It not only explains this crucial detail, but also sets up Sarah Connor's character
arc in a nice moment of dramatic tension.
Jaws
One of the highlights of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is Robert Shaw’s performance as the
shark hunter Quint.
Enigmatic and eccentric, he’s certainly a colourful character that made the blockbuster
all the more memorable.
He’s also shown to have a short fuse, a trait that was foreshadowed in an amusing
deleted scene.
Going to a local music store to purchase piano wire for his shark killing duties, Quint has
a little bit of fun with a boy playing “Ode to Joy” on a clarinet.
It may not have advanced the plot, but it was still a quirky character moment that showed
Quint wasn’t the easiest fellow to get along with.
Return of the Jedi
Luke is shocked beyond belief to learn Darth Vader is his father, and he wonders why his
mentor Obi-Wan never told him the truth.
Turns out, there was a method to his madness.
In a deleted scene from Return of the Jedi where Yoda is on his death bed, we learn he
instructed Obi-Wan to keep Vader’s identity a secret from Luke, as the Jedi Master feared
Luke would not be able to defeat the Sith if he was conflicted by feelings for his father.
Yoda’s belief turned out to be true in a sense, but it’s still a level of manipulation
that seems below a Jedi.
Either way, it still would have been an interesting twist for the story.
Aliens
In the beginning of Aliens, Ellen Ripley is woken from stasis after a period of 57 years,
meaning her life on Earth has drastically changed.
Oddly enough, we don’t see many hints of her past in the 1986 theatrical edition, but
James Cameron’s director’s cut added a new layer to the beloved character.
In a heartbreaking moment, Ripley is informed by Burke that her daughter, who was about
to turn 11 when Ripley left in the original film, died at the age of 66.
It’s smart Cameron included this, as it provides a clearer meaning to Ripley’s character
motivations and transforms the story to one of maternal redemption.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
In The Fellowship of the Ring, Boromir is portrayed as an easily corruptible man hungry
for the Ring’s power, but an added scene in the Two Towers extended cut explains his
behaviours.
With Gondor facing the impending threat of Sauron, Denethor tasks his oldest son with
claiming the One Ring for their country, so they can use it as a weapon against the dark
lord.
The flashback is a nice moment, as it shows Boromir was concerned about the wellbeing
of his people, and it also foreshadows the tension between Denethor and Faramir, a major
subplot in Return of the King.
Star Trek
J.J.
Abrams’ reboot of Star Trek reinvigorated the brand, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t
without some problems.
Many found it confusing that the villain Nero simply waited 25 years after arriving in the
past to begin his quest of revenge, but a deleted scene fills that plot hole.
Though it’s briefly mentioned in dialogue in the theatrical cut, the scene in question
actually shows Nero being held prisoner in a Klingon prisoner for more than 20 years.
It would have been nice to see in the finished film, as it paid homage to Star Trek lore
and gave viewers a little more time with Nero, who was thought by some to be a tad underdeveloped.
Thor
Loki is seen as the MCU’s greatest foe, and that’s even without this crucial deleted
scene being official canon.
Obsessed with becoming the ruler of Asgard, Thor’s brother actually has good reason
for his desires.
In a deleted scene, Loki is proclaimed to be the rightful heir to Odin’s throne, with
Thor banished to Earth for his brash behaviour.
The cut scene showed Loki wasn’t entirely selfish, and was handed his dream with support
from his family.
It was a powerful moment that made the character more well-rounded and even sympathetic, explaining
his actions in future appearances in greater detail than originally presented.
The Avengers
Joss Whedon’s The Avengers is full of breathtaking action, but the quiet moments can be just
as powerful.
The director was heartbroken to cut out a sequence showing Steve Rogers trying to adjust
to modern society, and it’s easy to see why.
Captain America goes on a personal journey, and what was cut honestly strengthens his
character arc.
The scene wasn’t all drama either, offering a funny Stan Lee cameo and some cute lines
of flirtation between Cap and a waitress.
The Avengers had so much on its plate, it’s easy to see why this was deleted, but we wish
Whedon had found time for it.
The Wolverine
The X-Men film franchise changed modern comic book movies, but the filmmakers haven’t
been willing to embrace the source material completely.
In Bryan Singer’s first film, Wolverines iconic yellow costume is referred to as a
punch line.
However, James Mangold had some love for it when he directed The Wolverine.
In an alternate ending, Logan receives his classic outfit as a gift for what he’s done,
teasing the die hards with the possibility of seeing Hugh Jackman don the costume for
an official movie.
With the actor seemingly ready to retire, the upcoming Wolverine 3 may be the best chance
to make good on this false promise.
Those are our picks for the best deleted scenes that should have made the final cut.
Are there any we missed?
Which deleted scenes are your favourites?
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