Alien 3 deleted scenes

Film Special Edition Deleted scenes Goofs Novelization Comic Soundtrack Characters

This article covers all the known deleted scenes from the 1992 film Alien³. Some of these sequences never progressed past the early script or storyboard stages, while others were filmed before being cut during the editing process. Despite their removal, several of these scenes were included in the movie's novelization and comic book adaptation.

Note that sequences initially deleted from the theatrical release of the film but later reinstated in the extended Special Edition are not listed here; details on these scenes can instead be found in the Special Edition article. Likewise, scenes and sequences from the unused scripts by William Gibson, Eric Red, David Twohy and Vincent Ward are not included here, as these were essentially entirely different stories unrelated to the film that was made. Only scenes mentioned in the various drafts of Alien³'s shooting script are listed.

Overview

Alien³ had an incredibly troubled development, and even after the final shooting script had been decided upon, the screenplay underwent at least 11 different drafts during the course of production. These revisions were still being made — often hastily — after filming had begun and many significant story changes were made as shooting was taking place, to the point where the crew would learn that scenes they had filmed just days previously had already been dropped from the movie. In addition to the frequent rewrites during filming, the movie underwent substantial restructuring in post-production following criticism received in test screenings.

Perhaps the most notable alterations made during the film's fraught production centered on the prisoner Golic, who was originally involved in a significantly more extensive subplot regarding his reverence for the Dragon. His actions in the latter half of the film and the manner of his death underwent drastic changes as the script was repeatedly revised, only for much of the material actor Paul McGann filmed as the character to be deleted from the final cut during editing (the extended Special Edition would later reinstate much of McGann's performance). Along with Golic, the fates of several other major characters in the movie similarly changed several times before the film was completed.

Owing to the significant number of times the film's script was reworked during production, several of the deleted scenes listed below are contradictory in nature and do not necessarily fit into the narrative of the finished film.

Deleted Scenes

Opening montage

A Facehugger impregnates its victim.

Visible in the workprint of the film are several brief alternate shots of events aboard the Sulaco during the opening credits montage, including an x-ray shot on a monitor of a Facehugger proboscis working its way down its victim's throat.

Hicks' Chestburster

In at least one of the shooting script's many alternate drafts, Hicks is killed in his hypersleep tube when a Chestburster erupts from his body. In this version of events, it is the emerging Chestburster that starts the electrical fire on board, having damaged Hicks' cryotube.

Sulaco's destruction

Originally, the Sulaco was going to be seen partially exploding after the EEV jettisons, the intention being that this explosion is what damages the EEV's guidance systems, causing it to crash on Fiorina 161 instead of landing safely. While the sequence was apparently filmed, it was left out of the final cut, although it did appear in the novelization of the film.

The EEV crash

Early drafts of the shooting script include a more elaborate EEV crash sequence, in which the death of Hicks is actually depicted on-screen. After hitting the ocean, the damaged pod sinks rapidly into the depths, the pressure eventually crushing it and causing a support beam to fail and impale the sleeping Corporal. Air bags eventually deploy on the escape pod's exterior and bring the crippled craft back to the surface, but not before the water pressure beaches the hull and floods the interior.

Changing hosts

In the film's script, it is Newt who is impregnated by a Facehugger aboard the Sulaco, not Ripley. When Newt subsequently begins to drown on Fiorina 161, the embryonic Xenomorph was to switch hosts, emerging from Newt's mouth and entering Ripley. The entire concept was dropped before filming, likely to both simplify the Queen Chestburster's origins and to maintain the surprise when Ripley discovers she is impregnated later in the film, but the sequence was included in the comic adaptation of the film. Strangely, the scenario of the embryo switching hosts was later resurrected in the Alien Legacy trading card set.

Dreaming of Newt

One draft of the film's shooting script had the above switching of hosts visualized in the form of a nightmare experienced by Ripley before she is revived by the prison staff. In this dream, Ripley staggers around the damaged interior of the EEV following the crash and finds Newt's cryotube. As she approaches, Newt suddenly sits upright and spews Xenomorph slime all over Ripley, after which the infant Queen within pushes up through her throat and begins clambering out of her mouth. As the small creature pulls itself free, Newt smiles at a horrified Ripley.

The aquatic Facehugger

Among the new creature designs created by H. R. Giger for the movie was that of an "aquatic Facehugger", to be seen swimming ashore following the EEV crash at the beginning of the film. While the sequence was never filmed, it seems likely the webbed digits on the Royal Facehugger from the Special Edition were inspired by Giger's design.

Dreaming of the Alien

Another cut dream sequence featured in the script involves Ripley, armed with a flamethrower, being stalked by a Xenomorph in the Sulaco's hypersleep bay. As she searches for the creature, she notices its tail creeping up between her legs (much like Lambert in Alien) and before she can run it grabs her from behind, pins her atop one of the cryotubes and begins to rape her. This sequence appears in the film's novelization.

Golic watches Ripley

One draft of the script features a brief added moment before Ripley wakes up in which Golic spies on Clemens tending to her through a nearby window. When the doctor turns around, Golic has disappeared.

Toxic dump

An alternate take of the scene where Clemens takes Ripley to see the EEV wreckage had him give a different explanation of the prisoners' job on Fiorina; instead of maintaining the lead foundry and its blast furnace, he explains they are there to monitor large volumes of toxic waste dumped on the planet, and to manufacture lead shielding that is used to seal off any potential leaks. This version of events is used in the comic adaptation.

Newt's autopsy

The autopsy dummy.

Originally Newt's autopsy was far more graphic, including close-ups of the surgical procedure and her internal organs. Poor receptions in test screenings caused the sequence to be progressively trimmed to the version ultimately seen on film.

"There was an autopsy scene on the girl that I... I like certain gore in films, I do it, and it made me sick. It really grossed me out and I remember that people got up and left, walked out of the theater at the time. And I was just thinking, this'll never be in the film. They can't show this stuff. It was just too much."

―Makeup artist Greg Cannom, regarding the uncut autopsy scene

The lead works

A scripted scene that would have introduced several of the background prisoners showed Troy, Martin, David, Arthur and Morse working in the lead foundry, using the prison's oxen to haul carts of ore from the underground tunnels. As they work, they discuss whether to attend the impending funeral for Newt and Hicks, at which point Dillon and Junior arrive, with Dillon informing the prisoners that they will all be going to the funeral to pay their respects. A version of this scene features in the novelization.

Casey

One draft of the script had Ripley find Newt's doll Casey in the EEV wreckage (despite the fact it was left behind on LV-426 in Aliens), and during the funeral service for Hicks and Newt she throws it into the furnace after the bodies.

Lice

After Dillon says his prayer at the funeral, Ripley was to scratch her head and discover a horde of lice on her fingertips. This scene was filmed but not used, although it is included in the novelization and the comic.

The Dogburster

The scene where the Dragon is born from Spike the Rottweiler was originally considerably more violent, with a shot of the infant Xenomorph flopping out of the dog's carcass, covered in gore. As with several other sequences in the film, it was cut back for fear of being too graphic.

Availability:

• Only available as part of Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien 3

Murphy's death

Murphy's death in the ventilation shaft was cut considerably for violence. Prosthetic appliances for close-up shots of Murphy's face disfigured by the Dragon's acid spit were made and used in filming, but the footage never made it into the movie. Extra footage of Murphy's remains splattering the sides of the ventilation shaft was also filmed but never used. In addition, early cuts of the film had Murphy singing "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones; in all released versions of the film he instead sings "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)" by Dennis Zager and Richard Evans.

Sex scene

An actual sex scene between Ripley and Clemens was filmed, but not ultimately used. Instead, their union occurs off-screen.

Golic's vision

After the Dragon kills Boggs and Golic is sprayed with his blood, Golic originally looked up at the creature and saw it as some kind of fiery dragon, distorted by imaginary heat. In the final film, the creature merely bares its teeth at Golic.

Searching for bodies

One scene scripted but later discarded involved Andrews, Aaron, Dillon and Morse going into the tunnels in search of Boggs and Rains after Golic has been restrained. Although they find no bodies, they do discover scratch marks on the walls, as well as a large amount of human blood. Looking up, they see more blood dripping from an overhead vent, and surmise something has carried the dead men's remains up there. Dillon and Morse immediately begin to suspect Ripley is telling the truth about the Alien, but Andrews stubbornly refuses to accept anyone (or anything) other than Golic was responsible.

Clemens' crime

Rex Pickett's rewrite of the film completely changed Clemens' backstory and reason for being on Fiorina. Instead of killing several injured workers with an accidental overdose of painkillers, he tells Ripley that he euthanized a woman — along with her unborn child — when a terrible accident left her in a coma with no chance of recovery. He then reveals that the woman was his wife. Subsequent drafts reverted to the original story eventually used in the film.

Clemens' death

The Dragon's shadow looms over Golic.

A large amount of footage was filmed of the Xenomorph's shadows on the wall above Golic in the scene where it enters the infirmary and kills Clemens. Clemens' death itself was also more bloody, with extra footage of blood squirting from his head when he is killed.

Bait-and-chase

Originally, the extensive bait-and-chase sequence that ends the film was to take place in the middle of the movie — it was the means by which the inmates try to lure the Dragon into the toxic waste dump, instead of lighting a quinitricetyline fire to drive it into the silo. As in the finished film, many of the prisoners are killed in the process, but the plan succeeds and the Dragon is trapped. In this version of the story, there is no similar chase at the end of the film, and instead the last survivors — Ripley and Aaron — find the Dragon has made its nest in the lead works and confront it there.

The explosion

The Dragon in the flames after the explosion.

Some shots filmed during the explosions that kill several of the prisoners were never used in either cut of the film (although some were used in Alien³'s trailer). There was also additional footage of the Dragon running through the flames, including a shot showing the creature distorted by the heat in the same fashion as Golic's earlier vision of the fiery demon.

Golic's body

While the scene where Golic is killed by the Dragon when he releases it was reinstated for the Special Edition, his audible scream as the creature slays him was left out. Footage was also filmed of the other prisoners later finding his mutilated body inside the nuclear waste tank. While not used in the film, Golic's body was seen in the Alien³ comic.

EEV scan

An extended version of Ripley's scan in the EEV appears in one draft of the script, in which Aaron zooms in on the infant Queen growing inside Ripley, revealing thousands of microscopic Eggs already developing insider her.

Golic sees the scan

Before the script was altered to have Golic die when he frees the Dragon from captivity, he originally survived the incident, with the Xenomorph simply running past him when he opened the waste tank door. Following this, he spies on Ripley when she scans herself inside the wrecked EEV. When he sees the Chestburster she is carrying on the monitor, he grins.

Golic's rampage

Another cut scene featuring Golic after he releases the Dragon. After learning that the Xenomorph is loose once more, William, Eric, Christopher and another inmate gather in the abattoir, where they plan to hold out until rescue can arrive. They reason that the room has no ventilation shafts from which the Dragon can attack, and they also spread disinfectant used to kill the planet's insect life around the doors, surmising that the Alien is "a bug" and won't come near it. However, when some of the lights in the room start to go out, Eric and Christopher go to investigate. As he waits for them to return, William turns to the inmate with him and finds him lying dead, his throat cut, and Golic standing over his corpse holding a bloody knife. Before William can raise the alarm Golic stabs him in the heart, and then heads off to get the others.

The scene was later reworked to feature William, Eric and Gregor as the escaping prisoners, and instead of simply trying to hold out in the abattoir they plan to flee to the surface, having stolen the prison's only survival suits. After Golic murders William and Gregor, the Dragon appears and looms over him. Eric returns in time to see the creature and runs off screaming in terror.

Basement encounter

The Dragon confronts Ripley.

A short but fairly well-known excision was made during the scene where Ripley goes to find the Xenomorph in the basement. After it drops down, the creature originally reared up over her as she lay on the floor before running away.

The meat locker

A substantial sequence cut before filming showed how the Xenomorph built a Hive within the prison's assembly hall, wherein it cocooned many of its victims alive, presumably ready to be hosts once the Queen matured and began laying Eggs. Dillon and Morse were to find the Hive and the numerous prisoners cocooned there, including Andrews, who begs to be killed. Dillon sets the Hive alight with a flare, incinerating the cocooned men, only to discover the Dragon was hiding overhead all along when it screeches loudly. Dillon pushes Morse through a door and locks it behind him, before turning to face the Xenomorph alone, praying softly. Ripley and Aaron arrive alongside Morse, alerted by the fire alarm, but are unable to get through the door and can only watch as the Dragon kills Dillon (he died far earlier in this draft of the script) and drags his body away into an air shaft. While the sequence was never filmed, at least two of the cocoons were partially constructed.

Golic cocooned

Following on from the revised version of Golic's murderous rampage, Ripley, Aaron, Dillon and Morse were to discover the scene of his killings in the abattoir, along with the traumatized Eric, who has survived the ordeal. They also find Babe's eviscerated corpse, Ripley noting that "this is where it started". Continuing to explore the scene, they find Golic cocooned to a wall by the Dragon, still alive and muttering that he is sorry for what he has done.

Morse bails out

In early version's of the film's script, it is Morse, not Aaron, who declines to take part in the final battle with the Dragon. As a result, it is he who meets the Weyland-Yutani team that arrives to recover the creature.

Troy's body

Dillon finds Troy's body.

Footage was shot of Dillon discovering Troy's mangled body during the bait-and-chase sequence, but not used. This brief scene is included in the film's novelization.

Jude slips

During the bait-and-chase sequence, Jude slips on something wet, and when he realizes it is the remains of a fellow inmate he begins screaming. This is in the novelization.

The company's arrival

One draft of the film's script had the Weyland-Yutani science team met by Golic, who promises to take them to Ripley and leads them through the abattoir, which is still littered with the bodies of the prisoners he killed earlier. Michael Bishop asks Golic where the other inmates are, and Golic responds that the Dragon killed most of them, before asking if Bishop has anything to eat.

When the film was rewritten to have Golic dead before the company team arrives, it became Aaron who met them. However, the scene originally featured extra dialogue removed from both cuts of the movie. After greeting Aaron, the scientist asks him if he has seen the beast. Aaron confirms that he has, before explaining that Ripley has one inside her. Bishop, his face shrouded in shadow, says, "We know that." After the men in the background put down the cage, Aaron tells them, "You're gonna need a bigger cage than that."

Dillon's death

The manner in which Dillon was killed changed several times during filming, with some early script drafts having him die far earlier in the film. Initially, Dillon (named Malcolm at this stage) was killed defending Morse from the Dragon in the assembly hall. This sequence then developed into the "meat locker" scene, itself later dropped, where the Dragon rips a hole in Dillon's chest after he sets fire to the creature's Hive. Dillon's demise was subsequently moved to the final confrontation in the lead works at the end of the movie, although at first it was planned to have him escape the lead mold before the lead was poured on the Dragon. With the Xenomorph supposedly dead, Ripley asks Dillon to kill her, as he had promised. He prepares to strangle her, but ultimately finds he cannot bring himself to do it; at that moment, the Dragon emerges from the lead and drags Dillon back into the boiling metal, killing him. While none of these alternate deaths were filmed, the last was used in the novelization and the comic adaptation.

Aaron's death

Like Dillon, Aaron's death was altered several times during the course of the film's production. Originally, he was to be pulled into a vat of molten glass by the Dragon during the final confrontation (the glass works standing in as a precursor to the lead foundry used in the finished film). Script changes then had Aaron die holding the Dragon inside the mold while Ripley escaped, a role eventually given to Dillon in the movie. Another alternate draft of the shooting script had the Weyland-Yutani Commandos gun Aaron down as soon as they arrived at the prison, immediately after he admits to them that he had seen the Xenomorph.

Birthing pains

Ripley is overcome with pain.

While on the gantry after killing the Dragon, Ripley is overcome with pain and nausea due to the embryo inside her. She collapses to the floor, after which Morse helps her back to her feet.

For the last time

A brief moment deleted just before Ripley douses the Dragon in water, finally killing it; she says, "For the last time..." before pulling the chain to unleash the water. This line is seen in the film's trailers.

Weyland and Golic

Following the discovery of the men Golic has murdered, the Weyland-Yutani team heads to the lead works. While Bishop is pleading with Ripley to come with him, Golic attacks him, shouting that he hates droids before burying an axe in the back of Bishop's head. Bishop dies from his wounds and the commandos shoot Golic dead.

Dr. Matsushita

Several script drafts had Bishop die after being bludgeoned by Aaron/Golic, following which one of the Weyland-Yutani scientists, named Dr. Matsushita, would take over and attempt to convince Ripley to come with them. It was eventually decided Bishop's death was an anti-climax and the script was changed to have him survive, while Matsushita was relegated to a background character.

Ripley vs. the Chestburster

One draft of the film's script had the Queen Chestburster erupt from Ripley while she is still standing on the gantry considering her options. She grapples with the creature and snaps its neck before they both topple backwards into the furnace.