Alien 3 Deleted Scenes - Special Edition vs Theatrical Cut - AvPGalaxy (2024)

In late 2003, the Alien Quadrilogy was released with a new ‘Assembly’ cut of Alien 3 which adds many new scenes. The Alien 3 workprint has been around for a while which contain some new/alternate scenes that weren’t in the Assembly cut. This four-part article covers what new scenes were in the Assembly cut, what was taken out, what new scenes are in the workprint as well as other scenes from production stills etc which haven’t been seen in any Alien 3 cut.

Alien 3 Special Edition (2003)

EEV Crash
The scene of Ripley being rescued at the beginning is completely different. Originally, Clemens finds her lying on the shore near the EEV and then takes her into the prison. A group of prisoners head down to the beach with Oxen to get the EEV out of the water. This whole sequence was reshot to have footage with the dog instead. (Read the Alien’s Host deleted scene). In the theatrical version Ripley is discovered still inside her cryogenic unit inside the EEV. In the theatrical version, there were shots of some prisoners examining the escape pod, including a shot of a facehugger crawling towards the dog and an optical shot of the EEV being carried out of the water by a crane.

Theatrical Cut

Dillon’s Speech
Following the rescue sequence, 85 tells everyone in the mess hall to settle down, and Dillon preaches before Andrews’ first ‘rumour control.’ The theatrical version started the scene with Andrews’ rumour control.

Entering the Morgue
Just before the autopsy of Newt, there is a scene with Clemens, Ripley, and Prisoner Kevin walking down the spiral stairs into the morgue where Clemens questions Ripley about her need to be certain about Newt’s death. Clemens asks, “Is there a particular reason that you’re so insistent?” Ripley replies, “Yes, I have to be sure how she died.” He continues, “I hate to be repetitious about such a sensitive subject, but it’s perfectly clear that she drowned.” As the two walk across the room, he asks, “Was she your daughter?” She responds, “No, she wasn’t.”

Alien’s Host
In the assembly cut, the alien emerges from an ox instead of a dog. There is a scene where two inmates are dragging an ox named Babe into the butchery after it has suddenly dropped dead. They discuss what caused Babe’s death, and there’s some macho talk about Ripley. The scene ends when one of the inmates discovers a strange dead animal near the dead ox (which is a dead facehugger). This scene replaces the scene in the theatrical version where Murphy finds his wounded dog. The funeral scene is also now intercut with scenes of the Alien bursting from the dead ox rather than the dog, ending with an especially made digital shot of the Alien running off.

The ox was originally shot first in the film. The crew designed the scenes, built the slaughterhouse set, sculpted the animatronic ox, constructed the chestburster, and filmed all of the scenes before they filmed any of the real ox. When they brought on the real ox, it wouldn’t do anything. Director David Fincher and the FX team scrapped the ox in favour of an easily trainable dog.

Theatrical Cut

Discussing Golic
Just before Ripley enters the mess Hall with her newly shaved head after the funeral, Prisoners Boggs and Rains share their complaints to Dillon about Prisoner Golic. They say he is crazy and smells bad, and that they don’t want to work with him in the tunnels. Dillon says “Well, he’s going with you. Golic is just another poor, miserable, suffering son of a bitch, just like you and me.” and that they have no choice in the matter.

Ripley & Dillon
The scene in which Ripley and Dillon talk about temptations in the cafeteria ends with a shot of Dillon, where it originally ended on Ripley.

Cremating the Bodies
Following Murphy’s death, there is more dialogue between Ripley and Clemens about why they had to cremate the bodies.

Remembering Murphy
Right after the scene where Ripley asks Clemens where the Bishop droid is, there is a scene where Dillon sees Boggs, Rains, and Golic, off on their excursion into the tunnels. Dillon tells Golic, “Light a candle for Murphy, will you?” Golic replies, “I’ll light a thousand.” Then they go off into the tunnel.

Ripley’s Identity
Straight after the previous scene, there is the scene where Andrews and Clemens meet to discuss Ripley. It has a completely new beginning, where the theatrical version begins with Andrews threatening Clemens, and ends with Andrews telling Clemens to “sit the hell down.” There is additional dialogue here where Clemens Andrews that Ripley was part of a combat team; Andrews eventually just tells Clemens to get out.

Golic’s Cigarettes
Golic kicks open an old cigarette machine in the tunnel to get free cigarette packs.

Golic’s Deranged State
During Ripley’s conversation with the reconnected Bishop, there are intercut scenes of Golic being found in the mess hall by Eric, the cook. He walks up to him and Golic turns around smiling. His face is still smeared with blood from his previous encounter with the Alien, and Eric drops his dishes in shock. A little bit later, Golic is grabbed by the others (Clemens, 85, Andrews, and Dillon) and dragged to the infirmary.

Golic in the Infirmary
The scene in the infirmary where Ripley and Clemens talk has a new opening shot in which the camera begins with a medium shot of Golic, then tracks through the hospital room. Later on in the scene, a tied-up Golic interrupts with a few lines about how in an insane world, a sane man must appear to be insane; Clemens sarcastically thanks him. Golic spies on Ripley and Clemens talking by looking under the curtain. The alien drops from the air vent into the infirmary and lands on the mattress next to him causing it to ‘lower’. There are more shots of it approaching, and Ripley sees its feet through the bottom of the curtains. There is also a shot of the alien opening its mouth before killing Clemens. After the alien kills Clemens, and Ripley runs out of the infirmary, there is a close-up of Golic admiring the alien, he calls it “magnificent.” Followed by a shot of a large amount of blood dripping from the grate through which Clemens was hauled by the Alien.

Move on to Part 2 of Alien 3 Deleted Scenes.