The 5 Best Ridley Scott Director’s Cuts

Ridley Scott is the master of the Director’s Cut, but of all the ones he’s done, which are the most essential?

Last Updated on November 25, 2024

With Gladiator II now in theaters (read our review), many folks have been asking themselves that inevitable question – will Ridley Scott be doing a Director’s Cut, and how much footage will he be adding? Suffice it to say, Scott is truly a pioneer in this regard, as before he started adding footage back into his films and releasing director’s cuts, it was pretty rare. Indeed, his director’s cut of Blade Runner began the trend, especially when the radically different cut became a significant hit on home video and helped the film get rediscovered as a classic.

While not all of Ridley Scott’s Director’s Cuts have been necessary (the one for Alien messes with the mythology established by the sequels), some of the new cuts have been revelatory. Here are five great ones:

Kingdom of Heaven

When Kingdom of Heaven hit theatres in 2004, many thought it was paled next to Gladiator, feeling scattershot and unfinished. The Director’s Cut reinstated forty-five minutes, and the extra running time was crucial. One of the things many people complained about in the original was Orlando Bloom’s turn as the hero, Balian, and in the new cut, his character is fleshed out, with so many great scenes involving him you wonder why Scott ever agreed to trim the movie in the first place. He even (initially) cut the final climactic sword fight between Balian and the movie’s main villain. If you’ve only ever seen the shorter version of the film, do yourself a favour and check it out (as well as the Best Movie You Never Saw episode we did on it!).

Blade Runner

In terms of running time, there wasn’t a ton added to Blade Runner, but rather it was about what Ridley Scott removed – namely the narration by Harrison Ford’s Deckard and the tacked-on happy ending. By removing these two things, Blade Runner became much more atmospheric, introducing doubt about whether or not Deckard is even human or if he’s a replicant like the ones he’s hunting. Like Kingdom of Heaven, this is one of the most necessary Director’s Cuts ever. 

Legend

The Director’s Cut of Legend differs hugely from the one Universal put in theatres in 1986. It is half an hour longer and has an entirely different score, with Jerry Goldsmith’s soundtrack reinstated (it was cut for a rock-driven score by Tangerine Dream). However, unlike other movies, some prefer the shorter, more action-driven U.S. cut. It all comes down to taste.

American Gangster

When American Gangster hit theatres, many complained that it moved a little too quickly and that the ending was abrupt. For the home release, Scott reinstated nineteen minutes of footage, the most crucial being an epilogue in which Denzel Washington’s Frank Lucas is picked up from jail by his adversary turned friend, Russell Crowe’s Richie Roberts. This gives both actors more to do onscreen and ends the film on a somewhat more elegiac note. 

The Counselor

When it came out, The Counselor, Ridley Scott and Cormac McCarthy’s bonkers drug smuggling drama, was met with a divisive reaction. Many thought the film was ultimately too excessive and silly. The extended cut doubles down on everything some folks hated about it, but if you’re a fan of the film and McCarthy’s dialogue, the twenty-minute Director’s Cut is a must-see. 

Which Ridley Scott Director’s Cut is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!