Shooting a film based on a comic is no development of this century. Spawn-Creator Todd McFarlane e.g. came up with that idea in 1997. He was one of the people who were responsible for a very embarrassing action flick, which is an insult to the franchise. The character Spawn, who's very brutal in the comics, is obviously leashed. Furthermore we've got John Leguizamo as Clown, who's pretty dreadful and annoying, and a Devil who looks like a CGI dog. Generally this flick is free of any suspense or surprises and the showdown in (CGI) hell is the awful highlight. Even for 1997 the CGI's ancient. One can just hope that there will be another, better film in the future.

Another aspect for the failure of the film was the studio's decision to edit the Theatrical Version of the movie to get a PG-13 rating (for thematic elements involving the demonic underworld, violence, intense fantasy action and crude humor). As a result of that the Theatrical Version includes almost none of the onscreen violence and some oneliners were also cut. This version wasn't even released in the USA on DVD but for some reason it was released in Germany (with an "FSK 16" rating). It is highly probably that this version is based on the Uncut US Theatrical Cut which was also released in Germany (with an "FSK 18" rating). Undoubted the DC is the harder version because it contains the scenes that were cut for PG-13 and it contains some alternate, more explicit footage as well. A perfect example for the studio's effort to make the film suitable for a younger audience.


106 differences devided in
2 additional scenes in the Theatrical Cut
8 extended scenes in the Theatrical Cut
11 additional scenes in the Director's Cut
13 extended scenes in the Director's Cut
33 cuts for censorship
39 scenes with alternate footage


The Director's Cut is 143.04 sec or approx. 2 min 23 sec longer than the Theatrical Cut.


Compared are the Theatrical Cut (FSK 16 / PG-13) (DVD by MAWA/VCL) with the Director's Cut (FSK 18 / R-Rated) (DVD by Warner Bros.).

Additional scene in the Theatrical Cut
TC: 0:01:17: The worker in the tower is shown for a couple of frames.
+ 0,48 sec

censorship
0:01:19: Simmons shoots several workers. Then a cut to him.
2,84 sec

censorship
0:01:23: Close-up of an airport employee who gets shot. (The first shot of the exploding panels begins one frame earlier in the TC.)
0,76 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:01:21
DC: 0:01:29: Further shot in the DC that shows Simmons execute the guys, they drop dead. The TC shows the footage that was cut before (Simmons shoots and lowers his gun).
The DC is 2.8 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Additional scene
0:02:12: The DC contains a shot of Simmons' interface identifies a further passenger.
2,56 sec

Additional scene
0:02:38: Two female passengers watching the arriving missile.
0,92 sec

censorship
0:02:56: A shot of the dead employees which doesn't pop up in the TC.
1,28 sec

censorship
0:02:59: The DC shows the dead employees in a room before the detonation.
0,88 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:02:48
DC: 0:03:01: Here's a smart one: the DC also cuts to the corpses, the TC just shows the inner view for a longer period.
The DC is 0.48 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 0:11:25
DC: 0:11:39: The TC makes that scene look like the guard goes down after being hit once. In the DC Simmons hits him several times and breakes his neck which can be heard very well btw.
The DC is 3.76 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 0:12:15
DC: 0:12:33: The long shot of Simmons' getting shot only appears in the DC. The TC shows him being shot in his chest instead.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 0:12:40
DC: 0:13:03: In the DC the scene, where Simmons gets splattered with some flamable liquid, is extended. The TC shows Wynn saying that he was supposed to enjoy the retirement, which appears in the DC, too, but only in the off.
The DC is 3.12 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:13:24: Simmons' arm burns slightly longer in the DC. Typical cut for the MPAA rating.
0,56 sec

censorship
0:13:26: A shot of the burning Simmons is missing.
0,84 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:13:07
DC: 0:13:29: Both versions contain exclusive footage here. The DC shows an explicit shot of Simmons. He burns and yells his wife's name. The TC shows Wynn and Priest passing a corridor. Wynn uses a device for the detonation.
The TC is 3.8 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:13:36: Closer shot of Simmons, who falls on the ground while he's burning, in the DC.
1,56 sec

Extended scene
0:14:01: The camera shot that ends with Simmons, begins earlier in the DC.
3,88 sec

Extended scene TC
TC: 0:16:12: A dialog is missing in the DC. Zack says to Simmons that he'd already seen worse faces because his father had washed corpses for a living. Simmons thanks him and adds that he could be glad if Zack said so.
+ 12,08 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:19:23
DC: 0:19:35: The TC shows Clown blowing his nose with a red wipe, the DC shows him smoking.
The DC is 0.2 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Additional scene
0:21:57: This sexual reference was apparently too much for a PG-13. Clown holds some cake in front of Simmons' face and presses it so that white creme appears. He also asks him what that reminded him of and tells him to think about it.
2,96 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:21:54
DC: 0:22:09: Clown presents his filthy shorts a bit longer. Instead the TC shows Simmons being disgusted earlier.
The DC is 0.88 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:23:24: Of course the flashback of Simmons' death is also cut. Simmons burns, Wynn salutes and wants him to greet hell. Simmons yells for his wife while he's burning, after that everything around him explodes.
5,08 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:24:22
DC: 0:24:43: Only the DC shows the Clown dancing, the TC shows Simmons being pretty upset.
The DC is 0.36 Sec. longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 0:25:45
DC: 0:26:07: This scene is different in several aspects. Not only a very blasphemic sentence is missing in the TC, but also the close-ups of the skull on the altar.

The DC is 3.6 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:26:26: One of the guys also says: "Hey, how about we get back to that sacrifice-a-virgin idea?"
3,24 sec

Extended scene
0:26:39: Extended scene of Simmons and the seal.
1,56 sec

censorship
0:27:03: The hand's solubilizing is extended in the DC.
0,24 sec

Extended scene
0:32:29: The scene with the news reporter and Terrence is also extended in the DC.
2.04 sec

Extended scene
0:33:35: Extended scene of Spawn running over the steel beam.
1.16 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:37:56
DC: 0:38:29: Additional shot of Spawn choking Wynn in the DC, the TC shows the other one completely.
The TC is 0.44 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:38:40: Spawn kicks Wynn in the stomach. That's why he crushes on a table and finally on the ground.
4.6 sec

censorship
0:39:11: Further shot of Spawn escaping from Priest's blaze of gunfire.
2.32 sec

censorship
0:39:18: Priest shoots at Spawn who ducks while he's shooting. Some party guests in the background are being hit.
2.6 sec

censorship
0:39:23: Spawn has to take another hit.
0.88 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:38:40
DC: 0:39:24: Different take of embryo-like Wynn (to take cover) in each version.
0.56 sec

censorship
0:40:42: When Spawn fires at Priest, a short shot of her, that's supposed to suggest that she did get hit, is missing. No details shown.
0.4 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:39:59
DC: 0:40:44: Priest falls down in several shots in the DC. In the TC it's only one shot.
The DC is 1.64 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:40:47: Another shot of Priest crushing on the table. The shot in advance is also extended in the DC.
2.6 sec

censorship
0:41:12: Spawn shoots a soldier.
1.72 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:40:25
DC: 0:41:16: The DC shows a soldier getting hit by a bullet, the TC shows firing soldiers.
The DC is 1 Frame (0.04 sec) longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:41:21: The soldiers are under fire, one of them on the left gets hit.
1.44 sec

censorship
0:41:24: Spawn shoots another soldier.
1.08 sec

censorship
0:41:26: Spawn raises his weapons 10 frames earlier in the TC. But then again a soldier, who gets shot in two different angles, is cut.
1.52 sec

Extended scene in the Theatrical Cut
0:41:46: The DC shows Spawn's capability to transform. That scene also appears in the TC and believe it or not: the scene is one frame longer in the TC.
0,04 sec

Extended scene in the Theatrical Cut
TC: 0:43:56: The shot starts earlier in the TC.
+ 1,8 sec

Extended scene
0:45:25: Clown also says in the DC: "From hell the good hands people."
1,32 Sec.

Alternate footage
TC: 0:49:30
DC: 0:50:24: Zac spits out the mouldy sandwich. The image is cropped or zoomed in the TC. One can't see Zac any more.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 0:49:46
DC: 0:50:39: In the TC the father just raises his hand, in the DC he hits Zack.
The DC is 0.92 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Extended scene
0:54:36: Another sexual hint by Clown: "Well, the evil's been there since you've been soup in your mama's crotch."
4.64 sec

Extended scene in the Theatrical Cut
0:53:55: Clown appears earlier.
+ 0,68 sec

Additional scene
0:56:06: Zack turns curiously around the corner.
1.76 sec

Additional scene
0:56:40: Another shot of Zack who watches Clown's transformation to Violator.
1.04 sec

Additional scene
0:56:53: Zack runs away pretty scared.
1.8 sec

censorship
0:57:20: Additional shot of Violator's legs under fire. No explicit footage.
0.8 sec

censorship
0:58:14: Zack and his father are scared, they're standing in front of Violator.
0.96 sec

0:58:17: Further shot of Spawn looking up to Violator in the DC. But this one's not counted because later, it also appears in the TC.


censorship
0:58:20: The Violator holds Zack's father as a hostage. First a close-up and then how he hits his head twice.
2.8 sec

Addtional scene
0:58:24: Shot of Zack, who looks very shocked, in the DC. The next shot of Violator is extended for a couple of frames.
1.08 sec

Additional scene in the Theatrical Cut
0:57:26: Zack kneeing next to his father.
+ 1.12 sec

censorship
1:00:43: A couple of frames more of Violator lifting up Spawn.
0.36 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:58:37
DC: 0:59:45: Alternate footage due to censorship: The TC shows Spawn hitting a fence. The DC shows a close-up which reveals that there are lots of spikes and Spawn dashes against them.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
0:59:55: Extended scene of Spawn at the fence in the DC.
1.52 sec

censorship
1:00:00: The tracking shot is shorter in the TC.
1.8 sec

Extended scene
1:00:14: Clown adds: "I could have killed you like that *snap*!"
1.32 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:59:05
DC: 1:00:18: Different shot of Clown talking to Spawn. In the Dc he also says: "Gosh, you look like crap!"
The DC is 2.2 sec longer

Extended scene
1:00:47: Clown continues with the sex talk: "It's my turn to ride the Wanda-carousel of love. Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!"
7.44 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 0:59:37
DC: 1:02:00: Clown: "Last one there gets her rotten eggs. Ha ha ha ha! Wynn and Wanda sitting in a tree, s-u-c-k-i-n-g.". The TC shows footage of Spawn hanging at the fence. When Clown leaves and Cogliostro goes to Spawn, both versions are different. Probably because of Clown's singing some sexual stuff in the DC.
The DC is 2.8 sec longer

Extended scene
TC: 1:01:09
DC: 1:02:34: Same here. In the TC Zack talks to his father about the ambulance. In the DC a medic checks his pulse and puts him in a blanket. That means his father seems to survive in the TC but die in the DC.
The DC is 2.36 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 1:09:50
DC: 1:11:18: In the TC Wynn stands in front of Terry and tells him that he was disappointed of him. In the DC he hits him, then a shot of Wanda taking her daughter.
The DC is 2.36 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Additional scene
1:11:23: Wanda turns around to protect herself.
0.72 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:09:55
DC: 1:11:26: This scene is slightly different, too. The main difference is Terry holding his cheek for a longer period in the DC, he does not in the TC.
The DC is 0.88 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Extended scene
1:11:34: Wynn threatens Wanda with his gun. Terry wants to help and says: "Hey..."
Wynn: "You're a very lucky man, Terrence."
Then he points his gun at Terry.
10.4 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:12:18
DC: 1:13:59: In the TC Wanda's eyes are foggy violet, in the DC they aren't.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 1:12:21
DC: 1:14:02: Same here.
No difference

Alternate footage
TC: 1:12:23
DC: 1:14:04: The TC shows Wynn threating Wanda to slice her throat. The DC shows Wynn, then Wanda with the knife at the throat. Furthermore there's more dialog:
Spawn: "Get away from her."
Wynn: "I can't do that. She wants me."
The DC is 6.72 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 1:12:30
DC: 1:14:16: Close-up of Wynn playing with the knife in front of Wanda's face. The TC shows the shot which has been cut before.
The DC is 0.54 sec longer

censorship
1:14:20: Additional shot of Wanda with the knife in front of her face. Wynn adds to his threat to kill Wanda: "After I'm done."
1.88 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:12:39
DC: 1:14:27: The TC shows Wynn mentioning that they're running out of time. The DC shows him and then Wanda again with the knife in front of her face.
The DC is 0.52 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 1:12:41
DC: 1:14:30: Different shot of Wanda in the TC. She doesn't have the knife in front of the face. In the DC she still does.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
1:14:35: Wanda gets stabbed by Wynn (mostly offscreen).
0.64 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:12:46
DC: 1:14:36: Different shot of Spawn's eyes. In the DC his eyes are glowing green, in the TC they aren't. Plus a more explicit shot of Wynn stabbing Wanda.
The DC is 0.48 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Extended scene in the Theatrical Cut
TC: 1:14:52: Spawn comes closer to the stabbed Wanda. Furthermore her wound gleams which happens later in the DC.
+ 0.84 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:13:32
DC: 1:15:21: The TC continues the shot of Spawn kicking Wynn. In the DC the shot's replaced by a close-up of kicking his head.
The DC is 0.24 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 1:13:45
DC: 1:15:35 The TC continues the shot of Spawn kicking Wynn. In the DC the shot's replaced by Terry being gagged with a sex toy.
The DC is 0.36 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
1:15:50: Wynn moves a lot more while he's burning.
1.4 sec

censorship
1:15:53: Again the burning Wynn.
0.8 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:14:23
DC: 1:16:16: The TC shows Cyan being bound at the chair from the distance, she looks normal. The DC contains a close-up, she's got tears in her eyes and she looks scared. This shot is followed by another one of Wynn's face.
The DC is 1.4 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Alternate footage
TC: 1:14:27
DC: 1:16:22: Now the shot of Wynn in the TC, a further shot of Cyan's tear-stained face.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Extended scene
1:17:12: The possessed Wanda adds: "... in your entire freakin' universe!" Minor differences in the effects beforehand.
1.6 sec

Extended scene
1:17:15: Wanda also mentiones: "Whatever happened to love, honour, respect?"
3.96 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:15:24
DC: 1:17:24: Wanda's dagger is glowing green in the DC, in the TC it's not.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

censorship
1:17:27: Wanda with a twisted face.
1.04 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:16:10
DC: 1:18:13: Here the TC contains more footage. Wynn also says that one couldn't trust anybody any more.
The TC is 1.68 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Extended scene
1:18:46: Extended shot of Wanda and Clown.
0.48 sec

Extended scene in the Theatrical Cut
TC: 1:16:48: Cogliostro only asks in the TC what it tasted like?
+ 1.32 sec

Extended scene
1:19:20: Clown's diabolic laughter is extended in the DC.
1.48 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:19:41
DC: 1:21:41: Different shot of the Devil in both versions.
No difference

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Extended scene in the Theatrical Cut
1:20:12: Spawn torches Satan's hordes with his lethal green laser ray for an extended period.
0.68 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:20:16
DC: 1:22:15: Spawn turns around differently in both versions.
The DC is 0.32 sec longer

Theatrical Cut	Director's Cut

Additional scene
1:23:55: Shots of Terry, Wanda and Cyan in the DC.
2.24 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:22:01
DC: 1:23:57: Now there's the earlier shot of Wynn in the TC. In the DC Cyan gets up and is heading to the fire.
The DC is 3.08 sec longer

Additional scene
1:24:07: Cyan keeps on going plus shots of a scared Wynn and then of Terry and Wanda.
3.84 sec

Additional scene
1:24:13: Close-up of the screaming Cyan.
1.6 sec

Alternate footage
TC: 1:22:44
DC: 1:24:53: Shot of Terry in the TC, in the DC it's Zack with Spaz.
The TC is 1 Frame (0.04 sec) longer

censorship
1:25:07: The beheading is extended in the DC.
1.64 sec

Extended scene in the Theatrical Cut
1:24:04: Spawn looks at Cogliostro for a longer period, but he starres to the ground.
0.8 sec