With "The Warriors" Walter Hill landed a hit that enjoys great popularity up to this day. Only in 2005 the then 28 years old movie was made into a Video Game for Playstation 2, PSP and XBox. In the same year a Director's Cut was released on DVD in the USA.

Whether or not the Director's Cut is the better version is a matter of opinion. Nothing relevant to the story has been changed, removed or added. Some of the changeovers, however, have been redesigned in comic form and the film now features a new introduction telling of a group of Greek soldiers escaping from the Persian kingdom.

The Director's Cut runs 76 seconds longer than the Theatrical Version.

Left: Theatrical Version
Right: Director'S Cut

0:00:17
The movie begins differently. We see an old scroll while the narrator reads the text and the picture scrolls down.

Title: "Battle of Cunaxa - 401 B.C."
Narrator: "Over two milleniums ago, an army of Greek soldiers found themselves isolated in the middle of the Persian Empire. One thousand miles from safety. One thousand miles from the sea. One thousand miles with enemies on all sides. Theirs was a story of a desperate forced march. Theirs was a story of courage."

We see a comic panel showing a few of the Warriors and a text box.

Text: "This too is a story of courage."

The camera pans down and we see the Ferris whell, along with another text box.

Text: "Sometime in the future..."

Then the box disappears and the Ferris wheel begins to spin. Now the Theatrical Version starts as well.

52 seconds

0:12:23
Before Luther shoots the camera zooms away from him in the DC. The shot is a bit longer as well.

0,5 seconds

0:12:44
The spotlights are brighte in the DC.

No time difference

0:18:32
After Rembrandt has sprayed the Warriors logo on the tombstone the DC changes over to a comic panel and also freezes before Rembrandt disappears behind the tombstone while the Theatrical Version simply cuts to the next shot and shows him disappearing behind the tombstone - so the scene is a bit shorter in the DC.

Text: "Hey! Wait for me..."

The panel moves over to an old run down house.

Text: "Somewhere in Gramercy Park..."

The camera moves on past a door and stops at a hand pushing the button of an elevator. The camera moves up and we see the elevator descend - now the Theatrical Version continues as well.

10 seconds
(Theatrical Version: 1 second longer)

0:22:27
While in the Theatrical Version the tracking shot runs straight to the Turnbull ACs radio the camera zooms in on the radio in the DC. Also, in the DC the radio is shown about half a second shorter.

- 0,5 seconds

0:23:02
The changeover is shown with a white comic-like line in the DC.

No time difference

0:26:00
Dito.

No time difference

0:27:42
Dito.

No time difference

0:29:20
While in the Theatrical Version Luther turns away and the screen blurs before a normal changeover, the picture freezes and turns into a comic panel in the DC. Then the camera jumps to another panel showing Swan.

Text: "Meanwhile..."

7 seconds
(Theatrical Version: shot 2 seconds longer)

0:29:24
The camera moves towards the Orphans instead of remaining in its position.

No time difference

0:39:15
Another changeover has been provided with a white line.

No time difference

0:40:37
Dito.

No time difference

0:43:19
Here the DC has been recut.
Theatrical Version: We see group #1 of the Warriors (with Swan and Ajax) running and group #2 of the Warriors (with Rembrandt) escaping into the subway. Group #1 arrives in front of the subway station. They pause to catch their breath and we see the first of the Baseball Furies.
Director's Cut: We see group #1 of the Warriors running and arriving in front of the subway station before group #2 escapes into the subway, the screen freezes, turns into a comic panel and changes over to the first Baseball Fury. The shot of the Warriors catching their breath is shown while we see the Baseball Furies.

Text: "They escape, but... Holy shit!!! The Baseball Furies!!!"

10 seconds
(Theatrical Version: shots 2 seconds longer)

0:48:07
Again, the changeover has been provided with a white line.

No time difference

0:49:26
Dito.

No time difference

0:53:44
Again, the changeover has been turned into comic panels. In the Theatrical Version, we see the police cars longer and Swan walking around the corner.

Text: "Swan, now alone..."

9 seconds
(Theatrical Version: shots 11 seconds longer)

1:06:13
Again, the screen freezes and turns into comic panels for the changeover. In the Theatrical Version we see Rembrandt and his two allies running.

6 seconds
(Theatrical Version: shots 5 seconds longer)

1:17:00
The changeover from Mercy to the arriving train has been edited. In the DC it is presented as a comic again and the shot of the Ferris wheel is different (a little farther away in the DC). The Theatrical Version continues as the train arrives.
The whole scene is a bit shorter in the DC.

Text: "Morning came..."

No time difference
(Theatrical Version: shots 5 seconds longer)

1:24:40
In the DC the camera moves towards Luther.

No time difference

1:25:31
Again, the changeover has been provided with a white line.

No time difference

Ending credits
While in the Theatrical Version the Wariors are walking along the beach, the DC shows a few comic panels. Also, different music is played.

No time difference