Small Soldiers (lost deleted scenes from action comedy film; 1998)

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The film's theatrical poster.

Status: Lost

Small Soldiers is an action comedy film released on July 10th, 1998, by director Joe Dante, who is best known for directing Gremlins.

Due to pressure by Dreamworks to make the film more kid-friendly for tie-ins, many of the scenes were cut from the film which included a lot of more gruesome action & some intense explosions. While a few deleted scenes were released on DVD, there is no sign of some scenes deleted due to violence. Only a few seconds of some of the deleted scenes were seen on early trailers and TV spots. The film apparently was rumored at one point that it fought an R rating but gotten the PG-13 rating after editing just before it released.

As Director Joe Dante once recalled:

"Originally I was told to make an edgy picture for teenagers, but when the sponsor tie-ins came in the new mandate was to soften it up as a kiddie movie. Too late, as it turned out, and there are elements of both approaches in there. Just before release, it was purged of a lot of action and explosions."

A shot of a Commando (Butch Meathook) causing the Abernathy house to explode is seen in several trailers was cut, the ruins of the house are seen in the background at the end of the movie as Stuart Abernathy complains to Gil Mars. As well as a scene of the Commandos & Major Chip Hazzard armed with grappling hooks running through the legs of the humans.