8 Deleted Apollo 13 Scenes We Wish Made The Cut

One deleted scene shows Ken Mattingly's reaction to being grounded. The movie shows Mattingly (Gary Sinise) accepting the news that German measles stops him from flying. The cut footage reveals Mattingly privately processing this huge career hit.

Removed because:

This longer sequence shows Mattingly's struggle between personal letdown and mission duty. His later rescue actions would have felt much heavier if viewers saw his real reaction. Ron Howard said they cut the scene for pacing, but he called it one of Sinise's best moments.

NASA officials secretly made backup plans for the astronauts' deaths. These clips show administrators writing presidential statements and planning memorials while pretending to be optimistic. The sequence includes a strong part where officials discuss how to handle communication if the crew's situation looks hopeless.

Removed because:

This darker material shows the real seriousness and impossible choices NASA leaders faced. Tom Hanks mentioned these scenes filmed to show the full responsibility NASA administrators carried. However, the film needed a tone of solving problems and eventual success, so the scenes were too heavy.

Several close talks between Lovell, Haise, and Swigert were filmed but taken out. These quiet moments show the astronauts talking about their families, career goals, and accepting possible death as things got worse. One touching scene has the three men recording messages for their families, unsure if they would live.

Removed because:

Bill Paxton said these scenes captured the 'brotherhood that forms in life-or-death situations.' He understood the cuts kept the speed up during the crisis parts.

Several close family moments between Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) and his family before launch were cut. These moments show Lovell balancing his job with family. In one touching scene, Lovell talks seriously with his teenage daughter about past missions and the risks.

Removed because:

These deleted scenes show the stakes beyond technical issues, revealing what each astronaut faced. Marilyn Lovell stated these scenes captured the emotional prep families went through before each mission. Filmmakers cut these moments to keep the film moving.

A deleted subplot explores media coverage of the Apollo 13 crisis. It shows the shift from public indifference about 'another moon mission' to worldwide worry for the astronauts. News anchors, including a recreation of Walter Cronkite's coverage, provide context for how the world got updates on the threatened mission.

This scene was taken out.

This sequence shows how Apollo 13 brought public interest back to the space program as moon landings seemed routine. The scenes also show global media reactions, showing how the crisis united people. Production notes show these scenes were cut to keep focus on the astronauts and Mission Control, though Howard admitted they gave history context.

A technical deleted scene reveals more details about the actual mechanical failures on Apollo 13. This extended scene shows astronauts and Mission Control fixing extra system failures after the first explosion, including issues with comms gear and navigation systems.

This scene was taken out.

The sequence shows the disaster's chain reaction and the hard problem-solving needed at every step. Flight Director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) explains how spacecraft systems depend on each other and why every new failure brought unique problems. Technical advisors said this scene showed the crisis's true complexity accurately, but they cut it to stop overwhelming general audiences with technical facts.

The film's original ending had a longer epilogue showing how the Apollo 13 experience shaped the astronauts' later lives and careers. This longer ending showed Jim Lovell facing the sad truth of never walking on the moon despite getting close. It also featured more detail on NASA's investigation and later spacecraft design changes.

This ending tested audiences poorly.

Test audiences found this ending too long; they preferred the shorter conclusion in the movie version. However, many consultants, including Lovell, liked these scenes because they showed the mission's long-term effect on the space program and the people involved.

NASA engineers solved tough problems in backrooms. This sequence was cut from the final film. Dozens of specialists developed new solutions under tight deadlines. The footage shows power-up procedure development and talks about different reentry paths.

It was removed because it slowed the story. Ron Howard said these scenes gave good context but built tension too slowly at key moments.

These scenes would show the teamwork in the rescue better. They would reveal the Mission Control team was only part of the minds saving the astronauts. Ron Howard said these scenes offered good background but slowed the story at times tension needed to build.