We need to see this immediately…

After mad rumours and speculation, Mrs. Doubtfire director Chris Columbus has finally answered our prayers, indeed confirming that an R-rated version of the iconic film exists. The rumours started after Film Facts made a tweet suggesting that, due to Robin Williams’ frequent improvisations during filming, there were unused “PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 cuts of the film.” Although Columbus shot down the existence of NC-17 footage, he did confirm that there were three different versions of the film, which included an R-rated version.

Speaking on the various cuts, Columbus said “The reality is that there was a deal between Robin and myself, which was, he’ll do one or two, three scripted takes. And then he would say, ‘Then let me play.’ And we would basically go on anywhere between 15 to 22 takes, I think 22 being the most I remember.”

“He would sometimes go into territory that wouldn’t be appropriate for a PG-13 movie, but certainly appropriate and hilariously funny for an R-rated film,” Columbus continued. “I only used the phrase NC-17 as a joke. There could be no NC-17 version of the movie.”

However, it seems the possibility of us seeing the R-rated version of the film seems unlikely at best, but knowing the power of fandoms (think Deadpool and Zack Snyder’s Justice League), anything is possible. But at the very least, it seems Columbus would be down to explore the additional scenes Williams filmed in a documentary-format, saying “I would be open to maybe doing a documentary about the making of the film, and enabling people to see certain scenes re-edited in an R-rated version.

“I think that would be the best approach. I’m very proud of this film.”

Pretty exciting. Fingers crossed we see that R-rated version one day. For now, check out the trailer of the film below as well as the Executive Decision we did for it last week here.