Mrs Doubtfire fans call for release of R-rated version of film revealed by director

‘[Williams] would sometimes go into territory that wouldn’t be appropriate for a PG-13 movie,’ Chris Columbus revealed

Mrs Doubtfire fans are calling for the release of an R-rated version of the family film revealed to exist by director Chris Columbus.

Released in 1993, the classic movie stars Robin Williams as an actor who disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children amid his divorce from their mother.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, director Columbus admitted that three versions of the film were made in the end. This included an R-rated cut, roughly equivalent to a 15 rating in the UK.

“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,’” he recalled.

“And we would basically go on anywhere between 15 to 22 takes, I think 22 being the most I remember.”

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With every take, Williams came up with new versions and new lines as both Daniel Hillard and his British alter-ego Euphegenia Doubtfire. “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 said.

The film maker, who also directed Home Alone and the first two Harry Potter films, admitted that while he’d be open to releasing some of the scenes in a documentary, he didn’t “recall” most of them.

“I only know what’s in the movie at this point because it’s been a long time. But I do remember it was outrageously funny material,” he said.

Williams and Columbus on set of Mrs Doubtfire (Moviestore/Shutterstock)

Following the EW interview, fans of the family classic have shown their support for the release of the R-rated version.

“If they can release the Snyder Cut of a critically panned film, they can release the R-Rated cut of Mrs Doubtfire!” one tweet read.

“Whatever studio produced Mrs Doubtfire needs to release these cuts NOW,” another Twitter user wrote.

One commenter tweeted: “Dreaming of a world where they release the Mrs Doubtfire NC-17 cut and many parents accidentally show that version to their child.”