Sorry folks, director confirms there is not a 'Mrs. Doubtfire' NC-17 cut

Sorry folks, director Chris Columbus confirms there is not a 'Mrs. Doubtfire' NC-17 cut

By Megan Armstrong | Last updated 3/22/21

Mrs. Doubtfire director Chris Columbus is putting out fans' fire for an NC-17 cut of the 1993 Oscar-winning comedy starring late comedian Robin Williams.

"(Williams) 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 told Entertainment Weekly. "I only [previously] used the phrase NC-17 as a joke. There could be no NC-17 version of the movie."

In this 2015 interview, Columbus said that "literally, a PG rated version of the film, PG-13, R, and NC-17" cuts of Mrs. Doubtfire existed in the editing room because of Williams' incredible improvisational ability. That tidbit recirculated last week on Twitter:

While filming 'Mrs. Doubtfire' (1993), Robin Williams improvised so much that there were PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 cuts of the film pic.twitter.com/vjYUCmyrj2
— Film Facts (@factsonfiIm) March 18, 2021

Columbus further clarified with EW: "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. The problem is, I don't recall most of it. 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."

Mrs. Doubtfire centered around Williams as divorced father Daniel Hillard, who disguises himself as housekeeper Mrs. Doubtfire so he can spend time with his kids.