Alternate versions for
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) More at IMDbPro »

• Reportedly, in the work print, right before Gray dies, Aki tells him that he must not die because she is pregnant with his child. The audience at preview screenings hated this plot point so much that it was out for the thatrical release.
  
  
• An alternate opening for the film was animated but never used. This opening scene occurs shortly after the the meteor containing the alien phantoms lands on Earth. Three scientists approach the crater to investigate and one of them is killed by the unseen phantoms. This alternate opening can be viewed on the special edition DVD.
  
  
• Several scenes in the film were redone with comic intent for a bonus section in the Special Edition DVD release. The animation detail in each clip varies. There is also an "Easter Egg" music video of the characters dancing to a segment of choreography from Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983) (V).
  
  
• Disc 2 of the DVD release opens with a specially-shot faux "behind the scenes" sequence in which Aki finishes acting a scene from the movie, then walks past the camera and talks to the director. Characters from the movie can be seen mingling with the live-action creators in the background. The alternate opening sequence on DVD uses a different version of Aki than seen in the final movie. The DVD has a special feature in which Aki's dream sequences are edited together into a mini-movie.
  
  
• The DVD comes complete with a series of six animated bloopers and goof-offs.
  • Grey shoots through the hangar window, and then knocks himself out as his attempt to jump through it fails.
  • The animators go a little too weird with the scene where Neil drives through the building with the others. After they crash, we can see that the animators have placed debris (pipes, tools, stop signs) through their heads, and yet they continue to act as if nothing has happened.
  • In the Wasteland, Grey stumbles and accidentally shoots Aki. After realizing she's not moving, he nonchalantly sets his gun aside and starts running.
  • Aki drives her spaceship into Grey during the shoot-out in the hangar.
  • During the conference, Aki enters the room and smacks Sid upside the head.
  • In the final scene where Aki is solemnly carrying a dead Grey out of the Crater, she happens to sneeze, which causes both her and the dead body to break out into laughter.
  
  
  
• The Special Edition DVD contains a feature called The Gray Project, which is a video montage of various pieces of rough computer animation. Segments of it feature two women, one of whom resembling an extremely early rendition of Aki. Although no dialogue can be heard, she argues with a blonde girl that doesn't resemble any of the film's characters. It's unclear whether this scene was cut from the film at an early stage or if it was merely test animation footage.
  
  

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