Cobra: The Lost Cut

Back in 1986, Cobra hit theatres with Sylvester Stallone in full action-hero mode. Decked in shades, chomping a matchstick, and toting a modified Colt .45, Lt. Marion Cobretti, "Cobra" to his friends and very few colleagues, was Stallone's answer to Dirty Harry, only meaner, moodier, and armed with some of the most iconic one-liners in action cinema history. The movie is raw, stylish, and soaked in the aesthetic of Reagan-era crime panic. But what if we told you that the version we got, an 87-minute bullet-riddled fever dream, wasn't what Stallone or the director initially intended? That's right. There's a longer, grittier, and possibly better version of Cobra out there. Cobra: The Lost Cut is out there somewhere. 

The Cut That Bled Too Much

Cobra was originally over two hours long, closer to 120 or even 130 minutes, according to some insiders. But after Warner Bros. panicked over box office logistics and a potential X rating from the MPAA, that vision got sliced harder than one of the Night Slasher's victims.

The studio wanted something faster, meaner, and more in line with the MTV-paced action boom led by Top Gun. Stallone, riding high from Rocky IV and Rambo, agreed, at least partially. He took a machete to the film's runtime, favouring his own screen time while trimming scenes that fleshed out side characters or deepened the cult plotline. The director, George P. Cosmatos, reportedly had little power to push back against the studio's demands. As a result, Cobra became a lean, violent thriller that made money but lost some narrative meat in the process.

The TV Cut: A Glimpse Into the Shadows

For decades, fans only knew the theatrical version. But whispers persisted about a longer cut, an extended workprint filled with character development, more cult lore, and way bloodier violence. Then something wild happened: an Extended TV Version surfaced.

Aired in the U.S. (and apparently in Sweden too), this version is 6 minutes and 23 seconds longer than the theatrical cut. It doesn't restore the gore; TV censors took care of that, but it does include over 50 differences from the original. These include:

• 15 additional scenes
• 6 extended sequences
• 11 alternate shots
• And even eight specific violence edits that were toned down or omitted

Most notably, this version leans harder into the New World cult storyline, giving the Night Slasher and his followers more screen time, more mystery, and more menace. There's even a chilling added scene where a blood-stained package is delivered to the police station, containing a severed hand and a cryptic message: "Her hands are with you, her soul is in the New World."

Creepy? Definitely. Better? Absolutely.

More Depth, Less Dumbbell

The TV cut also gives secondary characters more to do. We see Cobra at home, chatting with neighbours. Ingrid (Brigitte Nielsen) gets scenes showing her daily life and interactions with coworkers, which help her feel like more than just a damsel in distress. There's even a charming bit where Cobra and Ingrid flirt about going on a trip together, showcasing some rare warmth in the film's otherwise relentless grim tone.

We also get more from the villains. One killer infiltrates Cobra's apartment complex, methodically sneaking through back entrances and stairwells. The cult's rituals are expanded with a montage that includes a ceremony and training, one shot even implies one of them is a cop, subtly adding a "the call is coming from inside the house" vibe.

And in the final moments? The theatrical cut ends quickly, with Cobra and Ingrid strolling off into the California sun. However, in the TV version, they're confronted by suspicious police officers. Cobra has to talk them down, hand over his weapon, and drop one last deadpan zinger before walking off like a man who just burned evil alive. It's a much more textured and satisfying conclusion.

But Where's the Real Cut?

That brings us to the mythical workprint, a more extended, much rougher version rumoured to be over 120 minutes, featuring 30 to 40 minutes of additional footage beyond what even the TV version includes. This edit supposedly includes:

• Brutally extended murder scenes (graphic enough to earn the dreaded X rating)
• More internal tension between Cobra and the police
• Character subplots involving Monte and Gonzalez
• A deeper exploration of the cult's ideology and structure

And get this: some early script drafts allegedly revealed that Detective Monte, the smarmy, combative cop constantly undermining Cobra, was working with the cult. If true, that twist would've turned Cobra into a gritty noir conspiracy thriller with brains behind the brawn.

However, this workprint has never been officially released. It's whispered about in collector forums and Reddit threads, with some claiming to have seen it or own a copy. For now, though, it's locked in a vault, gathering dust while fans continue to campaign for its release.

The Verdict: What Could've Been a Classic

As it stands, Cobra is a beloved cult film, a neon-drenched, synth-scored, blood-soaked 80s thrill ride. But it could've been so much more. The Extended TV Version offers a glimpse of what Stallone and Cosmatos might have achieved with a bit more creative freedom and a little less studio panic.

It's not uncommon for movies from this era to suffer under the blade of executives, but Cobra feels like a particularly tragic case. The missing footage isn't just filler, it's story, style, and subtext that could have elevated a solid B-movie into something mythic.

So, here's our Born to Watch pitch: release the damn workprint. Whether it's Warner Bros., Stallone himself, or some rogue collector with a VHS dub, let us see the full scope of Cobra's carnage. It's not just about more blood (though we won't complain about that), it's about restoring a vision that got steamrolled in the rush for box office gold.

Until then, we've got the TV cut, and a dream of the Cobra that might've been.

Want us to deep-dive that workprint if it ever surfaces? You know where to find us.

Born to Watch – because someone has to.