Teyana Taylor reveals that One Battle After Another originally featured a dramatically different opening and several deleted scenes, which would have hugely changed the film. Paul Thomas Anderson’s political thriller has taken the world by storm since September 26, following an ex-revolutionary on a rescue mission for his daughter, who has been kidnapped by a corrupt military official.

With a 96% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes and a cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Chase Infiniti, and Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another has become one of the highest-rated films of 2025. Among the film’s most widely-praised performances is Taylor as Perfidia Beverly Hills, a complex figure who provides much of the emotional gravity.

In a recent interview with Collider, Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall spoke candidly about the One Battle After Another scenes that didn’t make the final cut. When asked if there were many deleted scenes, they stated that “There was a lot” left out of the theatrical cut. Taylor then went on to explain the alternate opening for the film:

We originally had a different opening. So you see you open to me on Sean, but we had an opening running in on Sean as well. But the most important scene I was really sad about seeing go was Deandra [Hall] getting to Willa [Infiniti], was Perfidia calling her and telling her, “Go get my baby.’ You know what I’m saying? “And run.” Perfidia did what she did, but she definitely gave her that call as a best friend.

However, it wasn’t just the film’s prologue that ended up on the cutting room floor, as Taylor also teased one particularly action-packed scene that she wished had made it into the final version, stating: “Cause me jumping over the fence with the gun in my hand — I was on my Tom Cruise s**t. You gotta bring that scene back!“

Emphasizing just how much unseen material exists, Taylor summarized: “You know [director Paul Thomas Anderson]’s got two versions of this movie. If he wanted to make a whole other movie with deleted scenes, he can.“ Hall agreed with the sentiment, confirming that the final cut of One Battle After Another only scratches the surface of what was filmed.

What This Means For One Battle After Another

The idea that Anderson could make a “whole other movie with deleted scenes” reframes how audiences might view One Battle After Another. The alternate opening, in particular, could have reshaped the movie’s pacing and emotional tone. By beginning with Perfidia’s perspective and action, Anderson may have originally intended to ground the story more intimately in her journey.

The same can be said for Perfidia’s call to Deandra to look after her child. Furthermore, the action scene that Taylor described as her “Tom Cruise” moment shows that the film once leaned even more into the genre. It’s already an ambitious project, but these newly revealed scenes suggest a deeper, more expansive version of One Battle After Another.

Our Take On Teyana Taylor Comments On Deleted Scenes

One Battle After Another is already a triumph of filmmaking, but hearing from Taylor and Hall about what was left out only enhances its mystique. For example, Perfidia’s call to Deandra might have made One Battle After Another‘s ending considerably more emotional. Similarly, Taylor’s action sequence would have brought more intensity to her performance, showing a different side of Perfidia.

There’s been no official announcement that these scenes will be released, but we certainly hope so, as Perfidia’s conversation with Deandra especially feels like a loss. If even half of what Taylor describes was sH๏τ, there is a strong case for a future director’s cut or expanded edition that could redefine how One Battle After Another is remembered.