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Introduced in the second installment in thePlanet of the Apesreboot franchise, Jason Clarke’s Malcolm served as the leading human character, who forms a close bond with Caesar and other apes. However, despite his significant presence in the film, the character was absent from its sequel,War for the Planet of the Apes.
And it was later revealed that the character was actually killed by Woody Harrelson’s Colonel J. Wesley McCullough, with the film’s novelization revealing the details surrounding the unseen death of one of the significant characters in the franchise.
Lost Scene Could Have Delivered a Chilling Opening toWar for the Planet of the Apes
The officialnovelizationof the 2017 filmWar for the Planet of the Apesrevealed the real reason Jason Clarke’s character did not appear in the movie. According to the novelization, Colonel McCullough killed Malcolm after he urged the Colonel to make peace with the apes.
Following the events ofDawn of the Planet of the Apes, Caesar suggests Malcolm evacuate with his family for safety before the impending war between humans and apes begins. As per the novelization, Malcolm goes to meet with Colonel McCullough.
He suggests that Caesar is not just an animal but also a great leader and tries to convince him to extend a hand for peace with the apes. However, the Colonel, who harbors an intense hatred for the apes, dismisses the idea and shoots Malcolm in the head for supporting Caesar and the apes.
That woulda been a pretty sick way to open the film
— eeessahhh (@issapunk)August 14, 2025
Could you imagine this as the opening scene in WAR
— Scotty K (@ScottyK_CDVI)August 02, 2025
I wish I could unread this. At least keep it in the movie it would’ve made it even more compelling. Now I’m just sad
— Luke Church (@LukeChurch44)July 02, 2025
Malcolm gets killed and bam. Title intro sequence.
— Addy (@Addy13668241)July 26, 2025
This whole time I thought he got away with his family🤯so what happened with his girl and the kid?
— Champ (@champboa13)July 21, 2025
wow. that explains why he didn’t show up in War.
— Michael Pool (@Michael54098773)Aug 10, 2025
The revelation that it could have been a scene in the movie has received optimistic reactions from fans.“That woulda been a pretty sick way to open the film,”one fan said onX (Twitter), suggesting that it would have effectively established Colonel McCullough’s character and how cruel he could be.
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Others shared their realization about why the character never appeared in the film, with many initially believing that Malcolm had actually escaped with his family. Many fans found satisfaction in the idea that Malcolm and his family survived, treating the deleted scene as canon.
Matt Reeves Revealed the Deleted Scene Referencing Malcolm’s Fate
FilmmakerMatt Reeveshas also shared that there was a deleted scene betweenWoody Harrelson’sMcCullough and Caesar referencing Malcolm’s unfortunate demise in the film. The scene depicts a conversation between the characters, during which the Colonel informs Caesar about the man who proposed peace.
When Caesar asks about what happened to him, Colonel McCullough tells him,“I killed him.”He also explains why he killed off the man who advocated for peace between humans and apes.
Reeves revealed, as perCinemaBlend,
And then [Caesar]’s is perplexed as to why, and The Colonel says, “His ideas were very dangerous because the ideas were like a virus and they could spread to others, and right now this is a fight for humanity.” So that’s what happened.
While the scene did not make the final cut, it was later reported to be included in the Blu-ray edition of the movie, along with various other deleted scenes that did not make it to the theatrical cut. The film series has continued with the recently released fourth installment and a stand-alone sequel,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
War for the Planet of the Apesis available to stream on Max.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
