7 Huge Differences Between Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ and Steven Spielberg’s Original Script

From Wormholes to Zero-G Sex: 7 Ways Spielberg’s ‘Interstellar’ Would Have Been WILDLY Different

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar remains a cinematic touchstone, but what if Steven Spielberg had directed it? A leaked script reveals a drastically different vision, one packed with alien encounters and even a zero-gravity sex scene. Let’s dive into the seven biggest deviations from the film we know and love.

The Pilot vs. The Engineer

In Nolan’s version, Matthew McConaughey’s Cooper was a former NASA pilot grounded before his missions. Spielberg envisioned him as an engineer who stumbles upon a space probe, leading to his selection for the mission.

Murph: Boy or Girl?

Image: Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc./ Paramount Pictures Corporation.

Perhaps the most jarring change: Murph Cooper was a boy in Spielberg’s script. While her personality remained similar, the absence of “Murph’s Ghost” hints at further narrative shifts.

One Planet or Three?

Photo: Warner Bros.

Nolan’s film features a wormhole leading to twelve potentially habitable planets, with probes reporting back on three. Spielberg’s version streamlines this to a single planet, resembling Mann’s Planet in the final film.

The Chinese Expedition

Image: Warner Bros.

In Nolan’s film, the crew discovers remnants of a previous mission. Spielberg’s script included an entire Chinese expedition that had perished on the planet due to radiation exposure.

Aliens Abound

Photo: Paramount Pictures / Everett Collection

While Nolan’s film hints at a greater intelligence behind the wormhole, Spielberg’s version features actual alien lifeforms. Underneath the icy surface of the planet, the crew discovers a lush environment teeming with shapeshifting creatures.

Time Travel: A Tangible Reality

Image: Paramount Pictures

Nolan’s Tesseract allows Cooper to communicate with Murph across time. Spielberg envisioned a more direct approach: after escaping the planet, the crew travels through a wormhole to a Chinese space station 4,000 years in the future.

Zero-G Romance

Image: Paramount Pictures

The most shocking difference? Spielberg’s script included a zero-gravity sex scene between Brand and Cooper, highlighting their romantic connection in a way that Nolan ultimately didn’t. This would have undoubtedly made for a very different cinematic experience.