The deleted scenes are as follows: A narrator before the opening credits discussing "circumstance" and "fate", an extended taxi ride where Michael shows his mother Ellen the Neptune's Folly, a scene where Michael and Jake sing on Michael's front porch (this one is incorrectly placed, because its too early in the movie, when it should be right before Michael and Jake go to search for Ellen), a scene where Ellen and Hoagie walk around cruise ships, while Hoagie tells Ellen a story about bananas, right before the shark surfaces to eat part of the barge, when Jake is down on the seabed, there's a shot of the shark diving from the surface, and another shot of the shark diving after eating part of the barge, an extended scene of Hoagie gambling at the casino, Ellen telling Michael a strange joke about an Egyptian pharaoh (also incorrectly placed), as well as this movie's original theatrical ending, the shark being impaled, and no explosion.
The deleted scenes this movie contained are featured in an old airing from the television broadcasting on AMC. Several segments also take place from the shark's point of view, and it's revealed that the shark is actually a pawn and can't understand the force driving it where it needs to go. He also has Thea's pail stolen so he can curse it, this is what leads to Thea walking outside towards the water in a zombie-like trance. After an altercation with Mike, Papa Jacques summons the shark to do his bidding. Mike Brody does not like him, as he believes he exploits the islanders, including his assistants. In the novel, Papa Jacques is a local man to whom the islanders turn for advice and guidance. Deleted characters include ad island gangster who befriends Ellen Brody, who is ultimately killed by the shark, Hoagie's law enforcement partner, and Papa Jacques, a voodoo doctor. It's only then they realize Thea may be in danger on the banana boat. When Carla has her unveiling, Mike goes to a bar and he and Carla argue, she then mentions that she shut off the monitoring device (not knowing what it does) because she believed Mike needed sleep.
Mike's secrecy of the shark takes a strain on his marriage, He also retains a monitoring device in the bedroom. Some of the excised material includes: The discovery of Sean Brody by Amity PD, Thea being hypnotized and almost wandering into the water at night where the shark waits, The death of a wind surfer, a humorous scene involving a drunken retired newscaster and the shark, a drive-by shooting where the Brodys are nearly injured, and a foot pursuit. The novelization based on the original script by Hank Searls included many scenes and subplots that ultimately got removed.