TV

‘Stranger Things 2’ Cut Details That Would’ve Led To Season 3

The Duffer Brothers didn’t want to make promises they couldn’t keep.
By  · Published on November 3rd, 2017

The Duffer Brothers didn’t want to make promises they couldn’t keep.

By now, everyone has seen Stranger Things 2 right? If you haven’t finished the exciting new season, then may I suggest you get on that before reading what comes next. Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy decided to leave an extended epilogue sequence on the cutting room floor.

As it is, season 2 ends at the middle school dance where everyone is getting to dance with the partners of their dreams, well maybe except Steve (sorry Steve). It would seem that Eleven successfully managed to shut the gate and that Will will recover from being processed by the creature from the Upside Down. The only suggestion that Stranger Things will be continuing comes from an outside shot of the school where it seems like the Upside Down has merged with the real world.

In a new interview with Collider, Levy explains that multiple epilogues were shot and planned to set up the next season, but they decided to hold off on that.

“There were epilogue scenes that were considered for after that [final] shot that would have hinted more at Season 3. But there was a decision made by all of us where we said let’s not back in to any promises again … We always felt after Season 1 that we had to payoff that slug that Will coughs up in the sink, or whose black car Hopper was getting into, and had to — and wanted to — follow-up on Hopper putting the Eggos out in a wooden lockbox in the woods. This time the [Duffer Brothers] very consciously wanted to promise less, so that their freedom is more.”

Originally the plan was to something extremely similar to what they did at the end of Season 1. They found that doing that made audiences expect answers to the many questions they brought up.

Maybe at the time, those cliffhangers were a good idea, but when The Duffer Brothers decided it was time for season 2 perhaps they didn’t want to continue those narrative strands they left open. Levy added:

“We always felt after Season 1 that we had to payoff that slug that Will coughs up in the sink, or whose black car Hopper was getting into, and had to — and wanted to — follow-up on Hopper putting the Eggos out in a wooden lockbox in the woods. This time the [Duffer Brothers] very consciously wanted to promise less, so that their freedom is more.”

There are plenty of narrative threads that The Duffer Brothers leave open at the end of Season 2 to explore. One of the biggest Levy shared was that the notorious Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine) might still be alive. Where else might Season 3 go? We wondered exactly what plans The Duffer Brothers might have in store for us next time. And if you haven’t yet, check out our full review of Stranger Things 2. Stay tuned for more Stranger Things 2 news and secrets coming soon.

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News Writer/Columnist for Film School Rejects. It’s the Pictures Co-host. Bylines Playboy, ZAM, Paste Magazine and more.