Matthew Modine Talks ‘Revisionist’ Edits Made To ‘Stranger Things’ & Which Scene Might Change Next

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Who doesn’t love a good surprise? When Strange things return for its 4^order This summer after a long LONG hiatus, fans have seen many bombshell changes: the reveal of Vecna, the power of Kate Bushand the much-anticipated return of ‘Papa’ Dr. Brenner of Eleven, do Matthew Modine.

Coinciding with the release of the new season was the debut of Strange things: Experience, an immersive adventure that allows fans to visit Hawkins and join forces with their favorite characters in real life to save the dear town. The storyline of the experience, developed exclusively with the show’s creators, allows guests the opportunity to interact with their favorite characters, including Dr. Brenner of Mathew.

On August 31st^st, Matthew surprised a lucky few fans when he visited the experience in Brooklyn, New York. “It was like going to a movie premiere,” Matthew shared HollywoodLife in an EXCLUSIVE chat before his visit. As well as sharing the joy of being a part of the experience, Matthew also spoke to us about season 4, working with Millie Bobby Brown and rumors about the show having re-edited previous seasons, a rumor started by the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, but was quickly shut down by the show’s writers earlier this summer. .

PSA: no scenes from previous seasons have ever been cut or edited. And they never will. pic.twitter.com/H0j8JwidLs

– strange writers (@strangerwriters) July 26, 2022

Thanks for your time, Matthew! I actually visited ‘Stranger Things: The Experience’ over the summer and it was actually quite fun. What was the idea of ​​this experience that made you want to participate?

Matthew Modine: Fans of Strange things, globally, is different from any fan I’ve met during the four decades I’ve worked in the entertainment industry. They are very passionate. There’s just something different about the show and the characters, it’s different from anything I’ve been on. So it’s great to be able to offer a different experience than just a passive one for the fans of the show and give them something that allows them to get physically involved rather than just watching. .

Not only did you resurrect Brenner for this experience, but you ended up returning to season 4 of Stranger Things. The great thing about Brenner’s return is that it ends loosely for Eleven’s character. However, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about Brenner himself – such as how he survived the Demogorgon attack in season 1. Duffers has a satisfying answer to that for you. before you come back?

Matthew Modine: I didn’t get an explanation from them, so I had to create one in my head. And, you know, it’s an actor’s responsibility with every role you play; you have to create a plot. And while my backstory may differ from that of the Duffers and the other writers they hired to write these episodes, or the fan books written, I have a very specific backstory to my character. me.

It’s nice that you’re licensed to do that, especially with such a tightly built world and story.

Matthew Modine: It’s always the actor’s responsibility. It’s not just repeating lines; words are just a tool to make you understand something is going on inside.

You know, in the first episode of season 4, when I realized that [10’s] being killed – it was a very emotional moment, because I believe that Dr. Brenner loved each of those children in their own special way. If there were another actor playing Dr. Brenner, he or she may have chosen to ignore the dead child. To bring him into loving arms and to feel the loss of Dr. Brenner is as important and vital to me as the way I will portray the character.

And this extends to my relationship with Millie and that complicated relationship [between Brenner and Eleven]. Millie and I, because we’ve been working since she was 11, the bond of love we have for each other is something that can be felt. It’s something beyond words, but then you feel the emotional connection between those two people. And me and Millie worked really hard to bring that to the audience.

Another unanswered question is how Brenner feels about Eleven having a new father figure in her life. Fans are hoping for some kind of acknowledgment to Brenner’s David Harbor character in some way. Ever had conversations about how Brenner felt when Hopper became Eleven’s father and how that motivated him?

Matthew Modine: I have never been part of such a conversation. I think the Duffer Brothers were trying to introduce something more complicated about Hopper than meeting eyes at the end of season 1, when there was a scene between [Brenner & Hopper]. They categorize the seeds planted so that there is something, but there is no ‘there’. I think that’s why some fans get annoyed when they go back and re-edit the loose themes in episodes from seasons 1 to 3, revisionist editing style. I think there are a lot of fans who get upset about that, because there are themes that are made without strings attached.

That scene from season one, where Hopper essentially sells Eleven and the other kids to Brenner – that was never mentioned in any of the episodes after that. Was there ever a scenario or scenario that brought up Hopper’s betrayal?

Matthew Modine: No. And if they can, if they do revisionist editing, they’ll probably remove that scene from the show, I guess, because there’s no ‘there’.

It feels like there’s space to explore Brenner more, and you’ve hinted in other interviews that you don’t think we’ll necessarily see Brenner one last time. If that happens, he escaped death twice, what do you hope for him in season 5?

Matthew Modine: As you saw in season 4, there is a person with a deep philosophy that exists inside that man who is doing these experiments. I think you have to ask yourself, “Why was Dr. Brenner chosen to direct those experiments? What gifts did he have? Why does he know so much? “I think that’s a really important question for fans to ask.

I think what Brenner knows best is that love is stronger than hate. Think of Eleven: whenever she uses her power, she has to go from a ground of anger and hatred. That’s when she’s at her strongest, when she’s going through those emotions. But what I think she can learn from Dr. Brenner is that love is stronger than hate. And as a message to the world at this time, as we near the end of 2023 – I don’t think there is a stronger message that a network or a streaming service like Netflix can share. share with the world, followed by a message of love and appreciation. What Eleven discovered was that her power would become even greater when she stopped using anger and hatred and turned to love, and I thought that love might be what saves Hawkins.

If you want to check Strange things: Experience, CLICK HERE to see availability and purchase tickets. After a successful launch in New York, San Francisco and London, the immersive experience will open its next rift in Atlanta on October 22.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.