Stranger Things’ Randy Havens Addresses Season 5 Secret Cut Theories

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Randy Havens is turning this theory upside down. 

With the upcoming release of Stranger Things season five, the actor who plays Scott Clarke, a teacher at Hawkins High, has responded to rumors about significant cuts made to the final season. He addressed speculation that Netflix has a longer version of the season that wasn’t released.

Randy addressed rumors on Instagram on December 28th, stating there isn’t a hidden version of the show, similar to the 2017 fan campaign for director Zack Snyder’s Justice League director’s cut. He urged people not to believe everything they read online from unknown sources.

The movie Justice League had a complicated production. Originally directed by Zack Snyder, Joss Whedon took over after a personal tragedy – Snyder’s daughter, Autumn, unexpectedly passed away. This change in leadership led to a different version of the film being released in theaters. However, due to strong demand from fans, Warner Bros. eventually released Zack Snyder’s original vision, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, in 2021.

The DC Comics movie got a fresh take, but the Netflix series didn’t—according to Randy. The recent talk about deleted scenes is just the newest fan theory that the Stranger Things team has proven wrong.

Ross Duffer, one of the show’s creators, responded to rumors about the length of the new season’s episodes back in July. Some reports claimed each of the eight episodes would be at least two hours long, but Duffer dismissed those claims on his Instagram, saying they were far from the truth.

As a lifestyle expert, I know everyone is so excited to see what happens with Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Joe Keery, Sadie Sink, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Maya Hawke, Winona Ryder, Natalie Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and David Harbour as they battle Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell-Bower, and try to save the world! The creators have been giving us little hints about where each character’s story is headed, and honestly, it’s all anyone can talk about!

For instance, don’t expect a blood bath. 

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator Matt Duffer clarified that their show isn’t like Game of Thrones. While he enjoys Game of Thrones, he emphasized that the two shows are very different in style and content.

Matt explained that he and Ross don’t intend to shock or upset viewers, but they’re confident the ending they’ve created is the most fitting conclusion to the show’s ten-year run.

He hopes the finale feels natural and unavoidable when viewers reach the end, and that it leaves them feeling satisfied rather than upset.

The Duffer brothers also responded to fan theories online, specifically addressing concerns that Steve Harrington, played by Joe Keery, might die in the new season, based on clues in the trailer.

Matt pointed out that even an empty trailer would likely still scare people because of Steve, and playfully added that he couldn’t reveal what happens to Steve.

With the final episodes of Stranger Things arriving on New Year’s Eve at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, here’s a peek behind the scenes at some of the show’s hidden details. You won’t need any special equipment to discover them!

Before creating Stranger Things, brothers Matt and Ross Duffer worked on M. Night Shyamalan’s TV series Wayward Pines. Their initial idea for the show was actually called Montauk.

Matt explained to The Daily Beast in 2016 that it’s incredibly difficult to convince people to accept a different title once you’ve become attached to one. He said that when they first proposed Stranger Things, it was a challenge to get others on board.

The creators of the show originally planned to film on Long Island, but it turned out to be too difficult to do so.

Matt told The Hollywood Reporter they chose Montauk because of its beautiful seaside location, its connection to the setting of Jaws – which they love – and the potential for a ‘really cool’ vibe. However, they realized filming on Long Island during the winter would be both unpleasant and too costly.

Atlanta ultimately became the home base for production.

Before Netflix decided to air the show, nearly 20 other networks turned it down, as reported by Vulture. Executives at those networks worried viewers wouldn’t connect with a series focused on four child actors.

4. To play Eleven, then 12-year-old Millie Bobby Brown had to say goodbye to her hair.

In 2018, at PaleyFest, the actress shared that shaving her head was the most liberating experience of her life. She explained that when the last of her hair fell, she felt completely exposed, unable to hide as she once did. Looking in the mirror, she understood her purpose: to inspire others to see that beauty isn’t about having hair.

She found inspiration for her work in Charlize Theron’s performance in Mad Max: Fury Road, and also looked at old yearbook pictures of her fellow actor, Winona Ryder.

She remembered Winona Ryder looking great with a short, pixie haircut years ago, and it inspired her to try the style herself.

The British actress shared a surprising source she used to nail her American accent: Miley Cyrus’s Hannah Montana. She told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that the show was “so good,” praising everything about it and crediting it with helping her perfect the accent.

Okay, so get this – when the Duffer brothers were looking for the perfect kids to play Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will, they didn’t just give them any scenes to read. They used scenes from Stand By Me! Can you believe it? Stand By Me! It was like, they were specifically looking for that same kind of magic, that same raw emotion. It’s honestly brilliant, and makes so much sense when you watch the show. I’m obsessed with knowing everything about how this show was made, and this detail? This is gold.

The brothers initially had a specific vision for the character of Mike. However, that changed after Finn Wolfhard’s audition.

Matt explained to The Daily Beast in 2016 that Mike initially reminded him of a dreamer, much like the character Mikey from The Goonies. However, Finn Wolfhard brought a nervous, energetic quality to the audition, and the writers decided to tailor the character to fit his personality.

Gaten Matarazzo, who played Dustin, also had a big impact on the show’s development. According to Matt, they initially envisioned Dustin as a typical nerd, but after meeting Gaten, they rewrote the character to better suit his personality and talents.

As a lifestyle expert, I always keep an eye on how pop culture impacts trends, and the ‘Stranger Things’ effect on Eggo waffles was HUGE! After the show blew up, Kellogg’s reported a 14

In early 2018, David Harbour became an internet sensation when he agreed to take a fan’s senior portraits. It started when the fan tweeted, asking how many retweets it would take for him to do so. Harbour responded that 25,000 retweets would do the trick, with the added condition that he got to wear the school sweatshirt and hold a trombone. True to his promise, he followed through and took the photos.

He jokingly predicted on Instagram that, 24 years later, he’d be known for crashing someone else’s high school senior photos.

Later that year, Harbour playfully offered to marry a fan if she could get 125,000 retweets and a piece of her wedding cake. He became officially ordained and ended up performing the ceremony dressed as his character, Chief Hopper.

Fans often speculated that Eleven might be Hopper’s biological daughter, but he ultimately became her father figure. A touching detail revealed in the season two finale showed Eleven wearing a blue braided bracelet – a bracelet made from a ribbon belonging to Hopper’s deceased daughter – to her school dance.

Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, said her first-ever kiss was with Finn Wolfhard (Mike) during season one of the show. She described it as a very unusual experience, explaining that having a large crew watching made it feel overwhelming.

She shared what her co-star secretly said to her during another kiss in the following season.

She recounted an awkward first kiss, explaining that he verbally warned her before leaning in. ‘He basically said, ‘I’m going to kiss you,’ but he said it in a really strange, almost robotic way,’ she shared on The Tonight Show in 2017. ‘It was so bizarre!’

Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton, who star as Nancy and Jonathan in the show, started dating in 2016 and have generally chosen to keep their relationship out of the public eye.

Natalia shared with Refinery 29 that she values keeping her personal life—family and friends—private. However, she also admitted that collaborating with someone you see outside of work can be enjoyable, saying, ‘It’s always really fun.’

Surprisingly, Joe Keery’s character, Steve Harrington, wasn’t originally meant to survive the first season of the show.

According to Ross, they quickly grew fond of Joe Keery, who played Steve, during the first season. This is why they created a storyline where Steve teams up with Jonathan and Nancy to help save the day. Originally, Steve was intended to be a stereotypical, unpleasant athlete, but Keery brought so much more to the role.

18. Also slated to perish was Eleven. Yes, really. 

Oh my gosh, I was reading this book about Stranger Things, and Ross Duffer actually said what I’ve always suspected! Apparently, they originally planned for Eleven to, like, totally sacrifice herself – it was supposed to be the ending! But then they realized the show could go on, and they were stuck because they knew, just like we knew, that the show wouldn’t work without her. They quickly figured out they needed Eleven to survive! And honestly, they already knew how amazing Millie Bobby Brown was, so they had to find a way to bring her back if Stranger Things continued. It’s so cool to hear them admit it! I always knew Eleven was the heart of the show!

As a storyteller, I always say pacing is everything. And honestly, the episode focusing on Eleven’s search for another experimented-on child – “The Lost Sister,” from season two – almost didn’t make the cut! The Duffer brothers shared with Vulture that they were really worried it would disrupt the flow of the season and throw off the story’s momentum. It was a tough call, but ultimately they decided it was worth including.

As a storyteller, I’m always evaluating what truly serves the narrative. With this particular episode, we really put it through the wringer! We honestly considered cutting it entirely, but when we did, the finale with Eleven just didn’t feel right – it lacked the emotional impact we were aiming for. Ultimately, we realized the episode was essential to making the ending work, so we kept it in. It’s all about ensuring every piece contributes to the overall story, you know?

20. Eleven’s sibling was written to be a boy, with the episode originally titled “The Lost Brother.” 

Once the audition was open to all young actors, Linnea Berthelsen won the role, and the episode showed Eleven meeting her “sister,” Kali. According to Matt, Linnea and Millie (who plays Eleven) really connected, and Millie specifically requested to work with Linnea.

Nicola Coughlan, the actress known for her role in Bridgerton, originally tried out for the part of Robin. However, she later landed the role of Penelope Featherington. Maya Hawke ended up getting the role of Robin, and Nicola said Hawke was much more suited for it than she would have been.

She explained that actors can learn a lot by looking at roles they didn’t land. It helps them realize rejection isn’t about them personally – everyone is simply better suited for some parts than others.

Before becoming famous for her role as Sarah on the Netflix series Outer Banks, Madelyn Cline played the character Tina, a popular but unkind student, in the second season of the show.

To land the role of Billy, the rebellious older stepbrother of Max (Sadie Sink), Australian actor Dacre Montgomery created a playful and somewhat edgy audition video. He told GQ he hoped to really impress the Duffer brothers with it.

Dacre took a big chance to get noticed. He filmed himself dancing in minimal clothing – just a G-string – to iconic 80s hits like “Come on Eileen” and “Hungry Like the Wolf.” He worried it could end his career, but he hoped someone would recognize his talent and give him an opportunity. Luckily, his gamble worked!

As the show began its third season, Deadline reported significant pay raises for the cast. The younger actors saw their per-episode salaries jump from around $30,000 to over $200,000, and potentially as high as $250,000. Winona Ryder and David Harbour were earning approximately $300,000 to $350,000 per episode, while Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton were making between $100,000 and $150,000.

Priah Ferguson was originally only scheduled to appear in a single episode of season two as Erica, Lucas’s spirited little sister. However, the Duffer brothers were so impressed with her performance that they continued to include her, eventually making her a regular cast member in the next season.

Because the young actors were still growing during filming, the costume designers had a hard time making sure their clothes fit consistently from scene to scene.

It was quite a challenge keeping up with the kids’ growing feet,” costume designer Kim Wilcox explained to TopMob News. “One child, in particular, seemed to outgrow his shoes every three weeks, needing a half size bigger! To solve this, we sourced shoes from brands that offered the same style in a wide range of sizes. That way, we could stock up – buying five pairs of each size – so we’d always have a fit when a child had a growth spurt.

The Duffer brothers, while inspired by films like The Goonies, E.T., and Stand By Me, made sure their references weren’t too obvious.

When pitching the project to Netflix, we created a nearly three-minute trailer that combined clips from around 20 to 30 films to give a sense of what Stranger Things would be like. However, those were just initial ideas, as those movies were deeply ingrained in our childhoods and influenced us. Once we started writing individual episodes, we rarely discussed those films. We focused on telling the story and letting the characters drive the plot. Otherwise, it would have felt disjointed and confusing, according to Matt, in an interview with The Daily Beast.

The team aimed for a retro look by minimizing special effects, but they soon realized it was much harder than they expected.

Originally, we wanted to use only practical effects, but we quickly learned how challenging that is—we really gained a new respect for the teams who created films like The Thing and Alien. Practical effects take a huge amount of time and planning. We were writing scripts very quickly, but didn’t have the six months or more needed to properly prepare those kinds of effects. By the time we got to set, many of the ideas that sounded good in theory just weren’t feasible given the time constraints.

The creators, the Duffer brothers, originally planned for ‘Stranger Things’ to last five seasons. According to Netflix executive Matthew Thunell, many of their ideas from 2015 are now coming to fruition as the series nears its conclusion. Variety magazine reported that each episode of season four cost around $30 million to produce.

As a huge fan, I’ve heard they do know how Stranger Things will eventually end, which is a relief! But the Duffer brothers, the creators, aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to the world of the Upside Down just yet, and honestly, I’m not ready for them to!

In an interview with Variety, the creators revealed they have a spin-off idea they’re really enthusiastic about, but it’s still in the early stages – they haven’t even shared the concept yet. Although they’ve been trying to keep it under wraps, Matt and Ross confessed that Finn had already correctly guessed what the series would be about, describing it as ‘very, very different.’ They emphasized that Finn is the only one who knows the idea so far.

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2025-12-30 19:49