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Stranger Things - Film Edition (Released)

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 (Edited)

UPDATED ON DECEMBER '24

The idea for these fanedits is to recut each season of Stranger Things into full-length films like a horror franchise from the '80s. My goal is to create a set of cohesive films to be watched as a recap of each season or as a first-time viewing experience. This project is a product of passion, love and respect for the original material and it is not designed to serve as a replacement for the show.

Stranger Things: The Vanishing of Will Byers

Runtime: 2 hours 45 minutes

Description

What is different/new?

  • Added samples of the original score throughout the film.
  • Added Vecna’s clock chime when Will encounters the “monster”.
  • Combined the two night search parties into one sequence / Intercut with the boys finding Eleven in the woods.
  • Added flashback of Eleven being locked in the lab closet as a ‘dream sequence’ on her first night at Mike’s.
  • Added flashback of Eleven killing the guards right after she attacks Lucas.
  • Added flashback of Eleven in the void as she strolls through the supermarket/Added Vecna breathing/walking towards Eleven sound.

What is removed?

  • Removed Jim Hopper’s introduction.
  • Removed Benny Hammond.
  • Removed Lonnie Byers.
  • Removed Terry Ives.
  • Removed Jonathan getting caught for spying plotline.
  • Removed Eleven recognising Will from the photo in Mike’s room.
  • Removed ‘mouthbreather’ running joke.
  • Removed cops investigating Barb’s missing.
  • Removed Nancy in the Upside Down.
  • Removed Jonathan placed under arrest.
  • Removed Will hiding at Castle Byers in the Upside Down.
  • Removed ‘Lando’ reference.
  • Removed Will waking up in the hospital.
  • Removed Steve at the Wheelers at Christmas.

What is cut down?

  • Cut down school bullies.
  • Cut down Wheeler family.
  • Cut down Steve’s entourage
  • Cut down Steve/Nancy romance.
  • Cut down Hopper’s investigation about Will and the lab.
  • Cut down agents looking for Eleven/spying on Joyce.
  • Cut down Dr Brenner trying to reach the Upside Down.
  • Cut down Will’s phonecalls.
  • Cut down Nancy and Jonathan hunting the Demogorgon.
  • Cut down preparation of the sensory deprivation tank.
  • Cut down Joyce/Hopper interrogation at Hawkins Lab.
  • Cut down Joyce and Hopper in the Upside Down.
  • Cut down flashbacks of Hopper and Sarah.

Is this a plothole?

  • Why is Eleven wearing the yellow ‘Benny’s Burgers’ t-shirt, instead of her lab gown, when they boys find her in the woods?
    Perhaps she didn’t have to wear the gown all the time? Or maybe she disguised herself before escaping from the lab?
  • Why is Jonathan spending the night at Nancy’s ?
    Maybe because they were both very scared after discovering the Demogorgon in his photos?
  • Jonathan being released by the police off-screen.
    Did I really need to include that scene?
  • How did Hopper find the boys hiding in the school bus?
    Perhaps he had already looked elsewhere?
  • How did the kids know how to build a sensory deprivation tank?
    Maybe because they are really good students? Or maybe Eleven knew how to make one.
  • Do Steve and Nancy get back together?
    No, they don’t.

Stranger Things 2: The Mind Flayer

Runtime: 2 hours 43 minutes

Description

‘The Mind Flayer’ covers exclusively the main events of Stranger Things 2, leaving out Eleven’s time outside of Hawkins.

What is different/new?

  • Eleven’s return as the opening sequence / Rearrange Eleven’s backstory / Intercut with Hopper leaving Ego’s from Season 1
  • Steve and Nancy not dating since last year, but remain friends.
  • Demodogs reach Byers’ place shortly after the group’s arrival.
  • Alternate montage of Dr Brenner as Eleven is closing the gate.
  • Alternate ‘One Month Later’ montage.

What is removed?

  • Removed Joyce droping Will at the Arcade.
  • Removed Murray Bauman at the police station.
  • Removed Nancy and Steve visiting the Hollands.
  • Removed Nancy having guilts about Barb.
  • Removed Halloween party.
  • Removed Will’s sessions with Dr Sam Owens.
  • Removed Bob driving Will to the lab / Removed their conversation during Will’s possession.
  • Removed Eleven asking to go for trick-or-treating.
  • Removed Hopper being late on Halloween night.
  • Removed flahback of Eleven killing the squirrel in the woods.
  • Removed Nancy and Jonathan planning to expose the Hawkins lab and visiting Murray Bauman.
  • Removed Lucas/Max arguments.
  • Removed Eleven visiting her mom/finding Eight.
  • Removed Will’s interrogation in the shed.
  • Removed Billy visiting Ms Wheeler/brawl with Steve in Byers’ place.
  • Removed Dustin reuniting with Dart inside the tunnels.
  • Removed Hopper meeting with Owens at the pub.

What is cut down?

  • Cut down the boys stalking Max.
  • Cut down Owens’ activities in Hawkins Lab.
  • Cut down Hopper investigating the rotting crops.
  • Cut down Max/Billy interactions.
  • Cut down Joyce/Bob interactions.
  • Cut down Dustin/Dart interactions.
  • Cut down Hopper/Eleven fixing the cabin and setting up the traps.
  • Cut down Hopper in the tunnels.
  • Cut down Bob solving Will’s drawings.
  • Cut down Will hospitalised at Hawkins Lab.
  • Cut down Dustin and Steve looking for Dart.
  • Cut down kids at Snow Ball.

Is this a plothole?

  • Lucas revealing the truth about Will and Eleven to Max off-screen.
    Did I really need to include that scene?
  • How did Dustin find Steve to help him with Dart?
    He explains to Lucas he couldn’t find anyone else
  • How did Lucas find Dustin and Steve?
    He got Dustin’s message off-screen
  • Why did Nancy and Jonathan arrive at Hawkins’ lab together?
    Perhaps they were both worried about their brothers’ whereabouts
  • The kids going to the tunnels despite Steve’s forbidding.
    Thank God he’s covering his bruised face

Stranger Things 2: The Lost Sister

Runtime: 59 minutes

Description

‘The Lost Sister’ covers exclusively Eleven’s journey during her absence from Hawkins.

What is different/new?

  • Police chase in Pittsburg as the opening sequence.
  • New “flashback scene" of Eleven visiting her mom inside the void.
  • New “vision scene” of Eleven seeing Will being possessed and the Mind Flayer behind the gate.
  • Added “Tribulations” by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein as the ending credits roll.

What is removed?

  • Removed Eleven referring to ‘the girl her mother was showing to her’ as “different”.
  • Removed Becky mentioning Joyce and Hopper while talking to the phone.
  • Removed Eleven’s memory of Max skating around Mike, while focusing her powers.

Stranger Things 3: Τhe Mall Rats

Runtime: 2 hours 52 minutes

Description

What is different/new?

  • Removed Russian experiments / Billy’s car crash as the opening sequence.
  • Murray Bauman’s introduction as a new character.
  • Removed Dustin reaching to Suzie for Planck constant / Removed ‘Never Ending Story’ song / Re-purposed Season 4 scene as Suzie’s final reveal.
  • Embedded stylized English subtitles for Russian dialogues.

What is removed?

  • Removed Billy/Mrs Wheeler flirt.
  • Removed Hawkins Post employees.
  • Removed Billy in the Upside Down.
  • Removed Joyce at Scott Clarke’s place.
  • Removed Billy and Eleven/Max at Holloways’ dinner.
  • Removed the kids investigating Holloways’ place.
  • Removed Mayor’s place.
  • Removed Joyce/Hopper/Alexei before they arrive at Murray’s.
  • Removed hospital fight sequence.
  • Removed Steve/Robin getting caught by the Russians and Dustin/Erica looking for them.
  • Removed Steve/Robin romance.
  • Removed Hopper/Joyce/Murray/Alexei driving to Hawkins.
  • Removed 4th of July festival.
  • Removed Planck’s constant number/Suzie’s cameo/‘Neverending Story’ sequence.
  • Removed Dr Sam Owens arriving at Starcourt Mall.
  • Removed news report and Steve/Robin applying for a job at the video store.
  • Removed Lucas/Max teasing Dustin at Byers’.
  • Removed post credit scene at Kamchatka.

What is cut down?

  • Cut down ‘Scoops Troop’ trying to solve the Russian message.
  • Cut down Mayor Larry Kline.
  • Cut down Heather’s plotline.
  • Cut down Joyce/Hopper romance.
  • Cut down boys vs girls teen drama.
  • Cut down Eleven/Max looking for Billy.
  • Cut down ‘Scoops Troop’ trapped in the elevator/walking through the underground base.
  • Cut down Joyce/Hopper/Alexei at Murray’s.
  • Cut down ‘Scoops Troop’ at the movies.
  • Cut down Joyce/Hopper/Murray in the underground base.

Is this a plothole?

  • How Billy escapes from his abduction?
    The Mind Flayer lets him free so he can complete his plan
  • Why Nancy and Jonathan return to Mrs Driscoll at night?
    Maybe they found a new lead, or maybe they wanted to check on her
  • Hopper having seen the Russian guy in the Mayor’s office off-screen.
    Did I really need to include that scene?
  • Why isn’t Jonathan with Nancy when she visits Mrs Driscoll at the hospital?
    Maybe she went without telling him
  • How does Hopper get the ‘Todfathr’?
    Did I really need to include that scene? His car exploded so he took (or stole) another one
  • What happens to Alexei?
    We last see him at Murray’s, but does it really matter to the plot? At least he doesn’t die in vain
  • The kids decide to look for Billy in Hopper’s cabin off-screen (and they all made a stop to change their outfits).
    Maybe Eleven felt more confortable putting herself in a state like that in her own space
  • How can the ‘Scoops Troop’ escape from the underground base without being caught?
    They are very stealthy. And the Russian guys didn’t seem so smart anyway
  • Why is Steve’s face so messed up?
    Because of his fight with the Russian guard? Although he seems fine when he knocked him out… Don’t bruises and cuts show up after a while?
  • Why did the adults come to Starcourt?
    Perhaps they had looked and couldn’t find the children anywhere else?
  • With Suzie’s original cameo gone, what happens to her character and the Planck constant she provides?
    Murray gives Hopper and Joyce the correct code to open the vault / Suzie’s reveal comes later in the film in a repurposed scene from Season 4 first episode

Stranger Things 4: Τhe Curse of Vecna

Runtime: 3 hours 15 minutes

Description

‘The Curse of Vecna’ covers exclusively the events in Hawkins, Mike visiting Will and Eleven in Lenora and Eleven’s training in NINA.

What is different/new?

  • Alternate/shorter September 8, 1979 opening scene
  • Alternate/shorter ‘Letter to Mike’ sequence / Replaced “California Dreamin’” with “Teens” by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein.
  • Alternate Crissy’s death scene / Removed Eddie reacting to her being possesed
  • Alternate sequence of the news coverage of Chrissy’s murder / intercut with Steve/Robin/Jason/Nancy’s reactions / Max visiting Dustin.
  • New ADR of Max/Dustin/Robin/Steve driving to Reefer Rick’s boathouse explaining how they found out about it.
  • New introduction of the NINA Project / New Dr Brenner’s re-introduction / Removed Nevada dessert / Removed Eleven interacting with Dr Brenner.

What is removed?

  • Removed Dr Brenner’s morning routine.
  • Removed Rainbow Room intro / Lesson’s with Ten.
  • Removed Suzie changing Dustin’s grades.
  • Removed Eleven being bullied in the classroom.
  • Removed Steve/Robin driving to school.
  • Removed pep rally at school.
  • Removed Eddie at the cafeteria.
  • Removed Nancy/Fred vs Jonathan/Argyle sequence.
  • Removed Mike/Dustin searching for Lucas’ replacement.
  • Removed Crissy/Eddie in the woods.
  • Removed Tammy Thompson.
  • Removed Mike landing to Lenora.
  • Removed Max comparing Eddie to Ted Bundy.
  • Removed Nancy/Fred driving towards the Trailer Park + interacting with the cop.
  • Removed millitary men visitng Hawkins.
  • Removed policemen visiting Jason.
  • Removed Jason informing his entourage about the Hellfire Club.
  • Removed the gang finding about Reefer Rick at Family Video.
  • Removed Fred’s dead familly vision in the woods.
  • Removed ‘The Massacre at Hawkins Lab’ flashback after the incident at Rink-O-Mania.
  • Removed kids in Lenora returning home after the incident at Rink-O-Mania / Mike and Eleven fighting / cops arresting Eleven.
  • Removed Jason and his entourage visiting the kids from the Hellfire Club.
  • Removed Max visiting the school council at her house + Lucas’ place.
  • Removed Nancy/Robin visiting Victor Creel at Pennhurst / Creel family backstory.
  • Removed Max visiting her “mother”.
  • Removed Dustin’s Freddy Krueger reference.
  • Removed agents at Wayne Munson’s trailer.
  • Removed Eleven’s “light bulb training”.
  • Removed Hawkins Police assembly.
  • Removed Two being punished.
  • Removed Robin’s bat rabies comments.
  • Removed cops interrogating the kids at Wheelers’.
  • Removed Dr Brenner punishing Two.
  • Removed Eleven re-entering the tank.

What is cut down?

  • Cut down Max’s session with the school council.
  • Cut down basketball final/D&D campaign.
  • Cut down Mike/Eleven/Will at Rink-O-Mania.
  • Cut down Nancy/Robin in Hawkins Public Library.
  • Cut down the Hawkins group at Creel House.
  • Cut down Jason and his entourage at Rick’s place.
  • Cut down the Hawkins group searching for Skull Rock.
  • Cut down the Hawkins group at Lover’s Lake.
  • Cut down the Hawkins group in Upside Down.
  • Cut down Stece/Nancy romance.

Is this a plothole?

  • How do we know that Jason and Chrissy were dating?
    Although it’s not very obvious, there’s a shot in the basketball game where Jason points at Chrissy after scoring and she blows him a kiss
  • How did the Hawkins group know where to find Eddie?
    They were trying to contact Eddie’s friends, from whom they got the information that Rick was Eddie’s supplier
  • How did the group gather at the Trailer Park the morning after Fred’s death?
    They bumped into Nancy by chance on their way home from visiting Eddie
  • Where is Joyce?
    Jonathan mentions that she is heading to Alaska, presumably on a business trip
  • How did Eleven end up back in Hawkins Lab?
    The objective of removing NINA’s location is to create a similar level of confusion to that experienced by Eleven. Maybe Dr Owens drugged her on the way to the silo, or maybe she fell asleep in the car
  • No Victor Creel???
    The group gathers the necessary information about Vecna’s connection to the Creel House from Nancy and Robin’s research
  • How did Dustin knew they had to play Max’s favorite song?
    He just… assumed it might help, based on Will’s connection with music during his time at the Upside Down. TBH, Victor’s narration didn’t give a more convincing explanation to the significance of music
  • Why did Steve/Nancy/Robin/Eddie go to the Wheelers’ house in the Upside Down?
    Nancy told them about her guns off-screen

Stranger Things 4: The Monster and the Superhero

Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes

Description

‘Τhe Monster and the Superhero’ covers exclusively Hopper’s storyline in Russia, Joyce and Murray’s adventures and the boys against Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan’s attempts to locate Eleven.

What is different/new?

  • Embedded stylized English subtitles for Russian dialogue.
  • Stranger Things 3 post credit scene at Kamchatka as the opening sequence.
  • Lt. Sullivan visiting Dr Owens in Nevada right after the title sequence.
  • “Teens” by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein playing as Joyce receives the package from Russia.
  • Hopper surviving the explosion / being captured and tortured by the Russians / being transferred to Kamchatka flashback just after Joyce discovers the letter.
  • Brief montage of the aftermath of the Rink-O-Mania incident just after Joyce and Murray leave the house.
  • Shortened sequence of Suzie getting NINA’s address.
  • Hopper’s storyline concludes with him reuniting with Joyce and finding the ‘monster lab’.
  • The boys’ storyline concludes with them finding the military tyre tracks.
  • Lt. Sullivan’s stoline concludes with them arriving at the bunker.
  • Clip of Eleven waking up right before the ending credits.

What is removed?

  • Removed the “elephant” scene.
  • Removed “Enzo’s” thirsty comments about Joyce.
  • Removed Joyce/Murray scenes traveling to Alaska.
  • Removed “Enzo’s” ‘odds to success’ guesses.
  • Removed Mike talking to Will about his fight with Eleven.
  • Removed Yuri lying about not being Yuri.
  • Removed ‘Neverending Story’ reference.
  • Removed Suzie’s father and siblings.
  • Removed Joyce/Murray/Yuri in the church.

What is cut down?

  • Cut down Yuri’s cringiness.
  • Cut down Argyle’s silliness.
  • Cut down Murray’s obnoxiousness.

Stranger Things 4: Τhe Mind Lair

Runtime: 2 hours 29 minutes

Description

‘The Mind Lair’ covers exclusively the events of the final two episodes of Stranger Things 4.

What is different/new?

  • Young Eleven passing out / waking up in the bunker as the opening sequence.
  • Shortened Vecna inside Nancy’s mind sequence just after the title sequence, tying in with Dr Brenner explaining Henry’s intentions to Eleven.
  • New color grading of Henry discovering the Upside Down.

What is removed?

  • Removed the Hawkins group planning and going to the weapons store.
  • Removed Dr Owens telling Eleven that she is free to go.
  • Removed Steve’s ‘dream family’ narration.
  • Removed Yuri sabotaging his plane / Joyce and Hopper talking about their date / Hopper speaking with Agent Stinson.
  • Removed the Hawkins group preparing for battle.
  • Removed helicopter pilot’s dialogue.
  • Removed Eleven explaining about ‘the piggyback’.
  • Removed Argyle making a pizza while the others prepare the sensory deprivation tank.
  • Removed “pineapple on pizza” debate (it’s good, get over it).
  • Removed Will/Jonathan conversation while preparing the tank.
  • Removed the “I piggybacked from a pizza dough freezer” line.
  • Removed ‘Benny’s Burger t-shirt’ reference.
  • Removed Robin/Vickie making PB&Js.
  • Removed Nancy/Jonathan talking at Hopper’s cabin.

Is this a plothole?

  • How did Eleven come up with the idea of using the sensory deprivation tank to contact Max?
    Although it’s not really explained, while Eleven was listening to the Hawkins group’s plans to kill Vecna, she realised that Max was in danger, and since she was already familiar with the practice of contacting someone through the Void, she told the boys that she needed a sensory deprivation tank off-screen, so Argyle drove to the nearest place he knew they could find something useful

All fanedits are available through PM.

Stranger Things Film Collection

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His Dark Materials Film Collection

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What a cool idea. I’m yet to buy the first season on bluray - when I do I’ll be sending you a PM you for Part 1 😃

Tighten Up and then turn it all the way up to 11!

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Have pm’ed you asking for links, really like the sound of this edit.

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Hello, that looks amazing. Can you please send Film 1 link for PM?

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No Eleven. Every scene with Eleven up to the point where she appears in Byers’ house was removed.

I mean it makes sense for runtime but at the same time you’re losing by far the best plotline. If anything, I’d rather have a movie just covering El’s story in Season 2.

Do not DM me for edits. Whatever you’re looking for I don’t have it.

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Anakin Starkiller said:

No Eleven. Every scene with Eleven up to the point where she appears in Byers’ house was removed.

I mean it makes sense for runtime but at the same time you’re losing by far the best plotline. If anything, I’d rather have a movie just covering El’s story in Season 2.

I hear you. I struggled a lot with this choise.
As I said,my main goal was the runtime and with her whole story the film was just too long.

I want to revisit the whole project sometime in the future (maybe after Season 4) and maybe then I will try to make a seperate film.

Stranger Things Film Collection

Foundation Film Collection

His Dark Materials Film Collection

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I loved season 1 of Stranger Things, but the subsequent two seasons were a bit too bloated for me. Curious to see how movies 2 and 3 turn out. It would be interesting to do Movie 2.5 with the El storyline.

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Very cool. I had basically the same idea but of course did nothing with it. This was actually pretty common in the 80’s where series were cut down to feature film length to be released overseas in the cinema.

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Sorta like Classic Doctor Who omnibus edits that ran on PBS.

Do not DM me for edits. Whatever you’re looking for I don’t have it.

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Any idea when Movie two is going to be out please?

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ANNOUNCEMENT

I decided to revisit the whole project from the start, since I have not been happy with the final result for some time now. Many transitions between scenes were a bit rough and some plotlines may have not been quiet easy to follow.
Major adjustments accured on all three films for better pacing and a more immersive experience for first time viewers and fans alike. Naturally, this also made the movies a bit longer.

As soon as all three films are available for sharing I will post another announcement and update the original post with the new runtimes and changelists.

For now, I can share with you some of the changes I made for “Stranger Things 2”.
As some of you pointed, losing Eleven’s storyline may has not been the brightest choise. So, in this approach
I decided to include her whole arc insted of a flashback later on.
But this choice lead to a much longer final cut. So, in my current cut for “Stranger Things 2” I left out the whole Lost Sister plotline, since many viewers find it odd and hasn’t really anything to do with the overall story.

In order to justify some developments throught the movie, I made two new scenes.
The first one is a dream sequence at El’s mother’s house where she sees what happened back in Hawkins which leads to her return.
https://vimeo.com/411732825
(password: edit1)
The second one is an alterantion of Brenner’s voiceover while El is closing the Gate, replacing his footage from Kali’s illusion with scenes from Season 1 and including a brief appearance of El’s mother istead of Kali.
https://vimeo.com/411737234
(password: edit 2)

While I do believe that losing the Lost Sister plot makes a better movie, it surely creates a problem with El’s new punk look. I can only hope that Hopper’s comment about Aunt Becky giving her those clothes makes up for it.

Now, in case Kali returns in future seasons, I also made another cut with the whole Lost Sister plot in it.
In this cut, El travels to Illinois after finding out about her sister in her contact with her mother in Hopper’s cabin.
https://vimeo.com/411747304
(password: edit3)

Stranger Things Film Collection

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His Dark Materials Film Collection

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So what’s the runtime of each film?

Do not DM me for edits. Whatever you’re looking for I don’t have it.

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 (Edited)

In my books a film should never exceed 2 and 1/2 hours.

Do not DM me for edits. Whatever you’re looking for I don’t have it.

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Anakin Starkiller said:

In my books a film should never exceed 2 and 1/2 hours.

As I said that’s the perfect runtime for me too.
But in my books a film should also have structure, logic and continuity. And in this case I made the choice to sacrifice the runtime in order to achieve those goals.

So if for example Steve appears in the end of Film 1 with blood on his face, I can’t get rid of his stupid argument with Nancy because that’s where Jonathan comes and breaks his nose.

Stranger Things Film Collection

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His Dark Materials Film Collection

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Tell that to the guys who deleted the scene where Indiana Jones gets inside the sub before it submerges. Lol.

But in all seriousness I get what you mean.

Do not DM me for edits. Whatever you’re looking for I don’t have it.

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 (Edited)

I was planning on doing this myself, but if you’ve already done it, I’d love to see it. I’m not a fan of any of the Eleven stuff in the 2nd season so cutting it out is a smart move I reckon.

When is Force Awakens despecialized coming out

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What? That was the best part!

Do not DM me for edits. Whatever you’re looking for I don’t have it.

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Maybe you think that but I thought all the Eleven stuff past episode 5 or so was pretty uninteresting. Especially since everything else in the season is so good, whenever there was an Eleven scene I just wanted it to end

When is Force Awakens despecialized coming out

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I just joined, but would love to see the film edits of Stranger Things. Where can i find them?

The Truth Will Not Remain Hidden.