Stranger Things' Matthew Modine on Dr Brenner's possible season 4 return: 'We never saw the body'
The door has been left open for the season one villain to return.
Stranger Things star Matthew Modine has expressed his interest in returning to the sci-fi series, following recent fan theories that his character is still alive.
The actor, who also appeared in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, had a key role in the first season of Netflix's flagship show, portraying the sinister Dr Brenner.
The character led work being done at a mysterious research lab housing Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven, experimenting with ways to utilise her supernatural abilities.
Towards the end of the first season, it appeared that he had been killed by the so-called Demogorgon stalking the residents of Hawkins, Indiana - but appearances can be deceiving.
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In an interview with NME, Modine addressed the theory that Dr Brenner is still alive somewhere in the Stranger Things universe, an idea fuelled by other characters recently cheating death.
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He said: "I love that the fans are trying to figure out where Dr. Brenner is, because we’re all wondering, you know, is he in the Upside Down? Did the Demogorgon drag him away? Is he going to re-emerge?
“And the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, have said that unless you see a body, the character’s not dead. And obviously we never saw Dr. Brenner’s body.”
Modine went on to defend his character against any perceived villainy, suggesting that his interest in Eleven's formidable power may be misunderstood.
“Dr. Brenner isn’t as bad as some of the fans think he is. What did he do that’s so bad? I’ve watched the show, and I don’t think Dr. Brenner ever killed anybody," he said, before citing some of the fatalities Eleven has caused.
Modine added: "Maybe all it is is that Dr. Brenner knows how powerful Eleven is and his concern is this: what happens if she gets in the hands of someone that’s truly evil?"
That would certainly be an interesting way to bring the character back into the fray, but whether or not it will actually happen remains to be seen.
Stranger Things season four is currently filming and is sure to have plenty of surprises in store for fans, even if we think we know the identity of "the American" being held captive in Russia...
Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, visit our TV Guide, or find out about upcoming new TV shows 2020.
