Via Independent.co.uk:
With the DVD and Blu-Ray release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens drawing ever closer, more and more fans are wondering whether they will feature deleted scenes.
Luckily, the film’s editors, Mary Jo Markey and Maryann Brandon, were able to confirm to The Independent that seven scenes will be made available by Disney.
“We have been talking about [the deleted scenes],” Brandon began. “But Disney has mentioned to us that – since they’re going to be on the DVD treats for viewers – that we should stop talking about them.”
When pressed a little further, the Oscar-nominee said: “There aren’t a lot. There’s one with Harrison Ford, there’s one with Rey, but there aren’t a lot.
“I think there are maybe seven or eight,” added Markey. “I don’t know if that’s a lot. I remember looking at the reel. Actually, I think there are seven.”
Speaking about whether there was anything they regret leaving on the cutting room floor, Brandon said: “I honestly think that what is in the film is exactly what needs to be in the film, and what isn’t remains fun but not necessary.
“JJ [Abrams, director] really wanted it to be a two-hour movie, and we did strive to do that. But then, at a certain point, we felt like the film is really working for the very few people that we were able to show it to.
“So we went back to see if we should add any of the things we left off, and there really wasn’t anything that felt like it needed to be in the film. That’s always the goal, to get it down to its essence. There were fun things, but it didn’t actually have to be in the movie for it to work.”
As well as talking about deleted scenes, Brandon and Markey – who are both up for Oscars for there work on Star Wars – also spoke about the film’s similarities to George Lucas’s films, diversity in the film industry and working with JJ Abrams.