Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” which began production more than eight years ago, is finally coming back to metro Atlanta to start the fifth and final season on Jan. 8.
Production was delayed more than six months because of a combination of the writers strike, which concluded in September, and the actors strike, which ended last month.
And given how long it takes for the series to shoot, it will likely debut in 2025, three years after season four.
The five core young actors who started with the show were pre-teens when they came to EUE Screen Gems in Atlanta in November 2015, close to their characters’ actual ages. But they are now college age and by season 4, the gap between their real ages and their characters’ ages had widened sharply. It’s unclear what time leap the creators the Duffer brothers may make for season 5 to close that gap.
Breakout star Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), who has expressed her desire to move on with her career, was 11 at the time and is going to turn 20 in February. Noah Schnapp (Will Byers) was also 11 and will end his teen years in October 2024. Finn Wolfhard (MIke Wheeler) was 12 and will be able to legally drink on Dec. 23. Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair) had just turned 13 in late 2005 and is now 22. And Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson) was also 13 when the show began production and turned 21 this past September.
Some details of season 5 have come out. Linda Hamilton of “The Terminator” fame will be joining the very large cast. Puck News reported the cast is receiving massive pay raises. Bad guy Vecna will return. And the Duffer brothers promise more answers about what the Upside Down is all about.
“I’m excited to go back. I’m excited to wrap it up in a bold, amazing way,” star David Harbour, who plays Hopper, told Variety earlier this year. “I’m excited to really swing with this character, because you know they’re going to pay off these OG characters: Eleven, Hopper, Joyce, Will, Mike. They’re going to pay them off in big ways because they’ve lived with you for the past eight years.”
About the Author
