Netflix Swipes ‘Stranger Things’ Icons After TV Show Delayed

It’s the end of an era, and while fans may soon mourn the loss of Stranger Things, the creators will already be moving on to something else.

In 2016, the Duffer Brothers–Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer–changed the face of streaming television with their instant supernatural hit, Stranger Things.

Following a cast primarily made of children, led by the likes of Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), and Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Stranger Things captured the nostalgic atmosphere of the horror atmosphere.

Akin to stories from Stephen King and classic kid adventure movies like The Goonies (1985), the 80s-set TV show details how the inhabitants of the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, cope with supernatural threats.

The Duffer Brothers series went on to receive critical acclaim, and eight years later, it is one of Netflix’s most-viewed shows of all time. With four seasons under its belt, including 2022’s record-breaking fourth season two-parter, fans are anxiously awaiting the next installment in the story of Hawkins and its residents.

Little is known about the upcoming fifth season. What is evident is that Stranger Things won’t be back on screens until late 2025. Due to last year’s Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes, production on the fifth chapter was extensively delayed.

While a recent behind-the-scenes teaser didn’t reveal all that much, Stranger Things 5 will likely continue the story of Vecna’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) assault on Hawkins and his desire to eradicate Eleven (Brown).

The last time fans saw Vecna, Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) shotgunned him out of a window in the Upside Down after both Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) attacked him with fire. There was no body to be found, though, and Will (Schnapp) sensed Vecna remained alive.

This is also set up in the prequel stage show Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which currently entertains audiences at the Phoenix Theater on London’s West End.

A prequel to the main Netflix series, The First Shadow charts the story of a young Henry Creel (Louis McCartney in the production) as he moves to Hawkins and becomes romantically entangled with Patty Newby (Ella Karuna Williams). Stranger Things 5 could then potentially see Patty’s TV debut and reunite Henry Creel—Vecna/One—with her on screen.

While this inclusion is unclear, Eleven, Will, and Mike’s friends Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), and Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) will be returning. Winona Ryder and Charlie Heaton will also return as Will’s mother and brother, Joyce Byers and Jonathan Byers, respectively.

There is plenty of time left for fans to get excited and maybe sad, too, considering it is the last season of the show. But that hasn’t stopped the Duffer Brothers from moving on.

Goodbye, Upside Down. Hello, weddings?

Netflix has ordered a new series, Something Bad Is Going to Happen, which is described as “an atmospheric horror series set at a wedding.” The show, written by Haley Z. Boston, will be produced under the Duffer Brothers’ Upside Down banner.

“An atmospheric horror series set at a wedding, following a bride and groom in the week leading up to their ill-fated nuptials. That’s not a spoiler – just read the title,” the official synopsis reads, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Related: Official ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Teaser Confirms Major Recasting

“We were knocked flat when we first read Haley’s script,” said the Stranger Things creators (via THR). “She is a major new talent with a singular voice — her writing is twisted, terrifying, funny, and just… very Haley.”

“We feel so lucky to be producing her first show, and we can’t wait to share her vision with the rest of the world,” the duo added.

This is not the only project that the identical twin brothers are collaborating on post-Stranger Things. Last year, the pair were attached to Netflix’s upcoming series, The Boroughs. In April 2023, Netflix revealed that The Boroughs “takes place in a picturesque retirement community in the New Mexico desert,” with a group of unlikely heroes banding together to take on a supernatural threat.

Alongside this project and Stranger Things, the Duffers will also produce the live-action Death Note adaptation. As announced in July 2022, the Upside Down production banner will bring the famous manga to life in a new way as part of their huge Netflix deal. Halia Abdel-Meguid will write and executive produce the TV show.

Multiple cast members have spoken out about Stranger Things 5, including Maya Hawke, who regards the making of the fifth season as similar to creating eight movies.

Similarly, David Harbour, who has played police chief Jim Hopper since the show’s inception, alluded to the show’s ending at Motor City ComicCon in late 2023, saying, “The beauty of it is there’s a real ending — things will end in a very real way.”

Related: ‘Stranger Things 5’ and ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Not Happening, Other Netflix Shows Take Over

One big clue to the Stranger Things 5 ending is the inclusion of action icon Linda Hamilton in the cast. The Terminator legend boarded Stranger Things in 2023, and speculation mounted about who the actress could play. Currently, all reports are pointing to her portraying an adult Eleven, suggesting that Millie Bobby Brown’s character will survive her inevitable rematch with Vecna.

With Stranger Things 5 and Wednesday Season 2, starring rising star Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, coming down the pipeline, it looks set to be a huge two years for Netflix.

Despite the excitement, though, Stranger Things has been tarnished thanks to the behavior of both Noah Schapp and Brett Gelman (Murray Bauman), who have both been criticized for their views and actions on the ongoing Israel and Palestine conflict.

Are you looking forward to Stranger Things 5? Let us know in the comments down below!