Stranger Things has fallen into a routine of introducing a new, popular character each season...and then killing them. Speaking with Indiewire, Matt Duffer revealed that they will do their best to resist repeating this is the upcoming fifth and final season, even suggesting that they will refrain from adding any new characters at all.
“And the same was true with Sadie and Maya. And it’s not like the actors don’t know [either]. They all know that they’re coming into a cast people love, and you’re introducing a new element. And you’ve seen it on shows go wrong, and so they’re all nervous, but like Ross said, with those particular three, and Dacre [Mongomery] as well, who played Billy, it was like, because these actors are amazing it’s just really fun. I just like shaking it up, so we shake it up by changing the plot or adding in a new monster. We’re doing our best to resist [adding new characters] for Season 5. We’re trying not to do that so we can focus on the OG characters, I guess.”
Resisting the urge to introduce anyone new to proceedings will be no easy task. Particularly when the Duffer Brothers have proven themselves to be so good at it. But it certainly makes sense not to bring in any crucial new additions during what will be the final season of Stranger Things. The story would clearly best be served focussing on the core group, of which the ensemble cast is already pretty large, and thankfully it sounds like this is exactly what the Duffers aim to do.
The newest character, Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson, has proven to be the most beloved so far. And while Eddie made the ultimate sacrifice come the end of Stranger Things Season 4, the Duffer Brothers have revealed that Eddie’s fate will have "huge repercussions" amongst the surviving members of the Hawkins gang.
Stranger Things Season 5 Will Focus on Will Byers While Completing OG Character Arcs
The Duffer Brothers have now begun writing Stranger Things Season 5, with the pair revealing that the fifth and final outing will center on Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp. "Will's going to be a big part and focus, is really all I can say of Season 5, in his journey,” Matt Duffer revealed. “We're starting to see his coming of age, really. Which has been challenging for a number of reasons, some of which are supernatural. But you're starting to see him come into his own."
Not only will the show put Will front-and-center, it will also endeavor to complete the arcs for several of the OG characters. “I think you'll see that with a couple of the character arcs, not just with Will,” he continued. “But also with Steve and Nancy, and her relationship with Jonathan where things are not fully resolved. The characters have maybe made steps, like in the case of Will, but that journey isn't over yet. All of that is going to play a huge role as we try to wrap this thing up next season."
Starring Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Matthew Modine and Paul Reiser, Stranger Things Season 4 is now available on Netflix. Stranger Things Season 5 has not yet been given a release date.