It's been a while since fans have plunged into the Upside Down, but the creators of Stranger Things are giving fans a little taste of filming with recent behind-the-scenes photos.
Production is currently underway for season five of the wildly popular Netflix series, picking up from the fourth season, which ended in utter chaos. The town of Hawkins was being swallowed whole by the Upside Down after the kids took on Vecna, and during the process, Max (Sadie Sink) took a hit that put her in a coma. Series co-creator Ross Duffer shared photos from weeks 7 to 8 on set, including a snapshot of Caleb McLaughlin and Sink in a hospital room setting.
Despite Max's current predicament, Sink is shown with her eyes open and smiling. Duffer made sure to note in the comments that, “This is a pic of Sadie, not Max. Max is in a coma.” On the bedside table next to Sink is a radio and a Kate Bush cassette. The singer's hit 1985 song “Running Up That Hill” played a prominent role in season 4 and even re-entered the charts again after being used in the show.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Duffer also shared photos that appeared to be of the murky Upside Down, along with other snapshots of a dark forest and crew playing a pinball machine. The director and writer has been documenting the BTS since production started in early January. Duffer shared photos from day one on set, including a picture of Maya Hawke, who plays Robin Buckley, along with Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Season five has had a murky release date due to a number of factors, including last year's Hollywood strikes, but we likely won't see the final season until late 2025 or early 2026. In May 2023, the Duffer Brothers announced that the final season of the supernatural show would be paused amid the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.
“Writing does not stop when filming begins,” Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer wrote on the Stranger Things writer's social media account. “While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then -- over and out. #wgastrong.”
Stranger Things season 4 aired in May 2022 and many fans were worried about how production would handle the kids aging with so much time passing in between seasons. The first season began filming in 2016 when many cast members were actual children. As they become adults, executive producer Steve Levy said that they have a plan to help de-age the kids in order to fit with the story. “We've already watched the cast of our show grow up in the public eye, and between 12 and 22, every human being changes profoundly,” he told Variety in October, adding that they would be using hair and makeup and some CGI to make them appear younger.