The Unforeseen Challenges: Stranger Things Season 5 Director Shares Filming Window Struggles

Article Overview

One of the directors of Stranger Things addressed the age gap between the cast and their characters, which continues to widen due to delays in the upcoming season.

The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike is resulting in additional filming delays for season 5, as actors advocate for equitable compensation. Director Shawn Levy playfully expresses his frustration with the aging process of the young cast members and amusingly admits to pleading with them to halt it.

The director of Stranger Things recently addressed the age difference between the cast and their characters. The popular Netflix show takes place in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana and portrays supernatural threats faced by the townspeople, including adults, teenagers, and tweens. While the cast's ages initially aligned with their character's ages in the first season, it has been eight years since production began and delays in the fifth and final season have widened the age gap between the cast and their characters.

In a recent profile by Wired, Stranger Things director and executive producer, Shawn Levy, discussed the ongoing delays in season 5 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike and actors advocating for fair pay. Levy humorously commented on the cast's aging process, remarking that despite his pleas, the kids "will not slow down the aging process."

The writing remained unfinished as the strike began. We have been on hot standby since we were meant to begin filming in June. It's frustrating because these darn kids refuse to slow down the aging process. I implore them to do so, but apparently AI cannot fulfill that request. Actually, AI has the capability, but only in simulated scenarios, not in real life.

How Old the Stranger Things Cast is Now

Despite positive reports from the SAG-AFTRA strike negotiations, the actors' strike continues as of now. However, if production for season 5 can commence in early 2024, there will still be a significant age difference between the cast and their characters. This age discrepancy will mainly affect the characters who started the series as tweens and teenagers, as opposed to the adult characters, who were already portrayed by adult actors.

It is currently unknown at which point in the Stranger Things timeline the upcoming season will be set. Typically, there is a time gap of approximately 6 months to a year between seasons. However, there might be a more significant time leap between seasons 4 and 5 in order to match the characters' ages with those of the cast. Below is a list of the major characters affected, along with their ages at the end of season 4 and the age of the actor who portrays them as of the time of writing.

It is improbable that the new season of the show would be set after the 1980s, considering its retro theme. Season 4 concludes in March 1986, allowing for a potential time jump of approximately three years. Even with this time jump, the ages of the characters may not perfectly align with those of the Stranger Things cast. However, this jump could help viewers suspend their disbelief as the main storyline of the show reaches its conclusion.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am both excited and concerned about the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things. On the one hand, I can't wait to see how the story concludes and what happens to my favorite characters. On the other hand, I'm worried about the age gap between the cast and their characters.

The cast of Stranger Things has been aging since the show began filming in 2015. The actors were around the same age as their characters in the first season, but now, eight years later, they are all significantly older. This age gap is becoming increasingly apparent, and it's starting to take me out of the story.

I understand that the show's creators have no control over the aging process, but I wish they had found a way to address it. One possible solution would have been to set the show in a different time period, or to have the characters age more slowly.

Overall, I'm still excited for the final season of Stranger Things, but I'm also a little bit sad to see it end. I've been watching this show since I was a kid, and it's been a big part of my life. I'm going to miss it when it's gone.