Stranger Things season 5 is still in the works — but fans were given a terrifying first look of the upcoming episodes.
Writers for the hit Netflix series took to social media on Thursday, September 28, to tease scenes from the fifth and final season.
“Hope the studios make a fair deal with SAG soon or else season 5 is looking like this,” read a tweet alongside an animated version of Joe Keery‘s fan-favorite character, Steve Harrington. “FYI this is pre-vis for a scene in ep 1. So technically your first look at season 5. We told Joe he has to perform it EXACTLY like this.”
The scares kept coming with another visual of Charlie Heaton‘s character, Jonathan Byers, trying to connect various wires with Steve’s help. “They did Charlie dirty,” the writers joked.
Production on season 5 is currently underway after previously hitting pause amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Most Hollywood TV and film productions ceased filming in May as writers fought for fair pay following failed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The actors’ union followed suit by officially going on strike two months later.
“Duffers here. Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike,” Ross and Matt Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things, tweeted in May. “We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out.”
The WGA and AMPTP were able to reach a deal earlier this month. Writers on various productions returned to work on Wednesday, September 27, but no projects can be filmed until SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP agree on a new contract. (Negotiations are set to resume on Monday, October 2.)
After the Duffer Brothers confirmed in February 2022 that season 5 would be the last, several Stranger Things stars opened up about preparing to say goodbye to the beloved show. Stranger Things, which premiered in 2016, was responsible for catapulting many of its cast members — including Heaton, 29, Keery, 31, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer — to stardom.
Last month, Keery discussed how difficult it would be to film the final season.
“I owe my whole career to being on that show and all the opportunities that I had since are because of that show,” he told WWD. “So it’s very convoluted. There’s a sense of relief, there’s a sense of sadness. I guess my goal is to just really soak it up as much as I can while we’re doing it, and not take any of it for granted because it’s been an amazing ride with such great people. And then once it’s done, move forward and try to just hold on to the joy that we had when we were making it.”
