Stranger Things' writers have been back at work for several weeks now and seem to be gearing up for Season 5. Unfortunately, given that SAG-AFTRA is still on strike, production has yet to begin. That hasn’t stopped the Duffer Brothers and their writers from planning out shots, though they've had to get creative due to the circumstances. The work seems productive nonetheless, however, and I now have thoughts about what they might be planning.
Ross Duffer recently posted a video to his Instagram story, which showed him and his brother, Matt, plotting out a shot using Stranger Things Funko Pops. In the short clip, recreations of Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers, Eleven ("El") and Will Byers were positioned front and center.
As the EP recorded the video, Matt Duffer used his own phone to mimic how they might shoot the scene in real life. They also vaguely discussed what’s going on in the scene. The little behind-the-scenes look has me excited for Season 5 in new ways, especially since I have some thoughts about what they have going on.
Interesting Character Groupings Might Be Formed
Every season of Stranger Things sees the characters break off into their own specific groups and duos that fans can't get enough of. It’s safe to say Season 5 is going to be no exception. Usually, the characters break off into packs consisting of their respective friends, but the Funko Pop scene the Duffer Brothers teased seems to break from that tradition.
I am definitely curious to see if and how Robin, Nancy, Joyce, El, and Will end up grouped together. It’ll be specifically interesting to see how Joyce fits into this group since she’s usually off on her own adventures with Hopper or the other adults. With these characters aligned, Vecna -- who's worth reading up on -- should be terrified.
On the other hand, this does leave me wondering where some of the other characters are. From the looks of the video, it seems like Mike is on his own, which has me tremendously worried that he could be stuck somewhere. Meanwhile, Hopper and Dustin seem to be alongside each other and, if they are indeed matched up, that has the potential to be a great Stranger Things character pairing.
The Monsters Have Started To Invade
In the video clip, one of the brothers mentioned that El says, “There are too many.” Given how Season 4, Volume 2 ended, I can only imagine this means that the monsters from the Upside Down have started to invade Hawkins, Indiana. El has always been a character that takes on battles without a moment of hesitation, so the notion of her saying something so cynical doesn’t seem like a good sign. What kind of monsters the crew is facing remains to be seen but, if El is worried, then we all should be!
This Really Is Going To Be Will’s Season
Thanks to the Duffer Brothers and Noah Schnapp, one of the details we know about Stranger Things Season 5 really going to be all about Will, and the video seemed to fuel that idea. In the clip, one could hear the brothers talking about how the shot needs to end on a Will and him looking nervous. Not only does the shot end on him, but it seems like it’s going to be a close-up, too.
Now, maybe I’m reading too much into it, but close-ups are always used for impactful scenes. I can already picture a tight shot of Will reaching for the back of his neck as he stands next to his friends and family. Perhaps this is the moment Will realizes he has to be the one to stop what's going on.
I Have A Bad Feeling Steve’s Not Making It Out Alive
As I watched the video, I couldn’t help but notice Steve Harrington’s Funko Pop was off to the side. While he wasn’t the only Funko Pop not being utilized in the shot, Steve was the only one lying on his back, totally out of range. It definitely has me worried.
Some fans and even Millie Bobby Brown have criticized the series for not killing off characters and, with this being the final season, I worry the Duffer Brothers might actually give some fans what they want. Given that Steve is one of three characters meant to die early, I can’t help but fear for his life. So his Funko Pop being left out of the planning is not easing my anxiety at all.
Could A Fan Favorite Character Be Coming Back?
Some fans on social ignored the Funko Pops altogether and chose to focus on a book on the table instead. Though it’s hard to read the cover, the image very clearly shows a bullet-style belt that’s eerily similar to the one Eddie Munson wore in the Upside Down. Now, it might be a bit of a stretch since there are plenty of books in the background, but I can’t deny that it has gotten my hopes up that Eddie's not really dead.
The Funko Pop video joins a handful of "first-look" pre-vis scenes that have been shared on the official writers’ X page. Hopefully, there are more cool teases to come that give us even more space to speculate. As fans wait for the final season, they can revisit the first four seasons of the show with a Netflix subscription.
