There is exciting news coming for all Stranger Things fans. After intense negotiations, the SAG-AFTRA has finally reached a tentative labor agreement with Hollywood studios. It means that actors strike is over and the filming for the final season of Stranger Things can begin soon.
"We are thrilled & proud to tell you that today your TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee voted unanimously to approve a tentative agreement with the AMPTP. As of 12:01 a.m. PT on Nov. 9, our strike is officially suspended & all picket locations are closed. We will be in touch in the coming days with information about celebration gatherings around the country."
SAG-AFTRA went on strike in July 2023 as they were seeking better pay, improved working conditions, and enhanced health and pension benefits. Additionally, they aimed to set guidelines for the incorporation of AI in upcoming television and film projects. Studios presented their "last, best, and final offer," over the weekend with top executives emphasizing their unwillingness to make any more concessions. SAG-AFTRA dedicated Sunday and Monday to assessing the proposed deal.
The filming for the final season of Stranger Things was supposed to begin in May 2023. However, the writers association went on strike which delayed the production. The Duffer Brothers announced on 6 May 2023, that production for Stranger Things season 5 would remain on hold until the resolution of the WGA strike.
Later on the actors' union SAG-AFTRA joined the strike, causing additional delays in production. Following extensive discussions, the Writers Guild Association reached an agreement with studios in September 2023. With the resolution of the writers' strike, the writing of Season 5 resumed, even as actors continued to remain on strike.
With the conclusion of the actors' strike, the looming question is when the filming for the final season will kick off. The creators of Stranger Things have explicitly stated that filming for season 5 will commence immediately after the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Executive producer Shawn Levy emphasized this in an interview with The Wrap.
"I can say that we are hoping to start filming as soon as possible. We really need the actor’s strike resolved first. The Duffers have been hard at work since the writer strike ended. We are raring to go — our cast, our crew. Everyone not only needs to get back to work because we have many hundreds of crew members who have not been able to make a living since the strikes began, but we will be shooting very shortly after the actor’s strike ends."
Echoing similar sentiments, both the writers and other members of the Stranger Things team have affirmed that filming will commence at the earliest opportunity. Noah Schnapp also shared that the filming is set to begin in a few weeks. Meanwhile, pre-production is going in full swing, with huge sets already under construction for the final season.
While the holiday season is approaching and the dates have to be scheduled for the actors, Netflix will be trying hard to begin the filming process as soon as possible. According to a Deadline report, the filming for season 5 will begin in a couple of weeks. Though it is still unconfirmed, we will keep you posted about any new update about the filming.
Meanwhile, let us know how excited are you for season 5 in the comments section.
Can't wait for season 5