Stranger Things 5 Is Major Cinematic Storytelling, Says Shawn Levy

September 12, 2023

The makers of Stranger Things pushed the boundaries of television episode lengths in season 4 as it featured two episodes clocking in at approximately 90 minutes each, and a season finale rivaling the duration of a full-blown Hollywood blockbuster, spanning nearly two and a half hours. Now if anyone is thinking that the final season of the Netflix series will dial things down, they are in for a surprise. In an interview with Total Film magazine, Shawn Levy, the executive producer and director of “Stranger Things,” revealed that Season 5 will be even bigger.

“There’s no way to be contiguous with Season 4, and not, frankly, expand scale and depth,” Levy said. “It’s major, major, cinematic storytelling that happens to be called a TV series. ‘Stranger Things 5’ is as big as any of the biggest movies that we see.”

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The shooting for Stranger Things 5 will kick off as soon as the Hollywood strikes come to an end. David Harbour, who has played Hopper, told the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast last month that he knows how series creators Matt and Ross Duffer will end the show.

“I know where we net out and it’s very, very moving,” Harbour said. That is the term I will use…It’s a hell of an undertaking, too. I mean, the set pieces and the things in the scripts that we saw are bigger than anything we’ve done in the past.”

Last month, Millie Bobby Brown told Women’s Wear Daily that she is at peace with the star-making show coming to an end, adding, “I think I’m ready. It’s been such a huge factor in part of my life, but it’s like graduating high school, it’s like senior year. You’re ready to go and blossom and flourish and you’re grateful for the time you’ve had, but it’s time to create your own message and live your own life.”

Harbour previously shared similar thoughts to Discussing Film, saying, “What’s funny is when I started the show, I never ever wanted it to end. That’s why I love the show. I think it’s a great show, even if I wasn’t in it. Now we’re almost nine years from filming the first season, and I think it is time for it to end.”

“But it is, of course, very bittersweet,” he continued. “You know, there’s a sadness there. But also, we’ve all grown up. It is time for us to leave that nest and try other things and different projects. And to let the Duffer Brothers try different things as well. I mean, those guys are so talented. I want to see what they come up with next. So it is bittersweet, but it’s definitely time.”

Production on Stranger Things 5 is likely to be started in 2024.