Since its debut on Netflix in 2016, Stranger Things has become a cornerstone series on the platform. With the fourth season receiving overwhelming praise and becoming a massive streaming hit in the 2022 TV lineup, anticipation for the upcoming fifth and final season seems to be at an all-time high. But unfortunately, fans are in for a bit of a longer wait than initially planned. The series’ creators confirmed that the show’s concluding season will be impacted by the current Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. So let's talk about what we know.
Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of the hit show, took to Twitter to express support for writers on strike and acknowledged the difficulty of continuing production without them. Hollywood has been facing the possibility of a strike since the start of the year, with the WGA's contract set to expire on May 1. In February, the union voted on a proposal for standard compensation for writers, which received 98% member support in March. Despite negotiations starting on March 20, no agreement was reached by the May 1 deadline. For the Duffer Brothers' take on the matter, see the tweet below:
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. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then -- over and out. #wgastrongMay 6, 2023
This is certainly a major blow for fans of the franchise, who previously had to wait quite some time for Season 4 to debut on the streaming service. Chances are this also means the the franchise's first greenlit spinoff will be delayed as well. Nevertheless, the Duffers seem firmly set on supporting Hollywood's writers during this time.
Stranger Things isn't the only scripted television series that the recent writers strike has affected. Night Court, Abbott Elementary, Cobra Kai and Yellowjackets have already announced production pauses. Many late-night talk shows (except for one) plan to go dark as well.
The last strike occurred over a decade ago. From 2007 to 2008, the WGA picketed for 100 days, causing significant shockwaves throughout the industry. Many rushed productions resulted in poorly received movies such as Quantum of Solace, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Meanwhile, TV shows like The Office and Smallville ceased production, late-night television either went unscripted or dark and a shift toward reality programming occurred. The protest reportedly cost Hollywood over $2 billion.
Depending on the length of this current strike, productions of numerous series and movies may be interrupted, altered, or possibly altogether canceled. And when an agreement is finally made, what we know about season 5 of Stranger Things might not be applicable anymore. Who knows how long the WGA strike could go and how it might change plans for our favorite D&D playing-gang’s swan song.
Reduced royalty payments during the streaming age and limiting the use of AI in film productions are essential causes that the Guild seeks to address. Many are anxiously waiting to see if a fair resolution is reached promptly so production on beloved shows like Stranger Things can resume.
Until then, fans who want to return to Hawkins must settle for rewatching previous seasons using their Netflix subscriptions. You can also take a look at our 2023 TV schedule for details on impending premiers that are unaffected by the strike.
