Director Frank Darabont, known for projects such as The Shawshank Redemption, The Mist, The Green Mile, and The Walking Dead, is reportedly in talks to direct two episodes of the final season of Stranger Things.
Darabont is one of my favorite filmmakers, and it would be so cool if he actually ended up directing a couple episodes of Stranger Things! This bit of news comes from Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider.
With Stephen King being a major influence on Stranger Things, Darabont seems like a great fit for the show. This will also be kind of a return for Darabont to directing as he hasn’t directed anything in a decade. The last thing he helmed was episodes of his show Mob City back in 2013. So, it will be great to see him back directing something!
I have no idea why he hasn’t made any films in the last ten years, but it’s a shame. The guy is an incredible storyteller and filmmaker, a master of the craft.
Shawn Levy (Deadpool 3) and The Duffer Brothers will direct other episodes in the final season of Stranger Things with the Duffers taking on 5 of the 8 episodes. Dan Trachtenberg (Prey) was originally supposed to direct as well, but he had to exit over scheduling conflicts.
Stranger Things’ final season will be its largest yet, with feature-length episodes. When previously talking about the final season, Ross Duffer shared that this final chapter of the story is going to be an emotional arc for Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and that it will tie the entire series together. Ross Duffer explained: “Will really takes center stage again in [season] 5. This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality – it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.”
When previously describing Stranger Things 5, the writing team said the next chapter of the story, “is like if Season 1 and 4 had a baby. And then that baby was injected with steroids.”
While we don’t know much about what the story will entail, we do know the final episodes “circle back to Season 1.” Matt Duffer previously said: “We’re starting to see his coming of age, really, which has been challenging for a number of reasons; some of which are supernatural. But you’re starting to see him come into his own.”
Ross Duffer added: “I think you’ll see that with a couple of the character arcs, not just with Will. But also with Steve and Nancy, and her relationship with Jonathan, where things are not fully resolved. The characters have maybe made steps, like in the case of Will, but that journey isn’t over yet. All of that is going to play a huge role as we try to wrap this thing up next season.”
Noah Schnapp also said: “I can just tell you that I’m very very excited for what’s to come. I think they did a great job with Will’s character this season, and beautifully addressed everything they needed to. The way they closed the show is just perfect — the story started with Will, and it’ll end with Will.”
The show is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s, and follows a group of friends as they investigate supernatural occurrences and government conspiracies as it plunges the small midwestern town into an apocalyptic nightmare. The series has been praised for its strong cast, twisted storylines, and nostalgic references to 1980s pop culture, which Hamilton fits right into.
Stranger Things 5 will be the last time Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Max (Sadie Sink), and the rest of the Hawkins gang are all together for one last fight against the villainous Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).
Season 5 will start shooting in January.
