Almost 10 years ago, Netflix released what would become a minor cultural phenomenon: Stranger Things. And in 10 years, the platform will release “only” five short seasons. The finale, which will be broadcast in three parts, will close the story of Hawkins and the upside-down world. But before you get back to this fascinating sci-fi story, two showrunners, Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, wanted to give fans some clarification.
The Duffers made this specific request to Netflix… who said no!
“Eating our thirties”
Stranger Things fans know that we had to wait three years between Season 3 and Season 4, then another three years between Season 4 and the finale. That’s six years of writing, filming, editing and broadcasting 17 episodes. And when you say so, it doesn’t matter much. And yet, the creators say that they spent a lot of time on the series.
“We left very little time, very little time for ourselves. There was almost no break between the first seasons.” Ross Duffer explained Diversity. “Part of me regrets not being able to tell more different stories in those ten years… It took over our twenties.”
Several elements could justify this long delay. Unlike other showrunners, the Duffer brothers chose to be there every step of the way: they wrote every episode, filmed half of them (24 out of 42), and are in the editing and VFX rooms. Casting themselves as “obsessive” and “thorough” people, they made sure to give Stranger Things fans the best entertainment possible, even if it meant sacrificing their personal lives.
And it shows on the screen, especially in the length of the episodes of season 5: it will take at least 1 hour, and the finale will exceed 2 hours. Yes, subscribers have been waiting for 3 years, but they will get their money back (well, we hope).
Recall that the Duffers and their teams also had to deal with the pandemic and strike in Hollywood, which halted filming and prevented certain screenwriters from moving forward with their writing.
That doesn’t excuse everything, but Stranger Things is far from an isolated case at Netflix. It’s not uncommon to wait three years to discover a sequel to your favorite series, especially when it’s a very expensive project. And this, One Piece fans know what we’re talking about…
Stranger Things returns November 26 on Netflix.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
