The cast and creators of 'Stranger Things 5' tease their characters' fates

Millie Bobby Brown on Eleven’s Character Journey in Stranger Things 5

Here’s what Millie Bobby Brown had to say about Eleven’s mindset in Stranger Things 5: “Eleven is in training mode. She’s in a warrior state, which is the first time you see Eleven like that at the beginning of a season. As for her mindset, all she is thinking about is protecting her friends. Her friends are her chosen family, so she will do whatever it takes to protect them and we’re going to see that.” 

Gaten Matarazzo on Dustin’s State of Mind in Stranger Things 5

Poor Dustin, losing Eddie Munson hit him hard. Here’s what Gaten Matarazzo shared about his character in Stranger Things 5. “Dustin is kind of in a bit of a funk. I think everybody probably is considering the state that Hawkins is in, and it’s getting a little bit harder for the gang to keep all the pieces together. We’re all dealing with the day-to-day issues of what it is to try to keep everybody safe and figure out where Vecna is, while having a lot of unpacked baggage from the events in the previous season.”

Caleb McLaughlin on Lucas’s Character Story in Stranger Things 5

Caleb McLaughlin had this to say about Lucas’ character and story in Stranger Things: “It’s always been in the beginning of a season that everything is all good, but this is the first season we come into it and the stakes are the same as where we left off. We haven’t defeated Vecna and the problem is still there. We’re still trying to figure it out and we may not be able to figure it out, so you feel that burden on Lucas as well as everyone else on the show. Everyone is on edge and we’re all just trying to keep hope alive.” 

Noah Schnapp on Will’s Return to Hawkins in Stranger Things 5

Noah Schnapp shared this about his character and Will’s place in the Stranger Things 5 story: “Will is back in Hawkins this season. He was out of Hawkins for the last season, so now we’re seeing the effects of him being back in that realm. We kind of hit the ground running right away this season, which is really exciting and not how we’ve started any other season. Everyone is all in one place and we all have the same objective.” 

Sadie Sink on Max on the Small Glimmer of Hope for Her Character in Stranger Things 5

Sadie Sink revealed the following about Max’s fate in Stranger Things 5“We [ended] Season 4 in a tough place for Max. Her final moments were her in a hospital bed. Eleven was searching for her in the void and couldn’t find her, so Max is definitely not the way she once was. There’s still a small glimmer of hope, though, and her friends are hanging on to that.” 

Finn Wolfhard on Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things 5

Finn Wolfhard had some concise but interesting words to say about the future of Mike Wheeler: “Mike is back in leadership mode, and he’s kind of taken it more upon himself to help plan out these missions, and he and the whole gang are devoted to finding Vecna and ending this.” 

Creators Ross and Matt Duffer on Stranger Things 5

Ross Duffer shared a bit more about the difference between Stranger Things 5 and other seasons, “I think what’s unique about this season is that it starts a little bit in chaos because our heroes ultimately lost at the end of Season 4. We usually set up their normal life and how they’re going about school, and then we introduce the supernatural element. But in this case, this season is sprinting from the start.”

Meanwhile, Matt Duffer added, “They’re not experiencing normal life. Nothing in Hawkins is normal anymore…their movement is restricted, and there are Big Brother cameras everywhere. So not only are they active — their everyday, normal lives are anything but.”

Director and Executive Producer Shawn Levy on Stranger Things 5

To conclude, Shawn Levy offered these words, “The action is next level, the visual effects are next level, but I’m also happy to say that the emotional center remains the same. And part of the magic of this show is that even as we evolve, even as the storytelling becomes more epic, it’s always anchored in these characters that we love.”

More About Stranger Things 5

Stranger Things 5‘s synopsis shares, “The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”

The series will release in three volumes on the following dates:

• Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 releases on November 26
  • This includes episodes one through four.
• Stranger Things 5, Volume 2 releases on Christmas (December 25)
  • This includes episodes five through seven.
• Stranger Things 5, Volume 3 releases on New Year’s Eve (December 31)
  • This is the finale episode, or episode eight.

As we wait for Stranger Things 5 and all its characters to return to us, you can catch up on Stranger Things‘ first four seasons on Netflix.