‘Stranger Things‘ Final Season Navigates Cast Aging, Duffer Brothers Eye Post-Series Projects
the Duffer Brothers are confronting the practical challenges of concluding “Stranger Things” as their young cast continues to age, while simultaneously looking ahead to new creative endeavors after nearly a decade dedicated to the Netflix hit. The show’s fifth and final season is currently in post-production, requiring audio adjustments for actor Jake Connelly due to voice changes since filming began.
The logistical hurdle highlights the unique situation facing the series, which launched in 2016 with a group of pre-teen actors now entering their twenties. Matt Duffer explained they are utilizing EQ technology to address Connelly’s voice drop, stating, “We were recording with actor Jake [Connelly], who plays a new character this year, and his voice has already dropped quite a bit as we shot him. Luckily, there’s EQ technology. We actually were just listening today. It’s fine. We got worried for a second, but it’s OK.” This situation underscores the time elapsed during the show’s production and the inevitable physical changes of it’s performers.
The brothers, who typically work in extremely close proximity-often within five feet of each other-also revealed the impact of rare separations. Matt Duffer admitted to experiencing “quite a bit of panic” when Ross is unavailable due to family or medical emergencies. Their longest break to date was three weeks following season 4, and they anticipate a slightly longer, 3.5-week break after season 5 concludes, though Matt Duffer doesn’t consider it a substantial vacation due to family commitments.
Looking beyond “Stranger Things,” Ross Duffer expressed a desire to quickly return to creative work, stating, “I start to go a little crazy if I’m not doing something creative.” The pair acknowledged they haven’t developed a new project in almost ten years and are “excited” to explore new opportunities. Matt Duffer emphasized the need for a recovery period after the final season’s release, advising against immediate vacations due to the overwhelming online reaction, and noting they’ve had “less than three months’ [vacation] in 10 years.”
