Eduardo Franco and Charlie Heaton, seen briefly in the final season of Stranger ThingsPhoto: Netflix
Though it started off fairly concentrated — two adults, three high schoolers, five tweens, a meat monster, and Matthew Modine — the cast of Netflix’s hit sci-fi series Stranger Things has become somewhat expansive in recent years. That’s not to disparage later additions to the cast — the series wouldn’t be the same without Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, or the recently added Joseph Quinn in the mix, not to mention all the other new characters the series has used from Hawkins, IN and Furthermore. But it has helped some regular characters take a lot less of the spotlight as they’ve had to make room for the newcomers in recent seasons. (But not the newby – at least not after that, well… you know.)
But not anymore! Series creators Matt and Ross Duffer have sworn off their addiction to “new characters,” according to a recent chat they had with IndieWire earlier this week. “We are doing our best to resist [adding new characters] for Season 5,” added Matt Duffer as part of a longer question about the delicate balance required to bring a new element to the ensemble. “We’re trying to avoid that so we can focus on the OG characters, I think.”
Though the Duffers didn’t respond to specific criticism of the show’s use of characters in its fourth season, some fans have been vocal about Jonathan Byers getting less focus from Charlie Heaton, though Heaton himself has noted that he’s happy to be part being a big ensemble – you’ve assured the fans that they care about that stuff. “We’ve got a great cast of characters and actors here, and every moment that we spend on a new character,” said Ross Duffer, “we’re taking our time from one of the other actors.”
In other parts of the interview, the Duffers talked about when they “figured out” the show’s mythology, noting that after the show’s first overtime (i.e., when they knew they had a hit on their hands) they hit a big one had written a document that laid out the actual mythology of Upside Down, including the revelations that came out during season four. Ross Duffer: “The final reveal will be in Season 5, and we’re looking forward to it.”
[via Variety]