Stranger Things season 5: Will Byers is taking center stage

Season 5 of the Netflix series Stranger Things – which also happens to be the final season of the show – was supposed to be a couple months into filming at this point. But production was delayed by the writers strike, then the writers were joined on the picket lines by members of the Screen Actors Guild. So it’s going to be a little while before this season finally gets up and running. While we wait for the strikes to be resolved, Stranger Things creators Duffer Brothers have gone ahead and revealed that the character of Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp, will be taking center stage in this last season.

The first season of Stranger Things began with Will Byers disappearing into the twisted dimension known as the Upside Down. He eventually got out of there, but he has had plenty of troubles to deal with in the following seasons. Will also happened to come out as gay during season 4, something that Schnapp has credited with helping him come out as well. During an interview with Variety for an article that’s all about Schnapp’s life and career, Ross Duffer said, “Will really takes center stage again in 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.“

Now that he and Will are both out, Schnapp said, “I think the way I act in season 5, honestly, might be a little different. I will be fully aware of who I am. Knowing all of that about myself and being able to invest that in my character, I’m honestly just excited.“

Stranger Things season 4 had the following synopsis: It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.

Here’s the list of that season’s cast members and the characters they played: Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Brett Gelman (Murray), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), Matthew Modine (Dr. Brenner), Paul Reiser (Dr. Owens), Jamie Campbell Bower (Peter Ballard), Joseph Quinn (Eddie Munson), Eduardo Franco (Argyle), Sherman Augustus (Lt. Colonel Sullivan), Mason Dye (Jason Carver), Nikola Djuricko (Yuri), Tom Wlaschiha (Dmitri), Myles Truitt (Patrick), Regina Ting Chen (Ms. Kelly), Grace Van Dien (Chrissy), Logan Riley Bruner (Fred Benson), Logan Allen (Jake), Elodie Grace Orkin (Angela), John Reynolds (Officer Callahan), Rob Morgan (Chief Powell), Amybeth McNulty (Vickie), and Freddy Krueger himself Robert Englund (Victor Creel).

Linda Hamilton (The Terminator) is joining the cast for season 5. It has also been confirmed that 10 Cloverfield Lane and Prey director Dan Trachtenberg will be directing an episode.

Stranger Things is produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment. Series creators The Duffer Brothers serve as executive producers alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen of 21 Laps Entertainment, Iain Paterson, and Curtis Gwinn.

Are you a fan of Stranger Things? What do you think of Will taking center stage in season 5? Let us know by leaving a comment below.