Fans of Eddie may want to prepare themselves. As Stranger Things season 4 hit Netflix this summer, one of the most popular characters introduced this season was Eddie Munson, played by Justin Quinn. Eddie was an eccentric leader of The Hellfire Club, a Dungeons & Dragons group, and had been the subject of blame for the death of Vecna’s first victim. The character was given a memorable Metallica scene in the season finale, which gutted viewers when he had sacrificed himself for Dustin, played by Gaten Matarazzo.
The character’s fans would brainstorm many theories about Eddie’s possible return. A few popular ones would be that he could be turned into Vecna’s right-hand man or that he was a figment of Dustin’s imagination. According to ScreenRant, producer Shawn Levy says it’s all for naught as it is unlikely they will bring the fan-favorite back.
Levy responds,
“[Laughs] Oh boy, a lot of people – a lot of people – can’t even handle the thought of a Season 5 without some excuse for Eddie presence. Highly unlikely. Highly unlikely. But we hear you, world. We know. You’re obsessed with Eddie. So were we.”
Eddie was primed to be the show’s sacrificial lamb as earlier seasons had also killed off popular supporting characters. This goes back to season one with Barb, as with Bob in season two of the show, and then Alexi in season three. Many people saw the writing on the wall that Eddie may not make it out of this season.
Levy recently announced that they plan on expanding the show into a shared universe. There is already a spin-off planned where details have not yet been revealed as well as a stage show. Although Levy says Eddie is unlikely to return, it still leaves a glimmer of hope in some fashion.
Stranger Things can be streamed on Netflix, and season five is planned for a 2024 release.