By A decade has elapsed since the filming of Stranger Things season 1 commenced, and with so much time gone by, enthusiasts are anxious about the younger actors appearing too mature in season 5. However, there’s no need for alarm as creators Matt and Ross Duffer assure that there’s truly little to be concerned about.
“It’s not as extreme as individuals imagine,” remarks Matt Duffer to Variety. When the inaugural season premiered in 2016, the cast members closely mirrored the ages of their characters from 1983. Yet the entire series has unfolded over merely four years, implying that now in 2025, just as Stranger Things season 5 is about to grace screens, many actors are significantly older than their roles.
Nonetheless, the Duffer brothers state that the viewers hardly perceive that time has elapsed once the show is presented onscreen. “Nobody’s ever observed it. As they mature, it’s a less drastic transition. Coming back to film season 3 was astonishing to both me and Ross. We had to rapidly revise the writing, as we realized we had been depicting them too youthful.”
The sole challenge lies with their voices, as everyone is aware of the changes in teenage boys’ pitches upon reaching a certain age. “We’re still navigating that,” noted Matt Duffer. “We were recording with actor Jake [Connelly], who portrays a new character.