Stranger Things fans have been offered a sneak peek at season five, but it’s not what you’d expect.
In a terrifying social media post, authors released a pre-visualization video of Joe Kerry’s character Steve Harrington turning around and making a grimace at the camera.
And the animation is horrifying.
‘Hope the studios make a fair deal with SAG soon or else season 5 is looking like this,’ it was hilariously captioned, in a nod to the strikes across Hollywood as the Writers Guild of America (WGA) staged a walkout after major studios failed to offer an adequate pay deal.
The writers laughed in the comments: ‘FYI this is pre-vis for a scene in ep 1. So technically your first look at season 5. We told Joe he has to perform it EXACTLY like this.’
Explaining pre-vis, they added: ‘It’s rough animation of a scene. We only do it for scenes involving lots of VFX or complex action.’
Hope the studios make a fair deal with SAG soon or else season 5 is looking like this: pic.twitter.com/GC2ok142jJ
— stranger writers (@strangerwriters) September 28, 2023
Fans have been left laughing at the ‘first look’ in the comments, with one joking: ‘Stranger Things season 5 made entirely in The Sims.’
Another said: ‘GOD PLEASE NO.’
In a subsequent post, the authors released another snippet from our nightmares, this time in the form of a pre-vis film featuring Charlie Heaton’s character Jonathan Byers… We can’t say there’s much of a resemblance there.
‘They did Charlie dirty,’ it was agreed.
They did Charlie dirty pic.twitter.com/NOWxnTou4l
— stranger writers (@strangerwriters) September 29, 2023
‘Now who is that supposed to be because that is not Charlie,’ one fan wrote.
Another added: ‘What the hell is going on.’
Stranger Things’ final season has been halted as the strikes continue, with the Duffer Brothers previously clarifying why production is ‘not viable’ at the time.
‘Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike,’ they wrote earlier this year.
They continued: ‘We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out.’
The pair signed off with the hashtag ‘WGA Strong’.
The most recent update on the Hollywood strikes came only a few days ago, when an agreement was struck between the WGA and major studios and streaming services after 146 days of strike action delayed production on programmes like Stranger Things.
Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers debated for five days before reaching a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract.
An email written by the WGA’s negotiating committee and sent to its members explained: ‘We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.’
It continued: ‘To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then.
‘Though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last ‘i’ is dotted.
‘To do so would complicate our ability to finish the job. So, as you have been patient with us before, we ask you to be patient again – one last time.
‘What we have won in this contract – most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd – is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days.
‘It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.’
The following day, the Stranger Things writers teased: ‘We’re back.’
Meanwhile, the Stranger Things authors revealed a major spoiler for Season 5 early this year.
On the official Twitter account for the Stranger Things writers, a new tweet posted on Tuesday March 21 read: ‘Season 5 is like if season 1 and 4 had a baby. And then that baby was injected with steroids.’
Stranger Things seasons one to four are available to stream on Netflix.
