Netflix locks down cast for upcoming supernatural series, Stranger Things

By Stephanie Topacio Long August 20, 2015

netflix downloads for offline viewing theaters should stop boycotting — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Netflix has found the young stars of its upcoming supernatural series, Stranger Things. The eight-episode series, which was previously known as Montauk, will be set in Indiana in the 80s and will explore a boy’s mysterious disappearance.

The young cast was found after a worldwide search. In the end, Netflix chose Finn Wolfhard, Millie Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, and Charlie Heaton to star alongside adult leads Winona Ryder and David Harbour. The talented group comes with a range of experience, including voice-acting, Broadway, network TV shows, and indie films.

In Stranger Things, a family and town are rocked after a 12-year-old boy, Will (Schnapp), goes missing. His mother, Joyce (Ryder), siblings (Dyer and Heaton), and friends continue to seek answers, along with the town’s chief of police (Harbour). Will’s best friend, Mike (Wolfhard), is particularly determined to save his friend, and along the way, he encounters a girl with special abilities (Brown) and gets help from Dustin (Matarazzo) and Lucas (McLaughlin). Supernatural forces come into play as a mystery involving top-secret experiments unravels.

Brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, who previously worked on Wayward Pines, will serve as writers, directors, and co-showrunners of the series, as well as its executive producers. Karl Gajdusek will also share showrunning and executive producing duties, while Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen will executive produce through 21 Laps Entertainment. That seems like enough executive producers.

The series adds still more variety to Netflix’s growing body of original content, which spans genres from family-focused sitcoms to foreign language dramas to dark superhero series. The streamer-turned-studio clearly isn’t resting on its laurels. This August alone, Netflix has launched half a dozen originals, including a stand-up comedy special and series for adults and kids.

Stranger Things will debut in 2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephanie Topacio Long

Contributor

Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…

Entertainment

5 characters we think will die in Stranger Things season 5

The cast of "Stranger Things" stand next to each other and look up.

The end is near for Stranger Things as the upcoming fifth season of the popular Netflix show will be the last of the series. Since it's the final run of episodes, fans have already begun to speculate who will live and die. The status of major characters became a point of discussion after Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes 2) joked that the show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, need to be more like Game of Thrones and kill off characters. In response to Brown, The Duffers explained how the show is in Hawkins, not Westeros, and that killing off a character like Mike (Finn Wolfhard) would make the show "depressing."

That does not mean Stranger Things has shied away from death. In season 4, fan-favorite Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) was killed despite his growing popularity as a character. The question is not if any characters will die in season 5. The issue becomes which characters from the main ensemble will die. Below are five characters we think may die in Stranger Things season 5.
Steve Harrington

Entertainment

Stranger Things is getting an animated series on Netflix

The cast of "Stranger Things" season 4 in a poster.

We're still a long time away from Stranger Things season 5, but that hasn't stopped Netflix from releasing more news about their biggest original franchise. While the prospect of spinoffs has been teased before, it's never been quite like this. Deadline is reporting that Netflix has given the green light to a Stranger Things animated series. Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things, will executive produce the series, which will feature Eric Robles as the showrunner.

“We’ve always dreamed of an animated Stranger Things in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realized has been absolutely thrilling,” said the Duffer brothers in a statement. “We couldn’t be more blown away by what Eric Robles and his team have come up with — the scripts and artwork are incredible, and we can’t wait to share more with you! The adventure continues.”

Entertainment

10 most popular Netflix TV shows of all time

Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor in a scene from Bridgerton.

In 2012, Netflix offered its first exclusive content with the Norwegian crime series Lilyhammer starring The Sopranos' Steven Van Zandt. One year later, House of Cards became the first television series produced by Netflix. In the 10 years since House of Cards, Netflix has produced over 1,500 original series globally.

In the beginning, House of Cards was the streamer's premier television series. However, the trajectory of Netflix changed with the release of Stranger Things in 2016. With four seasons over seven years, Stranger Things is now one of the most recognizable television properties in the world. In 2022 alone, Netflix had a string of hits that included as Wednesday, Inventing Anna, and the return of Bridgerton. In the history of the service, what are the most popular shows of all time?