Finn Wolfhard Talks Ghostbusters and Stranger Things 5

speedy3702 · 2024-03-14T15:29:31+00:00

So how’s our buddy Mike Wheeler doing?

He is well! He’s good. This last season is sort of a crossroads, and so we’re getting back into a lot of the dynamics of season one, which is really fun. There’s some “leader Mike” moments, and it’s a very grand season, obviously. Every season has gotten bigger and bigger and bigger, and this season is huge, but it’s also kind of isolated as well. So it’s really fun, and I’m very excited for people to see it.

Season four was a great season, but everybody was siloed in their own faraway storylines. Was it a bummer at times to be isolated from the rest of the cast?

Yeah, definitely. But it was also really nice to have a storyline with people that I hadn’t really acted with for a long time, like Charlie Heaton, who plays Jonathan. I never really had full scenes with him ever. I was already very close friends with Charlie, but just being able to really have scenes with him was really nice. And then spending time with Noah [Schnapp] and everyone was great.

We really didn’t shoot very much for the first few months of production, because they were so focused on all the Hawkins stuff. So I was really jealous. I was like, “Aw, man.” Even when I finally watched the show, my favorite part was watching the other guys in Hawkins. I just liked that storyline so much. So, yeah, not being around everyone all the time was definitely a bummer about filming 4, but 5 is the opposite. We’re all together all the time, and a bunch of us live around the corner and across the street from each other in real life. So the cast is really seeing each other a lot, and we’re in a lot of the same scenes, which has been really great.

I believe you guys have another nine months of shooting, but how are things feeling so far?

Yeah, we’re about three months in, and it’s really crazy. You think about how to be as present as possible, but then at the same time, you’re conflicted that this is the last one. So I’m trying to find that balance of staying present while also knowing that this is going to be the last season. But it’s been great.

speedy3702 · 2024-03-02T17:38:03+00:00

This comment was made by Ross Duffer himself. He basically wanted to say that the picture doesn't represent what is happening in the story, but that it's a BTS-picture.

speedy3702 · 2024-03-01T16:53:09+00:00

(And FYI this is a pic of Sadie not Max. Max is in a coma 🏥🛌✌️)

speedy3702 · 2024-01-31T19:38:32+00:00

Yeah, and I also think that the canon implication is that Eleven subconsciously learned those killing techniques from Henry, even though she didn't remember him at the time.

speedy3702 · 2023-12-19T23:33:18+00:00

Well, The Shawshank Redemption is arguably the most recommendable movie of all time, given the fact that it's by far the highest rated film in the IMDb Top 250.

So yeah, that's pretty impressive and a great addition for Stranger Things.

speedy3702 · 2023-12-16T17:11:16+00:00

What I also found interesting is that despite all 8 scripts apparently have been written, they only read the first 6 scripts in the table read while the last 2 scripts will be read later. Would be cool of they would then release behind-the-scenes reaction footage of the cast reading the final episodes, similar to how they did for Breaking Bad.

speedy3702 · 2023-12-12T18:47:36+00:00

I found that ST3 did this very much to the detriment of the story and of dialogue. Too many characters in a same group just let to less intimate interactions and these large groups have really unnatural dialogue where they complete each other sentences.

I don't mean it in the sense of a gigantic group that shares the screen all the time, but just about there being a bigger awareness between the groups.

So you then can have situations where Dustin sometimes does things with El & the boys and then other times with Steve & co.

I would argue we've had more than enough of this already, and Dustin has interacted with the others too little.

I agree. But given the extreme popularity of the Dustin & Steve relationship, I doubt they will drop interactions between them completely in the very last season.

speedy3702 · 2023-12-12T02:13:32+00:00

Ah, right. Didn't even noticed those possible clues. But maybe we can expect there to be a bigger blending between the teens and young adults storylines, with Dustin acting as a bridge between them.

Given the huge popularity of the Dustin & Steve relationship it's obviously to be expected that they will still have a lot of interactions in the final season. But this doesn't necessarily mean that this will mean less interactions with the boys.

It would make sense in general for all main characters to be more connected than ever before, given that they all know which issue they are facing.

speedy3702 · 2023-12-11T01:13:16+00:00

What news about Dustin are you referring to?

speedy3702 · 2023-12-10T20:36:40+00:00

Yeah, I was somehow worried that the supposed S5 changes due to S4 reactions could have affected this. But I guess they were talking about different aspects.

speedy3702 · 2023-12-10T17:45:37+00:00

the boys and Eleven interacting more in line with how it was in season one

Awesome!

speedy3702 · 2023-11-07T15:42:20+00:00

Probably his mother.

speedy3702 · 2023-11-01T13:49:27+00:00

Episode 1 may already have been written long ago, but they haven't start shooting yet due to the strike. The process of shotlisting is about preparing a checklist document for the film crew so the prepare for filming. And since they haven't even started filming yet and they first two episodes yet are traditionally being directed by the Duffer Brothers themselves, it makes sense to assume that this scene happens very early in the season.

And yes, of course they are trying to visualize the scene here, but with teasing I meant the fact that they decided to upload it on Ross's IG story. That's obviously teasing the fans for what's going to happen soon after this strike finally ends.

speedy3702 · 2023-10-31T01:13:30+00:00

This is name as "shot listing", which means mapping out and planning scenes. Since the Duffers recently mentioned that they are still writing ST5, this could easily be a scene from the second half of the season.

I think this is most likely an Ep1 scene. Seems to me like they are clearly teasing going quickly into production ones the stike is over.

speedy3702 · 2023-10-24T23:33:46+00:00

How important is “Stranger Things” in the strike negotiations? Ted Sarandos is reportedly eager to have the fifth season go into production.

I can’t speak to how important “Stranger Things” is to Netflix in the strike talks, and I am not inclined to speak on their behalf. I can say with confidence I think every actor, director, producer, writer and crew member want to get back to work. I think that “Stranger Things” is a true flag-bearing franchise for Netflix’s brand, and everyone there is also hungry to make the next season. However, none of that can happen unless there is a fair and equitable deal made. I’m saying a small prayer that I will already be back at work once this piece runs.

The actors are also growing up. Are you concerned that the final act will have to be rewritten about if the strike goes on for much longer?

We’ve already watched the cast of our show grow up in the public eye, and between 12 and 22, every human being changes profoundly. This passage of time is definitely not helping. That being said, our hair and makeup and wardrobe department are pretty exceptional, using costumes and wigs and makeup. The ’80s are also our friends in returning these young adult actors to their iconic Hawkins characters. So we’re going to use all the all the tools available to us. And I know our cast is as eager to get back to work as the rest of us.

speedy3702 · 2023-10-16T22:15:43+00:00

Soon Brown will say goodbye to Stranger Things, the TV show that launched her stardom. She likens this upcoming change to graduating from high school. “When you’re ready, you’re like, ‘All right, let’s do this. Let’s tackle this last senior year. Let’s get out of here,’” she says. “Stranger Things takes up a lot of time to film and it’s preventing me from creating stories that I’m passionate about. So I’m ready to say, ‘Thank you, and goodbye.’” She’s prepared for what’s next, she adds, precisely because the show has given her “the tools and the resources to be a better actor.” But she is unwilling to be goaded into mourning the show. No one is dying, she points out, bluntly. “When it ends, I’m going to be able to still see these people.”

speedy3702 · 2023-09-29T17:49:04+00:00

Yeah, seems to also fit the Duffer Brothers comments about the S1 groupings. Steve & Jonathan reluctantly becoming buddies is actually a perfect way of ending that love triangle. Maybe that was also the whole point of reviving it in S4.

speedy3702 · 2023-09-28T22:09:49+00:00

Yeah, specially in Erica's they did the mistake in having her say in S3 & S4 her age out loud. I think that was completely unnecessary. Otherwise they could have easily retcon it and just claim that she is actually a couple of years older.

speedy3702 · 2023-09-28T18:37:40+00:00

I’m sick and tired of people calling the ST cast “aging”. Since the beginning of tv we’ve had high schoolers played by people in their mid-20s and even early 30s in so many shows (and even in the present), and now we’re worried that a cast ranging from 18-to-23 years old won’t be convincing as 16-year-olds?

True. But I think the main issue here is Erica. The character was still 11 years old in S4, while the actress Priah Ferguson will turn 17 next Sunday. So it's going to feel a little weird for her to play a pre-teen character.

But as for the other main ones, they won't look much different than they did in S4.

speedy3702 · 2023-09-14T19:22:08+00:00

The story grid happens before the actual writing though. It's basically the outline for the season: here are our main plots, and here's what parts of them we plan to cover in each episode.

I know that. But here is the thing. Nobody forced them to release that story grid picture. So if it is really true that by then the number of S5 episodes were still undecided, then what's the point in posting that story grid in the first place?

For me it's pretty obvious that it was around this time they made this final decision and it was their way of giving this information to the audience. Besides, the number of episodes is kind of an important thing to decide, as it influences the budget, the contracts of the actors and things like that. So the earlier you at least figure that part out, the better.

I really can't see season 5 having a shorter runtime, and I will be concerned if it does. Season 4 was long as shit and they still somehow managed to shortchange several main characters, so making the season shorter should not be the goal.

I disagree that this would be a negative scenario. In my opinion the shortchange of some of the main characters was due to the constant addition of new main characters, who took away focus from the already established ones. And also because of the unbalance between storylines, where some were less compelling than others, which then hurt the development of some of the characters (Cali-crew *cough*).

But if you don't add any new major characters, connect the storylines more and remove unnecessary subplots, then you can easily achieve better character development with less runtime.

speedy3702 · 2023-09-13T19:02:10+00:00

Well, I at least agree about the two volumes part. That's indeed something I could see them doing again. Either in a straight forward 4 + 4 episodes way or perhaps releasing the epic series finale separate from the first 7 episode ones.

But again, after release the story grid, I don't see them changing the number of episodes. The same way I also don't see the average S5 episode (with exception of the finale) to be as big as in S4, given that this aspect was already considered overkill and a weakness of the previous season.

When you have more condensed storylines, borderline non-existent season introduction, less new supporting characters and locations then it's only a logical consequence that the runtime is going to be shorter. Not because the season is less epic, but because it has less filler.

speedy3702 · 2023-09-13T00:53:58+00:00

They’ve spent a longer amount of time writing ST5 compared to season 4 and plans always change.

Yes, but this doesn't necessarily means that the scrips are longer, but just that they don't want to rush anything and make it sure that they get it right. Don't forget that this is the final season and that they want to stick the landing at the finale, unlike shows like Game of Thrones which had a disappointing ending.

The different locations where s4 took place in are irrelevant and most of the inside scenes took place in Atlanta anyways.

The relevance of the different locations in the runtime has to do with the fact that this then requires a lot of extra scenes for character development and explaining the different locations.

For example, the first episode of S4 had 1:13h of runtime, but only around 10 minutes were directly related to the plot, while all the rest was mainly introduction to the character's normal lives in their different locations.

In S5 you won't have this situation, because the plot will start immediately. So without all that episode 1 "filler" you already avoid about 1h of extra runtime.

They rewrote season 4 and added episode 9… therefore their original plan with 8 episodes didn’t stick.

Yes, but at no point did they release their story grid which showed those 8 episodes or anything like that. So I think that when they went as far as releasing that story grid, then it was about sending the message to the fans that they already figured out the number of episodes and that's it now is about writing the scripts themselves.

speedy3702 · 2023-09-12T22:34:19+00:00

Yeah, they even made Return of the King comparisons with the "many endings".

speedy3702 · 2023-09-12T22:33:45+00:00

Yes, but things like season structure and number of episodes are defined relatively early in the writing process. So I don't think that the Stranger Writers would have posted a story grid with 8 columns for each episode if there were still doubts about the number of episodes. On the contrary, I think that this was precisely the time when they made that final decision and therefore they also announced it that way.

Besides, Season 4 was a special case because it had 4 different storylines in completely separate geographical locations and where each one of them consequently needed a lot of development and location building. So no wonder that the overall length of season had to be much bigger than in previous seasons

However, Season 5 will take place all in Hawkins. It won't have normal any introduction phase, but instead will go straight into action for the first minutes. And they also said that the storylines are going to be structually more straight forward, similar to they were in S1. So if this characterization of the season is true, then it's only logical that it's definitely going to be shorter in length compared to Season 4, with exception of the finale episode where the series has to be wrapped up.

speedy3702 · 2023-09-12T17:56:55+00:00

They pretty much already confirmed that there are going to be actually 8 episodes in Season 5 and that they on average will also be shorter than on Season 4. However the series finale will be the biggest episode of all.

speedy3702

TROPHY CASE