At the premiere for the Stranger Things: The First Shadows Broadway premiere, Stranger Things executive producer and director Shawn Levy was asked to share his thoughts about how emotional the last day of filming was on the Netflix sci-fi drama's fifth and final season.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Levy stated, "It was as emotional as you can imagine and maybe more emotional than you've heard. It was happy- it was a relief, because it's been such a long haul and season 5 was a beast [it] took a year, just to film season 5; there were strikes [and] there were shutdowns."
"But it was also goodbye, but not goodbye to each other, because many of us will stay friends, and stay connected, but goodbye to these stories and goodbye to Hawkins. We all sort of knew on that last day, at that last table read, this was the end of a chapter. We might all go on to great, successful experiences, but you're lucky if you get one 'Stranger Things' in your life."
Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers in the show, was also in attendance at the Broadway premiere and teased that audiences are going to be devastated by the show's ending.
"People are going to be truly devastated. I’m so excited to see the world’s reaction to the finale, because there won’t be a dry eye. It’s going to be sad. Not to be so negative, it's a really great season. People will love it."
In a separate interview with THR, Mike Wheeler actor Finn Wolfhard cryptically added, "I was so happy with my character’s ending. I was satisfied, but I was also very confused and sad, but also very happy...I felt like I was in a dream or something. None of it felt real. I don’t know, it felt perfect."
It's been a long road for the Stranger Things cast and crew, with the show's very first episode premiering nearly a decade ago on July 15, 2016.
Case in point, Eleven actress Millie Bobby Brown was just 12 years old when she was first cast, and now she's married to the son of Jon Bon Jovi.
However, with the main Stranger Things show set to end, there are a number of spin-offs in development, in addition to the Broadway play.
The Duffer Brothers have confirmed that Netflix has multiple spin-offs in development, though specifics remain under wraps. However, an animated adaptation of the show is reportedly the furthest along.
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things will consist of 8 episodes and will be released in 2025. Stay tuned for updates on the first trailer and the announcement of an exact release date.