Will Byers "Takes Center Stage" in "Stranger Things" Season 5, According to Ross Duffer

While "Stranger Things" season five filming may be on hold due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, there is some new information about the upcoming installment to tide fans over. In an Aug. 7 interview with Variety, "Stranger Things" co-creator Ross Duffer revealed that Will (Noah Schnapp)'s emotional journey will be the heart of the final season. "Will really takes center stage again in 5," he said. "This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that's being protected. So part of his journey, it's not just sexuality — it's Will coming into his own as a young man." Back in July 2022, Schnapp confirmed Will was gay in an interview with Variety. In January, he came out himself via TikTok — and it sounds like his personal connection to his character has made playing Will all the more resonant. "I think the way I act in Season 5, honestly, might be a little different," Schapp told Variety. "I will be fully aware of who I am. Knowing all of that about myself and being able to invest that in my character, I'm honestly just excited." Not much else is known for sure about season five, but another hint about what we can expect arrived during Netflix's Tudum event on June 17 when it was announced that Linda Hamilton, of "Terminator" fame, will be joining the series. The news followed confirmation from creators Matt and Ross Duffer that work on the show's final season wouldn't resume until after the labor union votes to end the strike. "Duffers here. 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," the creators wrote from the "Stranger Things" writers' Twitter account on May 6. "We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then -- over and out. #wgastrong" Prior to the strike, small bits of intel about "Stranger Things" season five had started trickling in from Hawkins. In March, at the 2023 Middle East Film & Comic Con in Abu Dhabi, series star David Harbour said filming for the final season was originally set to begin in June, Collider reported. Now, it's unclear how delayed that'll be. Harbour's update came a few months after the Duffer brothers had originally told IndieWire in August 2022 that the show's final season was unlikely to introduce any major new characters, adding that their goal is to keep season five's focus firmly on the existing cast. "We're doing our best to resist [adding new characters] for Season 5," Matt said. "We're trying not to do that so we can focus on the OG characters, I guess." The Duffers had admitted that it was hard not to expand the world of Hawkins in the final stretch. After all, "Stranger Things" has only become richer thanks to the addition of characters like Max (Sadie Sink), Robin (Maya Hawke), and Eddie (Joseph Quinn). But at this stage, the brothers are all too aware that they have limited screen time available to wrap up the story. "Whenever we introduce a new character, we want to make sure that they're going to be an integral part of the narrative. . . . But every time we do that, we're nervous," Ross explained, "because you go, 'We've got a great cast of characters here, and actors, and any moment we're spending with a new character, we're taking time away from one of the other actors.' So we're just very, very careful about who we're introducing." Clearly, Hamilton's character must be a crucial one for the Duffers to have changed their minds. The creative team have mostly kept their plans for the new season top secret. But still, a few other nuggets of information have been announced to keep viewers satisfied in the interim. For starters, the "Stranger Things" writers previously announced that they were working on season five, per an Aug. 2, 2022 tweet from the series' page that read "Day 1" above a photo of a whiteboard. And in February, Schnapp revealed he'd received scripts for the first three episodes. So, at the very least, fans may find comfort in knowing that at least a large chunk of the show's final season was mapped out prior to the writers' strike. Additionally, the season four finale definitely looks toward a final season that will have more chaos, more drama, and more monsters than ever before. As we wait for more updates about the show's ending — plus its spinoff, prequel stage play, and animated series — take a look at what we know so far about "Stranger Things" season five so far, including the plot, cast, and why it's the final chapter of the series.

— Additional reporting by Pallavi Bhadu and Victoria Edel 48869891