David Harbour: Stranger Things 5 could start filming in “a couple of days”

2023 has been a strange year for the entertainment industry. Thanks to the WGA writers and SAF-AFTRA actors strikes, progress on numerous film and TV projects was put on pause, with creatives ardently fighting for a better deal.  But now the strikes have been resolved, and productions can get back up and running again! According to Stranger Things star David Harbour (Jim Hopper), the fifth and final season of the series is ready to start up production imminently.

Seasons of Stranger Things always take a long time to make. And it doesn’t help that the series has been littered with a long road of unprecedented delays over the years. From the pandemic in 2020 to the strikes of 2023, it’s been an arduous journey. Needless to say, now that there’s a clear path ahead, the team is very excited to start filming again. When Variety asked Harbour about what his first project will be following the strikes, he confirmed that Stranger Things is ramping up again.

“I mean, we got to film that last season of ‘Stranger Things,’ don’t we? I got to be down there, like, in a couple of days. We got to get going — we’re late,” Harbour said.

Stranger Things is just one of a number of Netflix shows beginning production again. There’s also The Sandman season 2, which is set to resume production on November 27. This is going to be a busy few months for actors!

David Harbour will give everything in Stranger Things 5

With the end in sight, Harbour is prepared to give his everything in the final episodes. “I just love it so much,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I can’t wait to pour my heart into it.”

Moreover, he’s keen to give his character, Jim Hopper, a satisfying ending. “I just love that show and I love that character so much; it’s the last season and I’m looking forward to just diving in with my whole heart into this guy that, certainly career wise, has made a huge difference in my life but personally, has been the character in film and TV who I’ve loved the most, that I’ve fallen in love with,” he said. “I’m excited to give him the finale that I’ve wanted for him since we started.”

Harbour also made a stop at Motor City Comic Con, where he was asked if there could be a sixth season of Stranger Things. “The beauty of it is there’s a real ending — things will end in a very real way,” Harbour said, suggesting that the answer is “no.”

Stranger Things 5 doesn’t have a release date yet. Given that production is only just about to get underway, it could be a while before it hits screens. We’ll have to be patient.

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h/t Deadline