Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard has opened up about the pressure of concluding one of the most beloved shows of the past decade. With the fifth and final season set to premiere next month, the Netflix hit aims to steer clear of the kind of fan backlash that greeted iconic series like Game of Thrones and Lost after their finales.
I think everyone was pretty worried, honestly, The way that Game of Thrones got torn to shreds in that final season, we’re all walking into this going, ‘We hope to not have that kind of thing happen.’ But then we read the scripts. We knew that it was something special.
Wolfhard told Time magazine
When Game of Thrones concluded in 2019, many fans expressed disappointment with its ending — a response that has since overshadowed the show’s legacy, despite its status as one of television’s most acclaimed series. Feeling that same weight of expectation, the Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, have reportedly been studying some of the most celebrated TV finales, including Six Feet Under and The Sopranos, to craft a satisfying conclusion.
As Wolfhard points out, dealing with intense pressure is nothing new for the cast. While filming Season 4, the actor shared that he “started hyperventilating” due to the immense expectations from fans, compounded by strict COVID-19 protocols.
It was kind of like a fishbowl because a lot of the extras are fans. It culminated in sort of a panic attack,
he explained, admitting that managing the show’s massive fandom has sometimes been “subconsciously terrifying.”
It’s just a symptom of what filmmaking can be, which is chaotic. As a child actor, you’re trying to make things easy for people. You don’t know how to speak up for yourself. You don’t know how to ask for a break… It was incredible and subconsciously terrifying to be 13 and all of a sudden everyone knows who you are,
he said
Stranger Things Season 5 will be released in three parts: Volume 1 premieres on November 26, followed by Volume 2 on December 25, and Volume 3 on December 31. For more recommendations, check out our list of the best Netflix shows to stream right now.
Source: Time Magazines
