Stranger Things season 5 producer Shawn Levy says the final season will be on a blockbuster movie scale
EXCLUSIVE: Shawn Levy says the final season will "as big as any of the biggest movies that we see"
Stranger Things season 5 will be bigger and bolder than ever before, according to series producer Shawn Levy. The director, who is also helming Deadpool 3, shared the insight in the latest issue of Total Film magazine, which hits shelves on September 14.
"There’s no way to be contiguous with season 4, and not, frankly, expand scale and depth," Levy teases about the upcoming final season of the Netflix hit. "It’s major, major, cinematic storytelling that happens to be called a TV series. Stranger Things 5 is as big as any of the biggest movies that we see."
This is certainly an exciting tease ahead of our return to the Upside Down for one final farewell. Filming on season 5 is currently on hold amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, we do know it will feature the return of Vecna after the dramatic season 4 ending and that Will is set to become a major focus of the final episodes.
Levy is working with Netflix again on his latest show All the Light We Cannot See. The mini-series is an adaptation of the World War II-set novel of the same name. Starring Aria Mia Loberti, Mark Ruffalo, and Hugh Laurie, it tells the tale of an interlocked story of a blind teenager and a German soldier.
Speaking about the new series, Levy explains he became involved as a fan of the novel by Anthony Doerr. "I think that the theme of tenacious hopefulness that moved me in 2014 when I read the book feels even more resonant to me now in the world of 2023, which is arguably as polarized and fraught as any time in recent history. And the need for that tenacious humanism is more urgent than ever."
All the Light We Cannot See is released on Netflix on November 2.
The above is just a snippet of our interview in the new issue of Total Film magazine, which features Wonka on the cover. The magazine hits shelves this Thursday, September 14, and features new insight into everything from The Exorcist: Believer to Killers of the Flower Moon, as well as plenty of reviews for all of the latest releases.
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
If you're a fan of Total Film, why not subscribe so that you never miss an issue? You'll get the magazine before it’s in shops, with exclusive subscriber-only covers (like the one pictured above). With our latest offer, you can get a free gift worth £69.99 when you take out a print/bundle subscription. Head to MagazinesDirect to find out more (Ts and Cs apply).
Jane Crowther is a contributing editor to Total Film magazine, having formerly been the longtime Editor, as well as serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the Film Group here at Future Plc, which covers Total Film, SFX, and numerous TV and women's interest brands. Jane is also the vice-chair of The Critics' Circle and a BAFTA member. You'll find Jane on 12DOVE exploring the biggest movies in the world and living up to her reputation as one of the most authoritative voices on film in the industry.
- Fay WatsonDeputy Entertainment Editor