At a Glance
- Stranger Things creators Ross and Matt Duffer began filming the series finale before the script was complete
- The brothers called it “the most difficult writing circumstances we have ever found ourselves in”
- Production pressure and Netflix demands intensified the challenge of concluding the nine-year series
- Why it matters: Fans now know the behind-the-scenes turmoil that shaped the show’s controversial ending
The creators of Stranger Things have revealed the extreme pressure they faced while crafting the show’s final episode. Ross and Matt Duffer began production on season five without a completed script for the finale, creating unprecedented stress during the beloved series’ conclusion.
Racing Against the Clock
In the newly released documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, Matt Duffer admitted the production timeline forced them into an impossible situation.
“We went into production without having a finished script for the finale,” he explained. “That was scary because we wanted to get it right. It was the most important script of the season.”
The 41-year-old creators found themselves trapped between production demands and creative perfection. With hundreds of crew members waiting and Netflix executives applying pressure, the brothers struggled to deliver the script that would conclude their decade-long story.
“We were getting hammered constantly by production and by Netflix for episode eight,” Matt recalled. “It was the most difficult writing circumstances we have ever found ourselves in. Not just because there was the pressure of we had to make sure the script was good, but there’s never been so much noise at the same time.”
The Writing Room Struggles
Despite having the overall story mapped out, the details of the finale proved torturous to execute. The writing team spent more time on the final episode than any other in the series’ history.
“It was the longest time we spent with the writers on a single episode,” Matt continued, “just breaking it down beat by beat, pushing that thing to get as good as it could, just being honest and truthful with the show has always worked out for us.”
The creators knew exactly where they wanted to end up. “It’s all plotted out,” Matt emphasized. “I just have to write it. We are just low on time.”
Personal responsibilities added to the pressure. “I used to be seven days a week,” he said of past seasons. “I can’t do it anymore. I have two kids now and I just – it’s a tough career to have with kids.”
The Eleven Dilemma
The character of Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, became the biggest creative challenge. The series concluded with ambiguity about whether the teen sacrificed herself to destroy the Upside Down and save the world.
“God, I don’t know how to play this,” Matt admitted in the writer’s room footage. “The longer it goes, the more stories you have to tie up and the more character arcs you have to end. The more expectations there are with the audience. How do you meet those expectations but surprise the audience still?”
The weight of fan expectations crushed down on the creators. “It’s terrifying because you see these shows that people love and adore and the ending falters,” Matt explained. “They just discard the rest of the show.”
Production Pressures
The impossible timeline meant filming began while the script remained unfinished. Ross Duffer found himself in the unprecedented position of directing scenes without knowing the complete story.
“I haven’t read eight through and we are shooting it,” Ross told crew members during filming. “I have never done something like this before. I don’t love it.”
Practical considerations forced their hand. The scene where Holly Wheeler herds classmates from the Creel house into the Cave needed to maintain a summertime appearance, creating a hard deadline they couldn’t miss.
The Final Victory
Despite the chaos, the Duffer Brothers successfully concluded their sci-fi epic. On the final day of filming, they expressed gratitude to their crew.
“This is, without a doubt, without hyperbole, the best crew we’ve ever worked with,” Matt shared. “We felt your love and passion every day. We came in here not knowing what the hell we were doing and I learned from the crew. We made a lot of friends.”
The documentary reveals how the creators navigated impossible deadlines, network pressure, and fan expectations to deliver the conclusion to one of television’s most beloved series. Their candid admissions provide insight into why the finale sparked such intense debate among the show’s devoted fanbase.
Key Takeaways
- The Stranger Things finale was written under extreme time pressure with production already underway
- Netflix and production demands created “the most difficult writing circumstances” the creators ever faced
- Eleven’s fate became the most contentious issue in the writer’s room
- The Duffer Brothers balanced fan expectations against their creative vision while racing against impossible deadlines
