Stranger Things fans, it’s time to face the music – Eddie Munson really isn’t crawling out of the Upside Down. After months of playful speculation, red-carpet teases, and internet sleuthing, co-showrunner Matt Duffer has put an end to the rumors: Joseph Quinn is not returning for Season 5. “I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people! But no, he’s dead,” Duffer told Empire magazine with a laugh. “Joe’s been busy anyway – he’s shot like five movies since! When has he got time to come back to Hawkins? No, sadly, RIP. 
He’s fully under that ground.”
For those who hoped Quinn’s devilish grin during recent interviews meant a surprise cameo, this might sting. The actor had expertly stirred speculation earlier this year, especially during the red carpet for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. When asked if Eddie might return, Quinn smirked: “Who knows? There’s always a chance for anything, isn’t there? Nothing’s impossible.” Naturally, the fandom lost its collective mind – dissecting every grin, eyebrow raise, and pause for hidden meaning.
But now that the Duffers have spoken, closure seems inevitable. Eddie’s heroic demise in Season 4, shredding Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” as demobats swarmed, remains one of the show’s most iconic moments. And maybe that’s where it should stay – tragic, meaningful, and untainted by cheap resurrection. Still, fans can’t help but wonder whether “under the ground” might carry another meaning in Hawkins: the Upside Down itself. After all, death in this show rarely feels final.
Meanwhile, the brothers are doubling down on ambition for their swan song. Ross Duffer revealed at a Netflix sneak peek in Los Angeles that the team spent a full year shooting Season 5, capturing over 650 hours of footage. “This is our biggest and most ambitious season yet,” he said. “It’s basically eight blockbuster movies in one.” Matt added that this last chapter is also their most personal: “It was super intense and emotional to film – there was so much crying, from us, the actors, everyone. After almost ten years together, we poured everything into this.”
The Duffers also teased a significant new player: Linda Hamilton joins the cast as Dr. Kay, a “hyper-intelligent, intimidating government agent” on the hunt for Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven. The addition of the Terminator icon promises a thrilling dynamic, raising questions about how the government’s grip on the supernatural fallout will tighten as the story concludes.
Netflix confirmed the final rollout will arrive in three parts – four episodes on Thanksgiving (November 26), three more on Christmas Day, and the climactic finale on New Year’s Day. An end-of-year binge for the ages. Whether Eddie’s guitar echoes through one last flashback or remains buried forever, Season 5 looks poised to close the gates – emotionally and literally – on one of television’s defining sagas.
1 comment
split release again?? guess I’ll forget half the plot by christmas 😂