Production on the fifth season of Stranger Things has started. Creators and executive producers Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer are prepared to bring the curtains down on the adventures of a group of young friends facing supernatural forces in 1980s Indiana.
However, despite it being the final season of the show, which has regularly racked up staggering viewing figures on Netflix since its inception, there’s very limited excitement for the forthcoming chapter.
The reason behind the same is fan anger over the involvement of Noah Schnapp.
Why Fans Plan to Boycott Noah Schnapp’s Stranger Things
Early in January, the official Instagram account of Stranger Things shared a behind-the-scenes photo featuring cast and crew members to announce the production of the fifth chapter has officially begun.
However, instead of generating the expected hype, the post’s comment section got flooded with fans questioning the inclusion of Noah Schnapp. He plays Will Byers, the stepbrother of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and a key member of Team Hawkins, in the science fiction horror drama.
The supposed campaign against Schnapp started after his controversial remarks on the Israel-Hamas conflict surfaced. In November, the Jewish-American actor shared an impassioned statement that included the words:
“You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism. It shouldn’t be a difficult choice. Shame on you.”
In one video, he was also seen laughing with those surrounding him who held up stickers that had phrases like “Zionism is s-xy” and “Hamas Is Isis.” Countless comments on the post of the show’s Instagram account suggest netizens are still very upset with the 19-year-old.
Gaten Matarazzo Has an Intense Idea to Improve Stranger Things
Amid the controversy, Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, and Grace Van Dien attended a panel at Orlando’s MegaCon fan event this past weekend. During the event, they shared their thoughts on many different questions concerning the Netflix drama.
Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things gave an intriguing answer when a fan asked what changes he would make to the show if he could. The Italian-American actor suggested the Duffer brothers should raise the stakes by killing more characters.
“It might sound messed up but we should kill more people,” Matarazzo said (via CBR). “This show would be so much better if the stakes were much higher, like at any moment any of these kids can kick it. I feel like we’re all too safe.”
The Game of Thrones approach of ending key characters’ journeys abruptly may push viewers to the edge of their seats. Still, whether it’d be enough to bring fans who are disappointed with Schnapp’s involvement remains unclear.
