Stranger Things 5 Behind-the-Scenes Enjoyable Information and Easter Eggs You May Have Missed

The door was closed on Stranger Things in 2025, however that epic remaining season remains to be lingering within the hearts and minds of followers.

A brand new documentary, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, now streaming on Netflix, pulls again the curtain on the beloved sequence’ emotional swan music. We study that creators Ross and Matt Duffer grappled with the destiny of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), that there was a dance occasion after Joyce (Winona Ryder) swung an ax to kill Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), and that it took some time to excellent Vecna’s grotesque look in Season 5.

But wait, there’s extra! Drawn immediately from Stranger Things’ award-winning crafts expertise — together with manufacturing designer Chris Trujillo, VFX supervisor Betsy Paterson, costume designer Amy Parris, make-up division head Eryn Krueger Mekash, and hair designer Sarah Hindsgaul — beneath are 83 enjoyable info and Easter eggs that may thrill die-hard followers. (And after you learn them, check your information of the present with our superfan quiz!)

From manufacturing design and visible results to hair, make-up, and costumes, take one final deep dive into the ultimate season of the present that galvanized the tradition and have become Netflix’s most-viewed series of all time.

COSTUME DESIGN

Multiples for continuity: Each essential costume was made in a number of variations — clear, soiled, bloody, and so forth. — to take care of continuity, particularly since costumes are worn for months and should match between washes and wears.

Aging and distressing: Costumes had been typically “distressed to be more worn-in and look like they’ve had it forever,” says costume designer Parris. That included including blood, goo, or filth, relying on the script, with a devoted ager/dyer and breakdown group.

Challenges with classic costumes: Finding multiples of classic items was one of many costume group’s hardest duties. For instance, Parris discovered eight of Mike’s medallion sweaters at a classic retailer, however when extra had been wanted, she needed to have somebody reweave and even paint them to match the originals.

Seasonal coloration palettes: Season 5 returned to a fall palette, bringing again silhouettes, textures, and colours from earlier seasons (like plaid and corduroy) to evoke nostalgia and continuity whereas additionally incorporating 1987’s style traits.

Brand collaborations: Major manufacturers comparable to Nike, Benetton, Gap, Adidas, Guess, Minnetonka, and Woolrich collaborated with the present, typically making {custom} items or offering entry to their archives.

Custom Nikes: Erica (Priah Ferguson), Steve (Joe Keery), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Eleven (Brown) all wore Nikes in Season 5. Erica, Eleven, and Steve’s sneakers had been custom-made by Nike, together with a singular Field General High for Eleven.

Authentic army inspiration: Military costumes had been primarily based on actual Eighties uniforms however tailored for the present’s world.

Color for the Upside Down: Because the Upside Down is visually blue and inexperienced, costumes for scenes set there use pops of coloration (like Eleven’s purple shorts, Dustin’s purple sweatshirt, Hopper’s blue pants) to assist characters stand out onscreen.

CHARACTER COSTUME INSPIRATIONS

Eleven’s coaching outfit: Eleven’s coaching look (shorts over sweats) is a deliberate nod to each Punky Brewster and Josh Brolin’s character in The Goonies, two beloved Eighties references. In choosing Eleven’s shorts, Parris reviewed 15 totally different shades of purple cloth earlier than discovering the right one.

Robin’s Tom Waits shirt as a Winona Ryder homage: Maya Hawke particularly requested that Robin, her character, put on a Tom Waits shirt with a leather-based jacket and denims to reflect a real-life photo of Winona Ryder (who co-starred with Hawke’s father, Ethan Hawke, in 1994’s Reality Bites). Robin’s “Beam Me Up This Place Sucks” shirt is a playful wink to her quirky, outsider persona and likewise references ’80s sci-fi tradition.

Dustin’s trench coat particulars: Dustin’s (Gaten Matarazzo) trench coat includes a buffalo-check lining and many pockets to reference the “trench coat kid” archetype and to present him a sensible, character-driven edge for his adventures.

Holly’s heroic costume matches her figurine: Holly’s (Nell Fisher) “Heroic” costume was designed in collaboration with the props division in order that her outfit would precisely match the “Holly the Heroic” figurine she receives from her brother, Mike (Finn Wolfhard). Holly’s outfits had been deliberately designed to be vivid and colourful to face out among the many extra muted tones of Hawkins within the remaining season.

Erica’s sweater references Square Pegs and Princess Diana: Erica wears a sweater impressed by Claudette Wells’s character within the Eighties present Square Pegs, and her “Camp Central Park” shirt is a play on Camp Beverly Hills, an actual ’80s model. Erica additionally dons a sweater primarily based on Princess Diana’s well-known 1983 sheep sweater, however with Scottie canines — a preferred motif for youths within the ’80s.

Will’s Adidas sneakers and vests over hoodies: Will wears the identical fashion of Adidas sneakers he wore in Season 1, and his repeated use of vests layered over hoodies is one other throwback to his most iconic appears to be like from earlier seasons.

Hopper’s chemical corps uniform: Hopper’s (David Harbour) pants and shirt are modeled after genuine U.S. Army Chemical Corps uniforms, right down to the right pocket placements, as a hat tip to his character’s army background. His new denim-and-leather Guess archive jacket was chosen as a result of it seems like “armor.”

Nancy’s Guess Jeans wash: Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) denims are a selected Guess archive wash, and Parris insisted on re-creating the precise pattern wash for authenticity, regardless that the corporate initially despatched again a batch with a barely totally different, much less “cool” end. Nancy’s sweaters this season had been designed with tonal multicolor patterns to echo her appears to be like from earlier seasons.

Max’s patches from Henry’s shirt: The patches on Max’s (Sadie Sink) denims had been comprised of the material of a shirt worn by younger Henry Creel in Season 4.

Dustin’s Hellfire Club shirt: Dustin continues to put on his Hellfire Club shirt in Season 5, but it surely’s now extra light and “crackled” from repeated washing and carrying.

Jonathan’s Woolrich and “Maverick” jackets: Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) wears the identical Woolrich jacket from seasons 1 and a pair of, in addition to his “Maverick” jacket from early within the sequence.

Joyce’s iconic coat: Joyce’s signature corduroy coat was initially a rental from ABC Disney. It was tracked down and rented once more for Season 5, and multiples had been made.

Lucas’s burgundy jacket: Lucas is seen in a burgundy jacket all through the brand new season, which is a callback to the colour palette and magnificence he wore in earlier seasons.

Murray’s uniform customization: Murray’s (Brett Gelman) “Big Buy” supply uniform is deliberately custom-made with a knit collar and inexperienced embroidery thread for the identify tag, suggesting he repurposed items from different uniforms.

Cargo pants for the youngsters: Many of the gang, together with Mike, got cargo pants with additional pockets this season. It wasn’t only a fashion alternative — it’s in order that they’re able to run into the Upside Down at any second.

HAIR AND MAKEUP

Will’s bowl-cut evolution: Will’s signature bowl lower was initially impressed by the character Bastian from the 1984 fantasy movie The NeverEnding Story, and it was saved for years to point out his character’s emotional stagnation. Only in Season 5, when Will learns to simply accept himself, does his hair lastly evolve, embracing actor Noah Schnapp’s pure texture for the primary time.

Multiple heads of hair: With 12 new children this season, plus photograph and stunt doubles, the hair group typically styled greater than 30 variations of the identical look.

Dr. Kay’s seal of approval: The group referenced a lot of actor Linda Hamilton’s previous hairstyles and used a mix of these appears to be like to realize Dr. Kay’s edgy however military-appropriate look.

Flat-tops for the win: Lovable bully Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly), considered one of Holly’s classmates, sports activities a flat high impressed by the character Buzz McCallister from Home Alone, regardless that that movie is a bit forward of the present’s 1987 setting. And Lucas’s flat high stays intact even throughout motion scenes, so passage of time or destruction is proven by subtler texture modifications.

Lt. Akers’s self-styled look: Alex Breaux, who performs Lt. Akers, lower his hair himself, which the hair group embraced; later, they added a prosthetic burn and crimped/burnt hair impact for his storyline.

Sigourney Weaver inspiration: Nancy’s hair in Season 5 was impressed by Sigourney Weaver’s look in Alien. Her quick, arduous rock-inspired layers are additionally a nod to the Eighties music scene.

Steve Harrington’s occasion within the again: Steve’s hair is longer within the again this season, and the “cat paw” method was used to fashion his iconic look.

We love the ’80s: Classic ’80s hair instruments like blow brushes, curlers, and wig ovens (dryers) helped to realize genuine types, however the usage of crimpers was uncommon (aside from in particular results like Lt. Akers’ burnt hair).

Flower bomb bangs: The “flower bomb” bang — a poufed, floral-looking fringe — was a favourite ’80s fashion and seems on a number of characters in Season 5, together with background mothers.

Pigtails for Holly: Holly Wheeler’s pigtails are a sly nod to basic child characters comparable to Gertie (performed by a younger Drew Barrymore) from the 1982 basic E.T. 

Karen Wheeler will get frazzled: Karen Wheeler’s (Cara Buono) hair was left a bit frazzled to sign her stress over internet hosting a bigger household (the Byers) amid quarantine — to not point out her badass battles with a Demogorgon and Demodogs.

Karen’s motion sequence: Karen’s search for her huge motion scene in Episode 2 included results like dripping mascara, torn clothes, “translucent jelly” for wetness, and enormous prosthetic wounds with gushing blood — all completed virtually, not digitally.

Wig challenges: Maya Hawke’s hair as Robin was a significant problem: Multiple wigs turned pink as a substitute of the supposed blond and required weeks of troubleshooting, with shipments being despatched again to the maker in London.

Yearbook senior portraits: Makeup division head Eryn Krueger Mekash was impressed by her personal yearbook, alongside along with her husband’s, with particular appears to be like within the present primarily based on actual classmates’ senior portraits.

Dustin’s season-long accidents: Dustin is crushed up in an early episode and his wounds — black eyes, a damaged nostril, blood, and bruises — had been fastidiously tracked for continuity all through the season.

Tattoo-transfer accidents: The make-up group used tattoo transfers for wounds and scars in order that the very same harm placement might be rapidly and completely re-created throughout a number of items and episodes.

Max’s twin appears to be like: Max has two essential appears to be like this season: a sunburned, Pippi Longstocking fashion for her time within the different realm, and a withered, nearly ghostly look for her hospital scenes.

Technicolor Creel House: In the Creel House, children’ make-up is deliberately vivid and “cartoony,” with additional blush and lip coloration to match the set’s vibrant, surreal palette.

Color-adjusted bruises: Bruises and wounds had been specifically color-corrected to point out up beneath the present’s distinctive lighting (just like the purple or blue scenes within the lab or the Upside Down), so typically make-up that appears “hardcore” in individual seems excellent on digicam.

Natural, lived-in appears to be like: Season 5’s apocalyptic tone impressed a extra practical, much less “made-up” search for most characters, which translated to minimal make-up, a bit flush, and scruffier appearances to replicate their hardships.

Makeup pit crew: During intense scenes, the make-up and costume groups operated like a pit crew, working in between takes to soak actors, apply prosthetics, and keep continuity.

Custom blood formulation: Plenty of testing went into creating the right blood coloration that will learn properly beneath the present’s blue and purple lighting, which the Duffers particularly requested.

VISUAL EFFECTS AND VECNA

VFX scale doubles each season: The visual-effects workload and ambition have “doubled every year,” says VFX Supervisor Betsy Paterson, with the calls for of Season 5 being significantly greater than these of Season 4. In simply 5 weeks of filming, the group had already crafted extra results than that they had within the entirety of Season 4.

The Upside Down takes heart stage: Whereas earlier seasons had solely transient visits to the Upside Down, in Season 5 “half of many episodes” happen there, says Paterson, with each shot within the Upside Down requiring advanced VFX.

Constructing the Upside Down: To create the Upside Down’s ambiance and signature vines, the groups used roughly 27.3 miles of pool noodles and 81 miles of rope, producing about 52 miles of completed tendrils.

Vines prolonged digitally: The artwork division bodily dressed vines as much as 12 ft excessive, however VFX took over to increase them greater up alongside timber and buildings.

MAC-Z set battles: The MAC-Z, or Military Access Control Zone, is a large set piece for an enormous battle between troopers and Demogorgons. Of course, the three Demogorgons aren’t actually there; their presence is created by VFX.

Tennis balls and laser pointers for eye line: To assist actors play off of invisible creatures, stunt folks wore grey fits with tennis balls on their heads, and laser pointers or sticks had been used to point the place the Demogorgon can be.

Invisible VFX touches: The visible results weren’t simply restricted to huge monsters; the VFX group labored on many invisible results, comparable to enhancing lighting to simulate rifts, tweaking actors’ eyes throughout visions, or including and eradicating partitions in units.

Reusability and modularity: All parts of the Upside Down (vines, tendrils, and so forth.) had been designed to be reusable and modular in order that they might be taken down, refurbished, and reused — and so the actors might really work together with them. The Upside Down is rather more three-dimensional in Season 5, protecting each floor of its huge units.

Realistic pumpkin explosions: For a scene in Episode 1 the place Eleven blows up pumpkins along with her powers, the group used hydraulics and water (not smoke or pyrotechnics) to make the pumpkins explode in a manner that each regarded supernatural and was secure for the actors.

Bubble wrap “veil”: The “veil” was comprised of heat-treated, stretched bubble wrap coated in clear resin, which displays mild properly for evening shoots and covers seams between noodles and vines.

Hand-rubbed vines: The vines had been hand-rubbed with thickened polyurethane, and a single crew member did 70% of the noodles to take care of constant texture and coloration.

Pyro and sensible results: Season 5 featured extra explosions and hearth than ever earlier than, with billboards being shot up and tanks venting fuel — that means a busier schedule for the sensible results group.

Dead Demogorgon construct: The VFX group constructed a full-size, bodily “dead Demogorgon” for a key scene. It was 3D printed from VFX recordsdata, solid in silicone, and fitted with an articulated armature so it could flop realistically. It weighed round 175–220 kilos and required a stretcher and 4 folks to hold it.

Vecna goes full-screen: Vecna returned in Season 5 with a “new, improved body” after being injured on the finish of Season 4; the VFX group referred to this model as “Vecna 2.0.” For this new season, solely Vecna’s head, shoulders, and proper arm had been lined in prosthetics. The remainder of his physique was lined in a skintight Lycra swimsuit full with monitoring markers, permitting VFX to digitally create the remaining, together with his new “see-through” parts. 

Jamie Campbell Bower within the prosthetics chair: Bower estimates he spent a complete of 70 hours within the prosthetics chair to turn into Vecna. Bower wore custom-fitted contact lenses and dentures to permit for optimum facial expressiveness. His transformation time this season was really significantly much less, since make-up results division head Barrie Gower’s group needed to do solely the higher half of his physique, with a group of three to 4 artists working collectively.

Shoulder pads for scale: To match Vecna’s digitally enlarged silhouette, Bower wore a particular crop high with {custom} pads on the edges and shoulders, giving him a broader, nearly NFL player-like stance to assist VFX artists monitor and broaden his digital type.

Completely new face sculpt: Vecna’s face, shoulders, and hand prosthetics had been all newly sculpted for Season 5 — no reuse from Season 4. The new design included burnt, charred areas and uncovered wounds to replicate Vecna’s accidents on the finish of Season 4.

Color-coded vine particulars: Painting Vecna’s new face was a problem: Each vine and tendril needed to be fastidiously color-coded (some purple, some purple, some darkish) to keep away from a complicated, busy look and to assist VFX monitor the circulation of the design.

PRODUCTION DESIGN AND PROPS

Hawkins Lab’s increasing position: Hawkins Lab has been a major location since Season 1, with its set design increasing through the years to incorporate all the pieces from a basement to a roof, and key areas just like the Rainbow Room and boiler room. The scenes at Hawkins Lab had been filmed in a former psychiatric hospital owned by Emory University, in Atlanta. It was set to be demolished in 2023, however the writers’ and actors’ strikes that 12 months delayed manufacturing, which likewise stalled the constructing’s destruction. 

Eleven’s Black Void: Eleven’s “Black Void” psychic house was created utilizing a shallow, 2-inch-deep reflecting pool surrounded by black surfaces. Though it appears to be like infinite on digicam, it’s really a lot smaller than a basketball courtroom.

The Squawk set as a favourite: The Squawk set was a favourite among the many artwork division and the Duffers. They thought of its design, coloration palette, and degree of element to embody the guts of the Stranger Things aesthetic.

Sculpture division enlargement: For the bold units within the remaining season, the group introduced on an expanded, devoted sculpture division, led by Alex Sherrod, to experiment with new supplies and methods at an unprecedented scale.

Styrofoam galore: Season 5 used greater than 35,000 kilos of industrial quality sculpting Styrofoam to construct a number of the units. The Styrofoam was then recycled.

Mr. Clarke’s Hawkins High connection: The college used within the filming of all 5 seasons of Stranger Things was as soon as Stockbridge High School — the identical college Randy Havens, the actor who performs Mr. Clarke within the sequence, attended in Georgia.

New safety cameras: After the occasions of Season 4, refined safety cameras had been added in areas like the varsity and the hospital to trace at elevated army surveillance and lingering trauma in Hawkins.

Chesley Bonestell affect: Artwork by Chesley Bonestell, an artist who drastically impressed Madeleine L’Engle’s basic fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time, seems as a visible motif all through the season (e.g., in Henry’s bed room).

G.I. Joe lunchboxes and collectible figurines: G.I. Joe is a big presence this season, with genuine G.I. Joe lunchboxes and collectible figurines sourced and used onscreen. Toy producer Hasbro was concerned for approvals.

Peanut Butter Boppers: Steve introduces viewers to a chocolate bar known as Peanut Butter Boppers, an actual Eighties deal with, that includes a creamy peanut butter heart, crisp rice cereal, and fudge chips. The props group re-created the bar and its packaging with assist from a meals stylist and graphics firm and even consulted the unique producer, Nature Valley, which rereleased the deal with in early December.

Telemetry tag and decoder: A key prop in Season 5 is a telemetry tag and decoder invented for Dustin and Nancy to trace Demogorgons. Originally a UHF radio field, it was modified with working electronics and a blinking purple mild.

The Squawk van antenna: The Squawk van includes a custom-built, outsized antenna impressed by Eighties army and submarine motion pictures. 

“Holly the Heroic” D&D determine: A brand new Dungeons & Dragons miniature, “Holly the Heroic,” was created for the present. The tiniest prop this season, it was 3D-printed and painted by hand with microscopic element for Holly.

Mike’s barbed-wire shovel: Mike will get a brand new signature weapon: a shovel with its high wrapped in barbed wire to imitate Steve’s spiked bat from earlier seasons.

Joyce’s ax: Joyce wields an ax in Season 5, a callback to her use of the device in Season 1. The prop group created each an actual and a light-weight rubber model for the motion scenes.

Period-accurate soda cans and bottles: The props group re-created Eighties soda cans (like a retro Mountain Dew) with correct pull-tabs and graphics, utilizing classic commercials for reference and {custom} manufacturing when originals couldn’t be discovered.

Flamethrowers: Custom flamethrowers had been designed and constructed for the season; every season has featured totally different flamethrower designs.

Sourcing from property gross sales: Many older set items, particularly interval home equipment like ham radios or cleansing merchandise of the period, had been sourced from property gross sales. Set decorator Jess Royal used real-life collections to construct genuine, character-driven areas.

Destruction and duplication: Sometimes, props need to be destroyed for a scene — like Dustin’s bike, which was deliberately “messed up” for story functions. The group ensures they’ve duplicates, or can restore or exchange gadgets as wanted.

One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 is now streaming on Netflix, together with all 5 seasons of the sequence. 

Watch the Stranger Things Cast React to Their Very First-Ever On-Set Interviews