Stranger Things Season 5 has finally started filming, and while it’s an exciting update, fans have raised an issue about one of the Netflix show’s stars.
Ever since its debut in 2016, Stranger Things has continued to be one of Netflix’s hottest properties, with Season 4 earning record-breaking viewership figures.
With Season 5 set to be the last as the ageing cast move onto other projects, anticipation is building – especially given the actors’ and writers’ strikes, which caused delays to production.
With an end in sight, fans can’t wait to journey back to the Upside Down for the last time – only they’d rather do so without one of the cast members.
Stranger Things starts filming but fans threaten to “boycott” Season 5
Amid the news that filming for Stranger Things Season 5 is underway, there has been widespread backlash to Noah Schnapp after his comments on the Israel/Hamas conflict, with many threatening to boycott the final chapter unless he’s removed.
Last November, the Will Byers actor ran into controversy after an Instagram Story was shared in which he’s seen laughing with friends in a coffee shop as they pass around stickers which say “Zionism is sexy” and “Hamas is Isis”.
Noah Schnapp handing out “Hamas is Isis” and “Zionism is sexy” stickers https://t.co/PXVHC80Jmt
— lexie 🍉 (@gomezquality) November 13, 2023
Despite his comments on the humanitarian crisis, Netflix is yet to take action and was reportedly “keeping an eye on” Schnapp, leading many at the time to compare the reaction to Melissa Barrera being removed from Scream 7 after sharing posts about the situation in Gaza and the fallout to Rachel Zegler’s Snow White comments.
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The backlash is far from over, as shown in the recent news that Stranger Things Season 5 is now filming. Discussing Film shared a tweet about the news on Saturday (January 6), writing: “The final season of Stranger Things has begun filming.”
But the comments section is filled with threats to boycott the series and calls on Netflix to kill Will off in the first episode. As said by one: “Noah Schnapp is in it so we don’t want it.” Alongside an image of Will Byers, another wrote: “Leave this guy at home.”
Leave this guy at home pic.twitter.com/y67LXl7a0i
— Joey (@gothamhiphop) January 6, 2024
“Kill Will in the first episode,” added a third, to which a fourth said, “In the first minutes pls,” and a fifth replied, “First few seconds*.” Another commented: “Let Noah go the first episode please and thank you.”
Elsewhere, one fan simply said to “boycott,” while another stated, “No one would be excited about anything with Noah Schnapp in it.”
You can read more about Stranger Things Season 5 here, Noah Schnapp’s controversies here, and the comparison to Melissa Barrera here.