Stranger Things Star Hopes Season 5 Will “Kill More People”

In the first four seasons of Stranger Things, fans have only had to say goodbye to supporting characters who have met their demise, with the closest we’ve come to a main character being killed was the temporary relocation of David Harbour’s Hopper from Indiana to Russia. With the final season now in production, star Gaten Matarazzo recently shared how he hoped the stakes of the final season become higher and that the series will “kill more people” to reflect the severe consequences of the creatures from the Upside Down. With production underway on Season 5, new episodes of Stranger Things aren’t expected to debut until 2025.

When asked during an appearance at MEGACON about what Matarazzo would like to see the series change, per CBR, the actor admitted, “It might sound messed up but we should kill more people. 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.”

Despite the series often avoiding subjecting its main characters to any critical injuries, Season 4 ventured into much more devastating territory, with the fan-favorite Eddie Munson being killed off in the finale after playing a major role in the Season 4 storyline. Sadie Sink’s Max, however, who was introduced in Season 2 and has played a significant part of the series since, is the closest we’ve come to a main character getting killed off, in that Vecna subjected her to tortuous injuries and fans last saw her in a coma with casts on her arms and legs. With Season 5 expected to have a time jump, it’s unclear how Max will have recuperated from her injuries.

With the upcoming season being the final installment of the series, it would seem likely that it will be its deadliest season yet. Fans are sure to speculate about which characters could be killed, with their heroic natures potentially seeing at least one character making a fatal sacrifice to save their friends. However, with the Season 1 finale seeing Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven sacrificing herself, only to learn she survived, and the Season 3 finale seeing Hopper’s assumed sacrifice, incorporating another possible sacrifice would likely result in speculation about survival.

Stay tuned for updates on the final season of Stranger Things.

What would you like to see in the final season of the series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!